Alaska's Top 10
Headline Stories
For Year 1960
By Ward T. Sims
JUNEAU W) — Newsmen
throughout the state, in ballot
ing for the top ten stories of the
year in Alaska in the fifth annual
Associated Press poll, gave the
Republicans’ smashing 1960 elec
tion gains the No. 1 spot.
Two stories came within a
whisker of shoving the GOP vic
tory out of first place. One drew
headlines around the world for
almost a week, because of its
suspense; the other was confined
to Alaska, for months and months
and months.
Shoved into the No. 2 niche
was the story of the rescue of the
John Day climbing party from
the shoulders of Mt. McKinley
during the month of May. Day
and three companions were in
jured when they tumbled 400
feet down an icy slope at the
17,500-foot level on the peak. The
huge rescue operation cost two
lives, when a light plane involved
in the rescue plunged into Mt.
McKinley’s eternal snows.
The No. 3 spot in the top ten
went to the bitter capital re
location fight, which raged on a
regional basis for more than a
year before an initiative to move
the capital from Juneau to the
Cook Inlet-Railfoelt area was
turned down in the Aug. 9 pri
mary election. Central Alaska
and Northwest Alaska sided with
Southeastern Alaska in voting to
keep, the capital in Juneau.
Here are the other 1960 Alaska
news events that rated a place
in the Associated Press’ Top Ten:
4. President Eisenhower’s visit
to Anchorage in June, on the
first leg of a goodwill trip to the
Far East, a journey that turned
sour when he had to bypass Japan
because of violent Communist
inspired demonstrations in that
country. More than 30,000 Alas
kans turned out to welcome Ike
to Alaska, out of a total state
population of only 223,000.
5. Sen. John F. Kennedy's cam
paign-kickoff trip to Alaska,
making one of the nation’s newest
states the starting point for his
“New Frontiers” campaign. News
men traveling with Kennedy re
marked about the reserved at
titude of the crowds that greeted
him, a possible tipoff to the GOP
Alaskan victory to follow. But
no one recognized it.
6. Nixon’s visit, made against
the advice of Jiis campaign man
agers. Nixon wanted to campaign
in every state;, his managers
wanted him to bypass Alaska—
believed in the Kennedy camp—
and concentrate on other states
with more electoral votes. Nixon’s
visit undoubtedly pulled many
Anchorage voters into the Repub
NEW YEAR'S DANCE
Arctic Native Brotherhood
Starting 9:00 p. m. Saturday
New Year's Eve
NOTICE
Pioneer Igloo No. 1 will hold its
regular meeting Wednesday Jan.
4 at 8 p. m. A full attendance
desired. Refreshments.
— Chas. D. Jones. Seely.
W ANT ADS
FOUND: Four keys and three
rings—identify and pay for ad.
Call at Nugget.
FOUND— <Money. Claim by iden
tifying. Write Box 88. p
LOST — Dark rimmed glasses on
Front St. Return to Bill Ben
shoof at Merc. lc
FOR SALE: 1958 Allstate motor
cycle, Model 175 deluxe, 10 HP.
In excellent condition. 4 for
ward speeds. Phil Owen. Phone
Black 80. 3c
e
NUCLEAR FUEL
STORED AT FT. GREELY
ANCHORAGE UP) — The Army
Corps of Engineers said the
atomic power plant under con
struction at Ft. Greely will be
loaded with nuclear fuel for a
critical test this winter.
The engineers did not say what
day it would be. The U-235 nu
clear fuel to be used at the plant
is already at Ft. Greely, stored
in the power plant’s vault.
lican column, but no one has ven
tured a guess as to the number
actually influenced by Nixon’s
trip to the 49th State.
7. The crash of a Pacific North
ern Airlines plane against Mt.
Gilbert, 60 miles east of An
chorage, on June 14, killing the
14 persons aboard. It was the
first fatal crash in PNA’s history,
dating back 29 years. Only min
utes before it ground into the
mountain, the plane has dis
charged 52 cannery workers and
fishermen at Cordova.
8. Fast-moving developments on
oil exploration scene on the Kenai
Peninsula. First there was the
discovery of oil on Soldotna
Creek. That was followed by the
construction of a pipeline from the
Soldotna Creek area to Nikiski.
And on Nov. 12, the tanker W. H.
Berg cast off from Nikiski with
the first load of Alaska crude oil
destined for California refineries.
The state had 14 producing oil
wells and five producing gas wells
as the year ended.
9. The state’s voters, after a
sharp sectional battle reminiscent
of the capital relocation scrap,
approved the sale of 23 million
dollars in bonds to finance a
state ferry system. Under the pro
posal, three ferries will ply
southeastern waters and one ferry
will link Kodiak with Homer and
Anchorage.
10. The long fight over em
ployment security in the 1960
Legislature and the frequent tiffs
between Gov. William A. Egan
and labor lobbyist Henry Hed
berg produced scores of headlines.
There were strong indications at
year’s end that the fight will re
sume just as hot as ever when
the 1961 Legislature convenes.
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Traffic Death Rate
Lowest on Record
CHICAGO l/P)—Traffic accidents
killed 34,540 persons during the
first 11 months of this year but,
statistically, there were some
good features to the awesome fig
ure.
The National Safety Council
observed that while the toll is a
1 per cent increase from the 34,
150 persons killed in the corres
ponding 11 months of 1959, a 2
per cent increase in travel made
the mileage death rate the lowest
on record.
On the mileage basis November
was the safest November since
1934 when the Council began
record-keeping.
All lost and found items now
at the Nomerama which are not
claimed by Jan. 1 will be turned
over to some local organization
for a rummage sale.
Virginia Brown, Mgr.
Mrs. Grace Ross, Kindergarten
Teacher In Fairbanks Passes
RENTON, Wash., Ml — Mrs.
Grace Ross, 75, who started the
first public kindergarten at Fair
banks, in 1929, died here of can
cer Tuesday.
Mrs. Ross was born at Auburn,
Neb. After graduation from the
University of Nebraska, she
taught school at Baker, Ore., and
at Fairbanks for many years. She
retired in 1950 and moved to
Renton in 1952.
Survivors include her husband,
Willard Ross.
Drunk and disorderly charges
were brought against the follow
ing by the State Magistrate who
were fined and sentenced as fol
lows: Idella Kakarak and George
Kakarak, each $25.00, suspended;
Steven Agloinga of White Moun
tain, $35.00 and 90 days suspend
ed; Ernest Carlson, $25.00 and
Edna Alexander, $25.00.
—
The MYF had a party Tuesday
evening for their members and
the college students in the home
of Dr. and Mrs. J. Barrow. There
were 26 young people present
for the fun and fellowship.
NEW YEAR’S EVE
DANCE TO
“EVELYN”
At The Grand Piano
BERING SEA CLUB