THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
NOME, ALASKA
E. P. BOUCHER . Managing Editor
CLINTON GRAY . Production Manager
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Entered as second class matter October 14. 1943 at the
postoffice at Nome, Alaska, under Act of March 3, 1879
Partition Idea Not New
THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE (Juneau) has made an interesting
compilation of facts about division of the territory involving consid
erable research and furnishing much food for though:
The fact is that division of Alaska has been seri
ously considered from time to time for at least 55 years,
and that the people of Southeastern Alaska once voted
overwhelmingly for a division. Moreover, the idea was
approved by many residents of other parts of the terri
tory.
The first suggestion for a division, so far as we
know, came from the Skagway Chamber of Commerce
in 1899. Nothing much was done with it at that time,
but a few years later Judge James Wickersham, the
man who introduced the first Alaska statehood bill in
Congress, advocated a division. In a speech at Juneau I
he suggested the desirability of making not two but j
four territories of Alaska, to be admitted to statehood
as they became ready.
Again there was a lapse in interest, but during the
sixth Alaska Legislature, in 1923, Representative Frank
Foster of Cordova introduced a memorial on the sub
ject. His memorial requested the delegate to introduce
a bill to make Southeastern Alaska a separate territory
and to make Seward the capital of the new northern
territory.
When the memorial got to second reading, Rep.
Harry Staser of Anchorage moved to strike the word
“Seward" and substitute “a point on the Government
Railroad.” The motion was seconded by Rep. Thomas
C. Price, also of Anchorage, and was adopted. Even in
those years, it seems, Anchorage was out for Seward’s
scalp.
The memorial failed to pass the House on an 8-8
vote, but it was not along strictly sectional lines. Grant,
Polley and Shepard of the First Division voted for it
and Speaker Cash Cole of Juneau voted against it. The
Second Division split two and two, the Third Division
cast three votes for and one against, and the Fourth
Division was solidly opposed.
The matter seemed dead again, but it was revived
by President Warren G. Harding. In a speech at Seattle
on July 27, 1923, just after his return from Alaska, he
said:
“Alaska is destined for ultimate statehood. In a
very few years we can well set off the panhandle and
a large block of the connecting southeastern part as a
state. This region now contains easily 90 percent of
the white population and of the developed resources.
It would be the greatest single impetus we could possi
bly give to the right kind of development.”
The Ketchikan City Council picked up the ball
•
and promoted a special election in Southeastern Alaska.
The idea was received with enthusiasm. The editor
of this paper, the Daily Alaska Empire, urged everyone
to get out and vote, whether for or against the proposi
tion. The editor, John W. Troy, said he would prefer
to see a full territorial government, with counties or
ganized to levy and expend taxes locally. Since there
seemed little chance of getting it, he thought division
was the next best thing. He urged, however, that]
the Prince William Sound area and the Copper River:
drainage be included in the Territory of South Alaska.
The election was held on November 6, 1923, and j
the results were overwhelming. Douglas voted 83-10 i
for the division. Juneau’s vote was 401-24, Haines 80-0,
Skagway 65-6, Ketchikan 441-39, Petersburg 75-3 and
Wrangell 199-7. The called reached Sitka too late to
hold an election.
The city councils of the participating towns elected
delegates to a convention at Juneau on November 15
to draft plans and an organic act. Juneau delegates
were R. E. Robertson, who was named chairman, B. A.
Rosselle, Robert Simpson and John W. Troy. F. A. J.
Gallwas represented Douglas, Haines named John A.
Davis, Ketchikan sent J. C. Barber, Thomas Torry and
George W. Woodruff. Henry Roden came from Peters
burg and Howard Ashley from Skagway. Ernest M.
Campbell represented Wrangell and R. W. DeArmond
of Sitka was named delegate at large.
The convention adopted a resolution inviting the
people of the Prince William Sound and Copper River
drainage to join Southeastern Alaska in a new territory.
They also dVafted a proposed organic act for the new
territory.
Cordova businessmen wired the convention en-i
dorsing the plan and offering to join the panhandle.!
Little opposition was expressed elsewhere in the terri- i
torv. The Seward Gateway favored the plan and an
nounced that people in Anchorage, Nenana and Fair
banks also favored it. There seemed to be a division of
opinion, however, at Anchorage, which was just then
busy trying to* get the district court moved there from
Valdez.
One Anchorage editorial favored division but
suggested that the entire Third Division should be
combined with the First. Another editorial said the
Copper River drainage and Prince William Sound
belonged to the railbelt and should not be separated.
Cordova hooted at that one. Only the year before
the Cordova Chamber of Commerce had called a meet
ing there to organize an All-Alaska Chamber of Com
merce. Juneau and Ketchikaln sent delegates but
Anchorage declined on the grounds that the peoole
there had nothing in common with the Copper River
country.
