™E NOME NUGGET
OLDEST NEWSPAPER IN ALASKA—MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
VOL LXII No. 152 NOME, ALASKA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1960 _Per Copy 15?
Unknown Says,
61 Couldn’t Help It"
Of Big Naval Fire
NEW YORK (TP) — An anony
mous comment, “I couldn’t help
it,” overheard in the flush of an
emergency, was cited as a clue
to the start of a fiery disaster
that raked the aircraft carrier
Constellation.
John A. Walsh, a construction
foreman aboard the ship, told a
Naval court of inquiry that as a
flood of diesel fuel gushed out on
the main deck from a 500-gallon
tank, he heard a voice at his left
say: “I couldn’t help it. The plate
slipped and knocked the valve
off.”
What had caused the fuel leak,
a condition that led to the 12
hour fire Monday that killed 49
men and did an estimated $75
million damage to the huge war
ship, has been a key question in
the inquiry.
Previous testimony has sug
gested that a fork-lift truck hit
a metal trash bin which hit a
large steel plate lying on a frame
work, and that the plate in turn
knifed into the valve on the un
derside of the tank, knocking it
off.
Walsh said he was preoccupied
with the spreading fuel on the
deck when he heard the voice not
more than a foot from him, and
did not see the man who spoke,
and did not know the man’s
identiy.
Walsh said he called the ship
yard fire department, even be
fore the fuel caught fire, and the
alarm gongs were sounded. Five
to seven minutes later, he said,
someone shouted, “there she
goes!” A burst of flames envelop
ed the area, he said.
Funeral Services Held for
Grandniece of Wm. H. Seward
PETERSBURG UP) — Funeral
services were held here Thurs
day for the grandniece of Wil
liam H. Seward, U. S. Secretary
of State who negotiated the pur
chase of Alaska from Russia in
1367.
Mrs. Alice Vanatta, 57, a native
of Savannah, Ga., suffered a fatal
heart attack.
Survivors include her husband,
John; a brother, Robert Powell,
Orange County California Judge,
another brother, Jack Powell, a
California attorney (hometown
unknown), and four stepchildren.
Four of Different Faiths to Say
Prayers at Kennedy's Inaugural
WASHINGTON UP) — A Roman
Catholic Cardinal, a Greek Ortho
dox Archbishop, a Protestant
minister and a Rabbi will say
prayers at the Jan. 20 Inaugura
tion of John F. Kenedy as Presi
dent.
Kennedy, the first Roman Cath
olic to be elected President, will
be given the oath of office by
Chief Justic Earl Warren, who
was reared in the Methodist
Church.
A Merry Christmas to all pa
tients in the MMM Hospital who
are Bernadette Trantham, Albert
Aukon, Daniel Karmun, Porter
Lochart, Louis Anagick, Lillian
Mokiyuk.
Space Surveillience
Detection Net Alerted to
Polar ‘Invader’ Tonight
WASHINGTON WPl — The
Navy’s space surveillience de
tection net headquarters alerted
its stations today to watch for a
possible object which might be
launched from the Polar Area
about midnight.
It advised that on radar the
target might show as “eight
small objects, followed by a
larger payload” and be identified
positively by the red glow emit
ted from the leading object’s
nose.
Occupant of the payload will be
“friendly,” the alert said, adding
that as the object passes over the
U. S. material may be ejected
which should be “kept out of
hands of children until Dec. 25.
Said the message: “Stations are
not required to make data re
port as this event will be cover
ed by world-wide observation
stations.”
CITY SHARE OF NEW
SCHOOL BUDGET
IS $72,794.75
The Nome City Councli which
met in special session Wednes
day evening tabled the School
Budget for $117,994.75 of which
the City’s share is $72,794.75,
about $10,000 over last year. It
will be taken up at the Dec. 27
meeting so that the members
would have time to study the
budget carefully.
Kotzebue has made a request
to purchase the old fire truck of
the city and the matter was turn
over to the Fire Committee for
action.
Street •"■ornTritte Chairman Bob
Herman rep,. \ four new lights
have been installed on Division
Street and four more have been
ordered to be installed along the
causeway between Lomen’s and
E Street and Belmont Point.
Overtime was authorized for
the police force for some past
work on special cases.
