"News oj oAmericas Last Frontier”
▼OL. 3 NO 48
KODIAK, ALASKA FEBRUARY 5. 1944
PL! ICE 10 CENTS
Fire Damages Bottling
Works And Candy Plant
Fire Sidelights
After the fire was thought
totally subdued H. Pinch dis
covered smoke coming from a
email hole in the wall uostairs
and grabbing an empty glass jar
begin bailing water from the
floor and dumped it through the
bole between the partitions. It
really was fire, too.
When Mr. Davenport, candy
maker, came to the fire from his
errand, the two girls thought he
would be worried about his val
uable collection of candy form
ulas which they had rescued so
they informed him of it the first
thing. 'I'm not worried about the
formulas”, he replied, “as long
as you girls are safe.”
"Wasn’t that nice of him,”
laid one of the girls in telling it
later, “and I’m practically a
stranger to him.”
Resiliency of youth depart
ment: When young Stebbins
came back from the hospital
after having his burned hand
dressed, in his uninjured hand
be carried a partly-eaten ham
sandwich. He was going to eat
hioeh when the fire interrupted
him and as he put it he was
“mighty hungry!”
The Army fire truck from the
base turned down Harbor ave
nue exactly 12 minutes from the
sounding of the fire alarm.
The morning of the fire Jim
Pierce and Bill Lewis, owner of
the Island Transfer, talked terms
of a lease for the one-story addi
tion on the plant, which was
built by the Bottling works on
on land owned by the transfer
company. A few minutes before
the fire Jim said he guessed he
would go get the papers and close
the deal. The deal is still going
through.
When the alarm rang Acting
Fire Chief Jack King was in the
city magistrate’s court where
the ease was being tried on the
complaint of King against Stan
ley Krolicb and Kenneth Fuller,
who were charged with storing 5
barrels of Blazo in violation of a
city ordinance.
The case was postponed until
4. On resumption the case was
dismissed on the recommend
ation of. King. It was reported
the situation was being remed
ied
Jokester (?) to I,ee Bettinger,
standing surveying Kodiak’s
best bay water as it dripped
from attic to second floor: "Now
you can make some salt-water
Fire, starting from a violent
explosion in an oil furnace Thurs
day afternoon at the Kodiak Bot
tling Works and Candy Company
located on the waterfront near
Harbor avenue in midtown, was
successfully fought by volunteer
firemen and Army fire personnel
so that the building was saved
and the threat to the surround
ing area was averted.
Fire damage was restricted to
the downstairs end of the main
floor around the furnaee but
large stocks of candy- and soda
pop-making supplies were ruined
by salt water pumped from the
bay.
The alarm was sounded at
1:38. Present in the building
when the explosion occured were
Lilian Morris, Ruth Thompson
and Jim Pierce in the upstairs
office, and T.ee Bettinger, Ellis
Green, Bill Simeonoff and G. B.
Stebbins downstairs.
Pierce ran downstairs but the
oil flames had flared out into
the room settmg the walls on
fire and going through the wall
caught tar paper afire on the
outside. Stebbins received burns
on one hand and on both ears
when he tried to grab something
to beat the flames. At the same
time a dense smoke flooded the
building so the men had to grope
and stumble to the front entrance
where Bettinger ran up stairs
where the two women were try
ing to gather office records and
aided them in getting out. By
that time the entire building
was smoke filled and smoke was
pouring from under the eaves
The first city fire truck was
at the scene in record time and
ran onto the beach and began
pumping, being joined by the
second city truck and by the
Army truck when it arrived. The
first line extinguished the burn
ing tar paper on the outside and
then lines were strung across a
lean-to one-story addition and
water was played through the
windows. Firemen were hamper
ed by the dense smoke but were
aided by the fact that there was
only a slight wind blowing to
ward the bay.
With 3 trucks pumping full
blast the stubborn blaze was ex
tinguished. Holes were bored in
the ceiling of the 2nd floor to
allow accumulated water to
drain through to be swept down
and out of the building. The at
tic was used for storage. The
candy making room and equip
ment in the rear of the 2nd floor
were un ouched by fire but were
thoroughly soaked.All equipment
can be used. The front part of
the same floor, housing the of
fice and separated from the rear
by the stairwell, was undamaged.