Governor Scott C. Bone hailed the idea of a divi
sion of Alaska as a logical step toward ultimate state
hood. Delegate Dan Sutherland also favored a division
but said he thought it should wait until the population
increased. He failed to introduce the necessary bill in
Congress and the matter died.
Since then there have been occasional mutterings
about a division but there has been little interest until
Governor Heintzleman suggested it as a compromise to
try to salvage something of the statehood bill. The
governor’s proposal generated a lot of noise, but no
clear idea of what the general public thinks about it. |
Only a referendum can determine that.
Recall of Reel
Officials Follows
Petrov Desertion
CANBERRA, Australia, GT)—The
| Soviet Union appeared Thursday
j to have started yanking home any
| of its people in Australia who
I were in too close contact with
j the Russian Embassy’s fugitive -
third secretary Vladimir Petrov.
In the wake of Petrov’s defec
tion to the West and the dramatic
last-minute rescue of his wife
from armed Soviet couriers hus
tling her back to Moscow, the
Kremlin was reported to have re
called Victor Anthony, correspon
dent in Australia for the official
Soviet news agency Tass, and a
junior Soviet Embassy attache,
Y. E. Platkais.
Reliable sources said the em
bassy commercial attache, N. G.
Kovalev, also /was preparing for
an early flight home.
Kovalev was believed by Aus
tralian security officials to have
been the chief contact man in the
espionage ring in Australia which
Petrov claims he headed. Petrov
t turned over a huge mass of docu
I ments to the Australians to back
j up his claim when he sought ref
uge from Communism early this
month.
ALASKA AIRLINES
From Anchorage: Sam Godfrey,
Donald Bogi, Fred Stuben, Wm.
Greenbaugh.
To Anchorage: Ruth Kaweluk,
Thomas Menadlook, Mary Oxer
eok, Margaret Heller.
Mr. and Mrs. Tony Shultz of
Fairbanks are visiting Nome and
plan to see Kotzebue also. Mr.
Schultz is a well known bush
flyer and Mrs. Shultz operates
the Bleeker Flower Shop in Fair
banks.
Fatigues
Faded Blue Denims
Work and Dress Clothes
awn**
Blouses - T - Shirts
m
Jeans - Skirts
Infants’, Children’s Wear
Children’s Tennis Shoes
and Boots
CAVOT A’S
THE FAMILY STORE
/
-J
Four Men Set Out
To Scale Mt. McKinley
ANCHORAGE, (#)—Four men
have set out on the year’s first
challenge of Mt. McKinley.
They are trying the southeast
route, which never has been used
by McKinley climbers.
They set out for the climb up
Ruth Glacier early this week and
the first air drop to them was
made yesterday.
The climbers are Morton S.
Wood, owner of Camp Denali;
Elton Thayer, McKinley ranger;
Les Verieck and George Argus, a
serviceman.
They hope to make the top in
30 days.
Legal Blanks at The Nome Nuggei
New Radio Station
On 1400 Kilocyeles
WASHINGTON, UPl—The Com
munications Commission Thurs
day granted the Voice of Sheldon
Jackson, Inc., at Sitka, Alaska, a
construction permit for a radio
station on 1400 kilocycles, 250
watts of power, with specified
hours of operation.
The Order of Eastern Star con
ferred degrees on four new mem
bers last Monday evening: Don
Perkins, Jack Blattler, and Harry
and Charles Lewis.
Following the ceremony an
Easter party with held with cle
ver decorations and delicious re
freshments.
ROTARY GUESTS THURSDAY
Guests preesnted were Mr. and
Mrs. R. T. Shultz of Fairbanks;
Dwight Smith of Anchorage; Peter
Hansen of Juneau; Dr. Fratianni
of Nome Field, and Bill Tuttle of
Nome.
The program consisted of a
film entitled “Red Cross Report,
1953,’ in preparation for Red
Cross Week next week.
Rita Kakarak of Igloo and Har
old Amasuk of Lost River have
applied for a marriage license.
MMM HOSPITAL
Admitted: Replogle Barr of
Deering.
Discharged: Mary Herman and
Mrs. Sidney Porter and son.
VOTE FOR
JAMES A. von der HEYDT
Democratic Candidate for Territorial Senate
★ Able, progressive, and with experience in legal and
legislative problems.
★ Former U.S. District Attorney for the Second Division,
and now in private law practice.
★ A resident of the Second Division for many years.
An Alaskan Who Will Work For Alaska’s Future
PRIMARY ELECTION, TUESDAY. APRIL 27, 1954
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