A permit was approved for the
Arctic Native Brotherhood to hold
bingo games.
A letter was read from KICY
stating reasons why they felt they
should be exempt from collecting
sales tax and why the regulations
should be altered to exempt them.
The council voted to continue
the case.
The City Playfield got a little
closer with the authorizing of
the City Attorney to draw up
the necessary papers to buy the
Eli Mulch property.
Nome Power and Light Utility
manager, Howard Crinklaw re
ported that survey of the system
will be made by Rutherford Co.
of Anchorage. He also reported
a vacancy on the Utility Board
due to the resignation of Pearse
Walsh.
CHRISTMAS WEATHER
Cloudy with occasional snow
showers. Expected low tonight 15,
high tomorrow 25-30. In the past
24 hours: high of 24, low of 15.
Sunrise at 10:03 a. m., sunset at
2:00 p. m.
A year ago today: high temp,
of 4, low of -24. Extremes on this
date since 1907: High of 35 in
1924, low of -32 in 1957.
Aukruk Lanes are
Open Busy Bowling
Schedule Foreseen
Wednesday was opening day for
Aukruk Lanes, the new bowling
alley which is about the most
modern in the State.
Manager Dennis Marquiss was
justly proud of the new estab
lishment and reports the lanes
were full most of the day and
business continued until 1:30
p. m.
Many people who had never
bowled and who were hesitant
to try were given a few pointers
and promise to be bowling en
thusiasts.
High score for the day went to
Jim Casey and Jack Carpenter
who tied with an even 200.
Carl Glavinovich picked up a
4-7-10 split and also a 5-10 split.
Casey also converted a 4-7-10
split.
The new amusement center
which is complete with its own
restaurant promises to be a cen
ter of winter sport activity. Those
who do not own their own balls
and shoes may get them at Auk
ruk Lanes. Balls are free and
shoes may be rented.
White House Staff
Receive Eisenhower
Paintings for Christmas
WASHINGTON UT> — President
and Mrs. Eisenhower Thursday
received members of the White
House staff and employes at their
annual Christmas reception.
About 1,000 persons attended
Each was given a color photograph
of a painting by the President.
Eisenhower painted the picture
from a color photograph of a
church in Bavaria.
It was the sixth time White
House personnel had been given
a photograph of an Eisenhower
painting.
At two other Christmas recep
tions they received a photograph
of the President and First Lady
and a photograph of the White
House green room.
After receiving the guests the
President and Mrs. Eisenhower
joined them for coffee, sweet
buns, doughnuts and cakes.
State Offers Equipment
To Clear Snow For
Highway-Side Businesses
JUNEAU (jV) — The state has
offered to use its equipment, on a
reimburseable basis, for clearing
snow from driveways of high
way side businesses in remote
areas where other snow equip
ment is not available.
Public Works Commissioner
Richard A. Downing said such
work would be done only after
highway crews have completed
their primary responsibility of re
moving snow from public thor
oughfares.
The new policy, Downing said,
was adopted “in realization of
the necessity of maintaining ac
cess for the travelling public to
those commercial establishments
in remote or isolated areas which
furnish necessary services to
motorists travelling on the main
highways of the State of Alas
ka.”
Sen. Brad Phillips and
Rep. C. M. Binkley to
Visit Nome Next Week
State Senator, Brad Phillips of
Anchorage, and Rep. C. M. Bink
ley, recently elected Legislator
from Fairbanks, at the request of
the Northwest District Republi
can Committee will arrive here on
Wednesday, Dec. 28 and meet
with the citizens of this area.
A no-host dinner has been
planned at the North Star at 6:30
p.m., Dec. 28 which is open to the
public. Phillips in a letter to the
committee stated: “I would ap
preciate it if the meeting could
be as nonpartisan as possible be
cause the only reason we are
coming is to become acquainted
with the problems of your area.
As legislators from the largest
population centers of the state I
think it behooves us to under
stand the problems and desires of
all areas of Alaska in order that
we can legislate during the coming
session with an intelligent know
ledge of your problems.”
Daughter Born Today
To Dionne Quint Marie
MONTREAL UP) — A daughter
was born today to Marie Dionne
Houle, one of the famous Dionne
quintuplets. The child weighed 5
pounds, 13 ounces and both mother
and baby were reported doing
fine.
