"lorary-^useum
Juneau, Alaska
"News of oAmericas Last Frontier”
VOL. 4 NO. 27
KODIAK, ALASKA NOVEMBER 11, 1944
PRICE 10 CENTS
Count 1100
An approximate population of
1100 was recorded for the city
of Kodiak in an unofficial sur
vey made two weeks ago for the
purpose of counting school and
pre-school children and ascer
taining sewer and water con
nections.
Census takers were teachers
from the local school and the
eanvass was completed in one
day at a cost to the city of less
than $40. Workers were paid $1
per hour.
Buildings in the city number
465 according to the count,
which is assumed a more accur
ate figure than the one for pop
ulation, because of the mechan
ics of the counting.
Of the buildings, less than
half, or 204, are connected to the
city sewer system, and only 148
receive water from the new
water system.
The Kodiak Electric Assoc
iation, an installation of the
REA, supplies electricity to 335
users, according to the figures
compiled this week.
Sells Interest
Leo Tyler, of the Kodiak A
musement company, coin mach
ines, this week sold his interest
in the American Legion Club to
Frank frick, manager, according
to an announcement by both
parties. Mr. Tyler, who said he
wished the club “continued suc
cess” added he wished to devote
full time to his other interests.
No organizational observance
of any kind was reported here
for observance of Armistice
Day. November 11 (today).
Stores contacted said they
would remain open and the post
office will also be open this
morning, closing as usual on
Saturday afternoon.
Conscientious
E. A. Pearson, former council
member, was working on a house
last Tuesday. He quit work in
the afternoon, cleaned up,
changed clothes, and went up to
the city hall to cast his vote in
the presidential election.
He had temporarily forgotten
what all Alaskans well Know—
that the nearest they can come
to voting for a United States of
ficial is to cast a biennial ballot
for a delegate to Congress who
has no vote.
Nuns Have
GM Hospital
The Grey Nuns of Phila
delphia, who arrived with Father
Gallant last Saturday, were
given final approval for taking
over the Griffin Memorial hos
pital and were to assume con
trol of it last night at midnight.
The board of hospital trustees’
stand against the clause of the
lease requiring a director, who,
if and when tendered, would ac
cept positions as acting assistant
surgeon of the U. S. Public
Health service, for the Alaska
Indian Service, as city health
officer and representative of the
Territorial Commissioner of
Health, resulted in a special
council meeting Monday, at
which the council, and Father
Gallant concurred in objection
to the clause.
Following the meeting a wire
to Juneau expressed the united
objection.
The answer from Lew Wil
jliams, Acting Governor and
George Hays, Territorial De
partment of Health, said:
“Health Department and
Governor’s office are agreeable
to drop objectionable paragraph
designated as paragraph 3 anu
one half in Document quote
supplemental paragraph to lease
(continued on page 9)
Freak Fire
Unsolved
A freak electrical short of un
explained origin at the Kodiak
Mercantile company store caus
ed a fire alarm at 3:40 am Tues
day morning. George Magnusen,
night patrolman, saw smoke and
sparks coming from an eave of
the building in the rear alley
and gave the alarm.
Both fire trucks were taken
out but only chemicals were
used on the smouldering eave.
Paul Fretzs, manager of the store
who lives in a house behind the
building, said when he was first
called he saw small flames at the
roof line.
The tin covering the building
was charged with electricity and
although the amount has lessen
ed its source has still not been
found. During the check-up
sparks flew from oil tank lines
and lights burned with the pow
er source cut off and then went
out by themselves. Another at
tempt to find the trouble is to
be made Sunday.
Named
A. A. Sumerlin and Robert C.
King were named as new direct
ors of the KEA at the director’s
meeting Monday night. They re
place two resignations: Emil
Kuudsen, because of other in
terests, and Miss A. M. Haskell,
because of a KEA ruling again
st holding a director’s chair by
the secretary.
Net income for the KEA for
the month of September, after
depreciation and interest, was
reported as $67.51.
Meeting Called
A meeting of members of the
Russian churcli has been called
for Sunday (tomotrow) at tlie
parsonage, by Rev. Gregory
Gleboff'
News For Turkeys
Despite contrary calendars
and states celebrating it on the
last Thursday in the month,
Thanksgiving in Alaska is to be
November 23, according to a
wire received yesterday from
Lew Williams, Acting Governor,
at Juneau.
Congress set the date as Nov
ember 23, but many states are
sticking to the traditional last
Thursday. President Roosevelt
has proclaimed the 23rd and the
wire from Juneau was first in
dication that the same date
was assured for the Territory.
Roosevelt
Re-elected
Washington—President Roos
evelt returned to the capital yes
terday after his fourth term vie
tory was assured. He assured
thousands assembled that he
was “very happy” to be back.
Washington — Roosevelt and
the new Democratic-eontrolled
Congress have inherited the op
portunity for the greatest team
work job in American history.
