State Ferry System Would Become
Self-Sustaining Within 5 to 7 Years
By Ward Sims
Associated Press Staff Writer
JUNEAU UP) — One of the au
thors of a new, comprehensive re
port on the proposed State Ferry
System said Monday night he be
lieved the system would become
self-sustaining “sometime beween
the fifth and seventh year of
operation.”
Felix J. Toner, a registered
civil engineer from Juneau who
was one of the three men to make
the study of the Ferry System
made the comment at a public
hearing held by the House and
Senate State Affairs Committees.
“This includes operating costs
and debt service totaling about
$3.9 million,” Toner said. “I want
to emphasize that this is my own
personal opinion. We do not have
detailed traffic analysis which
extend beyond 1962.”
Some 300 people crowded into
the Juneau High School cafeteria
to hear the discussion on imple
mentation of voter approval of a
$23 million general obligation
bond issue for ferries and roads.
Toner and Philip F. Spaulding,
a Seattle Naval architect who also
had a hand in drafting the new
ferry report, said the basic con
cept of the Ferry System was a
continuation of the existing high
way network.
Walter R. Green of Black Ball
Transport, the third member of
the team which made the ferry
study, told the Senate and House
Committees “the question is not
whether you can afford to do it,
but whether you can afford not
to do it.”
Toner, Spaulding and Green
led off the public hearing with a
long presentation of facts included
on the Ferry System, which covers
the proposed Southeastern Alaska
system and service to Kodiak.
Three Ferries Would be Used
Three ferries would be used in
Southeastern Alaska and one on
the Kodiak run.
Spaulding said the southeast
ferries, to maintain adequate
schedules, must have sufficient
power to propel them at a top
speed of 20 knots and at a sus
tained speed of 18 knots.
Spaulding said it was originally
believed that a 16-knot cruising
speed would be sufficient, but by
adding Sitka to the proposed
ferry schedules, an increase in
speed was needed. Sitka would
be served by one southbound trip
and one northbound trip a week.
Sen. Brad Phillips a member of
the Senate Committee, questioned
Toner, Green and Spaulding quHe
closely about their recommenda
tion that a separate state agency,
similar to Washington’s Toll
Bridge Authority, be set up to
operate the Alaska Ferry System.
Phillips guided his questions
around the manner in which the
members of such an operating
agency would be selected, indicat
ing he felt strongly that political
considerations should be avoided.
Toner said if the southeastern
ferries run with at least half loads
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during summer season alone, “the
revenues would pay for the opera- I
tion of the entire system for a j
year, and that includes Kodiak.” ;
Sen. Elton Engstrom another i
member of the Senate Commit- J
tee, asked:
“Is this ferry system going to j
pay for its own operation in four
years, when in Westward Alaska
highway maintenance costs alone
amount to $1,500 a mile each
year?”
Toner, answered, “yes.”
Mayor Peter Lester of Prince
Rupert told the hearing that “the
Marine Highway will be the big
gest boost for Alaska and North
west Canada since the gold rush.”
It was G. W. Lyon who ob
served, “Worry is the interest
paid by those who borrow
trouble.”
BOY SCOUTS PUT ON
WINDOW DISPLAYS
Troop 666 and Troup 663, Boy
Scouts of America set up dis
plays last week in the windows
of the Nome Drug Store and the
Nome Hardware Store. Both were
excellent. The display at the Nome
Hardware was unusually attrac
tive and original with live trees,
camping equipment and a slide
show which was featured during
the evenings creating much inter
est and attracted a continual
crowd.
One Cub Pack, No. 63, had a
display of handwork in the J and
L Trading Post, showing creative ,
articles cleverly made from paper
and string.
UNJUST AGE HIRING
FOR STATE AGENCIES
JUNEAU (j'P — A bill which
would provide state agencies from
any unjust age discrimination in
hiring employes passed the House
38 to 1. The measure was intro
duced by Reps. Harold Hansen
and Jay Hammond.
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