Ship Awaits Launching
The 45 000-ton battleship U. S. S. Missouri towers on the Brook*
lyn navy yard ways as she awaits her launching. Under construc
tion since June 6, 1941, the Navy calls her the “world’s mightiest
battleship.” (AP wirephoto from U. S. Navy.)
Worse damage to equipment,
besides the furnace, was to the
carbonator and bottling machine
near the furnace. Heat ruined
vital parts in the machinery to
put it definitely out of commis
sion. Replacement parts have
been wired for, and yesterday
what soda pop was in stock was
divided among the retail outlets.
Most severe loss of supplies
was in hard to-get chocolate and
in a large stock of sugar for pop
ruined by salt water. A large
stock of peanuts got partially
wet and yesterday an attempt
was being made to salvage some
by drying them in the oven at
Christy’s Bakery. An inventory
is being taken to determine the
Joss which the owners were un
able to estimate yesterday. The
loss is reported to be covered
fully by insurance.The company,
which owns the building,
belongs to Jim Pierce and broth
ers Lee and Harold Bettinger. ^
Harold is in the Army.
Lee Bettinger returned this
week after a business trip to the
States and a visit to his home in
Portland, Oregon.
Returning with him were Mr.
and Mrs. Earl Davenport and
daughter Barbara, and G B.
Stebbins, all ef Portland. Both
Mr. and Mrs. Davenport were
brought for the eandy company
(continued on page 41
Ball Shows
$700 Profit
Although held during the
week of our worst winter weath
er, Kodiak’s President’s Birth
day Ball cleared $700 for in
fantile paralysis. Of that sum
$374 can be credited to the
schoolchildren whose efforts
turned the drive into a minia
ture crusade for their less fort
unate brothers and sisters.
Raymond Harvey, of the 7th
grade, sold 56 tickets and won
the $5 prize for the greatest
number sold. Other close con
testants were Helen Scrogg6, 7th
grade, who sold 39, and Gail
Blankenburg, 6th grade, who
had 22 to her credit.
Despite inclement weather the
dance hall was packed while
civilians and military enjoyed
the rhythm put forth by the
Army Dance orchestra. At inter
mission General John W. Robin
son, commanding, Fort Greely,
was announced.
Chairman Frank Hill says:
“The people of Kodiak and the
boys in the service deserve a big
hand for the support given this
undet taking and we appreciate
the cooperation of the school
and parents. I wish to extend
thanks to members of the com
Restaurant
Purchased
Sal, su completed Thorsday
as* pjzsrs.
associated rtk «“ ” e„.
Sale included fixture.. ^
ies and supplies an
.hebmldmeePP'^"""'^
timber -.945 Sale P™* »•»
oorted as $5000. heinK
Some alterations are
m,d. this week « csfe
gher expects to nave
i open by midweek.
Mrs. Lindsay expects toJeav
soon for Tacoma to be with
I mother, who is serious y
LicensesFor
I City Arrive
The breathing spell (or ^otor
ists is over. Overdue lieense
(or the city have
and must be obtained at the
city clerk’s office at once f
11944. This includes drivers
censes for 1944 at $1 w tl
city registration required
vehicles, at a fee of $5.
The U. S. Commissioner s ol
J b.» al.o ™“ived Z
Territorial driver’, *«»■ »d
they ma, be obtamed them d^
Driven The" city must have
Ecity and Territorial dnvera
KTaewtasa.orm.^^
license plates over mto M
nlates have not arrived, bow
'ever, and an announcements
be made as soon as they a
vailable.
Whitehorse (^P)—Severe eaith
tremors of 2 minutes duration
were felt, at 4:18 Thursday mor
ning in the Whitehorse vicinity.
The quaRe caused mild p**we in
hotels and apartment houses.
No serious damage was reported
although, the shock set askew
pictures on walls, stopped clocks
and broke the public school bell.
mittee, Bud Metzgar, Mrs. Gal
breath and Mrs. Butler and
helpers who gave their time and
efforts in our behalf.”
Mrs. Forest Ayers, chairman
of the ticket sale at school, ex
presses thanks to the students,
the other teachers, the parents
and all those who generously
assisted in making the school
sale successful despite severe
winter weather.
Members of the 5th ,6th, 7tb
and high school students made
attractive posters which were
displayed in business houses and
at the Naval Base and Fort
Greely.