I The President rode into the cap
ital yesterday morning and
greeted a quarter of a million
rainsoaked citizens and returned
to sobfiring hard woik.
The votes of 45 million Amer
icans gave him a working major
ity of at least 55 in the House
and 19 in the Senate, and also
25 state governorships.
Ahead lay the challenge to
wind up the war and write a
peace that will last. The Presi
dent faces an impending confer
ence with Churchill & Stalin;
the Chinese problem, enhanced
by removal of Stilwell; decisions
as to makeup of the new Cabinet
if any changes are contemplated;
and a number of major appoint
ments. The retiring Congress
meets next week for a 5-week
(continued on page 4)
Bond Drive
Week Away
The Sixth War Loan drive
will start Nov. 20 and extend
through Dec. 16. O A. Torger
Bon, local chairman, announced
this week.
The overall goal will be 14
billion with 5 billion the goal for
individuals of which two and
one half billion will be Series E
bonds.
The quota for Alaska thisi
tinse is 2 and one half million oft
which one and one half millionj
is of the Series E Bonds.
Kodiak’s quota is set at $24,
000. Of this total $15,000 is of
Series E bonds.
Skating Novice
Has Bad Fall
First ice skating casualty of
the season was reported this
week when Elvin Foster fell on
the lake behind the Beachcomb
er’s. A resulting cut near his left
eye required 4 stitches. He said
it was the first time he had ever
been on ice skates.
Skating conditions were report
ed as good on the Mission road
and Mill Bay road lakes.
That is, until it started raining
yesterday.
Ice Wednesday on Little Lake
behind the Montmartre was I
and 1 half inches thick. Initial
dates for ice skating for the last
7 years were; 1938—Nov. 6;
1939—Oct. 22; 1940—Oct. 22
1941—Oct. 22; 1942—Nov. 14;
1943—Nov. 5; 1944—Nov. 8.
Frank Marshall, president of
the Alaska Federation of Labor,,
arrived here this week from
Juneau to attend the convention
of the United Fisherman of
Alaska. The latter is expected to
be held shortly after the arrival
of delegates on the mail boat
from points around the island.
Want To Buv Local Surplus War Material—If And When? Here’s How
Do you want to buy some sur
plus war property? Then get
your order in now. That is the
*dvise of Ted Mathews, in
'“■barge of sales for the Recon
struction Finance Corporation,
which has been designated as the
spoilt for handling surplus wai
Property in Alaska.
Mathews, who works out of
head office at Fairbanks, ar
r'ved in Kodiak Monday and
kh Thursday, after meeting
^th a group at the city hail
Wednesday to explain the work
'ngs of his office.
Although he said it was not
*xPected there would be any
surplus material at Fort Greely
|®r at least 6 months, he added
1 &t it would be the policy of th«
' RFC to give Kodiak people 8
first chance to bid on local sur
plus property. The office has
these main objectives, he ex
plained: 1. To get as much as
possible for the material. 2. Tc
aid in getting the civilian
economy of Alaska back on its
feet. 3. To sell nothing for
speculation.
People in Kodiak interested in
buying surplus material should
write now to the Reconstruction
Finance Corporation in Fair
banks, listing what they are in
terested in purchasing. As soon
as surplus material is turned
over to the RFC it will notify
these persons. The material will
be appraised, in most cases a
fair value set, and bids will be
i taken on the property.
As a hypothetical case he ex
plained the handling of the pro
perty as follows: Fort Greely,
when it has .surplus property,
will send the list of it to An
chorage. Anything needed by
the army elsewhere in Alaska
will be deducted and the remain
der, if it has salvage value, will
be put up for bid. Bids from
Kodiak would be considered,
and after disposition of all pos
sible here, the remainder might
be routed to Seward, for possible
sale to other civilian consumers,
If a surplus is still left, then the
matter of disposition outside the
Territory will be considered.
Navy surplus, Mathews ex
plained, will be turned over to
the Army for first choice and
then handled from there on in
the same manner.
There is no way of knowing
when any material will be turn
ed over to the RFC, as that de
cision rests entirely with the
Army and it is expected they
will release nothing until ab
solutely sure they have no fur
ther use for it. First material
available will be tractors, cement
mixers, light plants, welders,
trucks and dirt moving equip
ment.
Building materials, including
lumber, is not expected to be re
leased until all construction in
Alaska is completed, Mathews
said. It will be the policy of the
RFC to not sell living space,
Mathews said, but rather the
materia). However, in eases of
cheaper type prefabricated'
buildings, some will be sold. In
Alaska the RFC will probably
handle disposition of some small
boats but it is expected to be a
year or more before any become
ayailable.
If people in Kcdiak,interested'
in surplus war materials, will
write to the RFC at Fairbanks,
at this time, that office will be
able to estimate its needs when
the time comes for it to sell the
army surpluses. Requests will be
filed under type of material de
sired, and as soon as it becomes
available the people requesting it
will be notified at once.
(continued on page 91