Marie was married to Florian
Houle, a court clerk, Aug. 11, 1958.
It was the couple’s first child.
Two of Marie’s three living
sisters have children.
Cecile, married to Philippe
Langlois, was the first quint in
the world to bear a child. A boy
was born to her Sept. 15, 1958.
Annette, married to Jean-Fran
cois Allard, gave birth to a son
Nov. 2, 1958.
Yvonne, the other surviving
quint, is unmarried.
Their sister Emile died in 1954
at 20.
The quints were born to Mr.
and Mrs. Oliva Dionne May 28,
1934, in a modest farm house
near Callander, Ont. The couple
already were the parents of six
other children one of whom died
at birth.
707 Jetliner Badly
Smashed In Landing
But No One Injured
By Ronald Thomson
LONDON UP) — A Boeing 707
jet airliner carrying 107 persons
spun off a runway into muddy
grassland today after touching
down at London Airport from
Chicago.
All 95 passengers and 12 crew
members escaped unhurt.
The plane, owned by the Brit
ish Overseas Airways Corp., was
badly damaged. Pasengers escaped
by sliding down emergency
chutes on the port side.
It ended up in bad shape. One
wing was a tangled mass of
metal and the lower undercar
riage was torn and ripped.
The port engines slung under
the wing were forced upward by
the impact. One twisted off its
mountings.
Firemen sprayed hundreds of
gallons of foam over the airliner
while ambulance crews examined
the passengers for injuries.
Drastic Need For
Local Government
Reform in Alaska
JUNEAU UP) — The Legislative
Council and the State Local Af
fairs Agency, in their long-await
ed preliminary report on Borough
Government, said today there is
a drastic need for local govern
ment reform in Alaska.
The 77-page report was com
pleted late yesterday and was
mailed to all members of the
Legislature.
The Local Boundary Commis
sion immediately set a series of
public 'hearings to receive re
sponse to the report: Anchorage
Jan. 4-5; Fairbanks Jan. 6-7;
Ketchikan Jan. 11 and Juneau
Jan. 13.
Alaska, the report said, faces
the same problems of local gov
ernment common to other states,
and the differences that exist are
simply a matter of degree.
“The problem of furnishing
local government to areas where
none now exists can be solved
by implementing the provisions
for Borough Government in the
Constitution.”
Drive With "Extreme Care"
Over Holidays, Gov. Egan Pleads
JUNEAU W) — Gov. Egan made
a special plea to motorists to ex
ercise extreme care while driving
on Alaska’s highways during the
Christmas season.
Noting that the holiday will not
end until Monday night, the gov
ernor said he hoped that all
Alaskans will drive with the ut
most care so the holiday will not
be turned into a time of sorrow
for anyone.
NO TRANSISTOR RADIO
FOUND IN WRECKAGE
WASHINGTON UP) — The Civil
Aeronautics Board said no transis
tor radio was found in the wreck
age of the airplanes that collided
over New York City Dec. 16.
There had been reports of the
discovery of radio wreckage, but
this turned out to be parts of the
panel of the cockpit of the jet
plane, The CAB Safety Bureau
said.
The question was of importance
because it is possible under some
circumstances for a radio to af
fect the performance of flight
instruments.
Abandoned Baby
Named Christopher Noell
By Welfare Workers
PHILADELPHIA UPl — A baby
about 2 months old, abandoned
Thursday in sub-freezing tem
peratures has been named Chris
topher Noell by workers at the
Child Welfare Center.
The Christopher comes from
St. Christopher (safe journey),
medal the blue-eyed blond boy
was wearing when found outside
a hospital. Noel is the French
word for Christmas, and for some
reason the welfare workers added
the other L.
The baby had been well in
sulated against the cold. The
center says that—as befits a
child with his name at this sea
son—he is healthy and happy.
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED to a Republican-sponsored dinner Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Seaview Room. I
Featured will be Sen. Brad Phillips of Anchorage and Rep. C. M. Binkley of Fairbanks. Open discussion on matters to come before
the Legislature: Boroughs, Schools, City Government, etc. Reservations may be made at the North Star Grill at $2.50 per plate.
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