“News oj oAmencas Last Frontierr
VOL. 1
KODIAK, ALASKA, JANUARY 3, 1942
NO. 44
One or more burglars, appar
ently professionals, pulled an
amateurish and unsucessful at
tempt to blow open the safe in
the office in the rear of the gro
cery and hardware section of the
O. Kraft & Son store sometime
early Monday morning. The rob
bery was discovered when Har
old Roe, bookkeeper, arrived to
go to work, and found the office
in disarray. Locked file cabinets
had been jimmied open and pap
ers scattered about the floor and
boxes and papei s were im disai ray
on the desks.
Less than $50 in cash was
missing from a cash drawer
broken open in the office and a
change drawer in the grocery de
partment. In the latter the bur
gulars left the dollars and nick
els. taking the rest.
U.S. Marshal Paul Herring
vas called in, and further invest
igation showed a gun to be mis
sing, and a number of watches
and kr.ives,
Entry was made by sawing
through a 2 by 4 bar on the back
door. The safe was drilled in two
(continued on page four)
Changes Made
In Police Force
Three changes were made in
the personnel of the city police
foree this week.
The resignation of H. A
Lundsten, asked for by the Po
lice Committee, was received
and accepted. No successor for
the position has been named.
R. A. Murphy, a new member,
resigned to accept a position at
the base. Vance Stewart, former
ly employed at 0. Kraft & Son,
was sworn in to take his place.
Three Chemical
Engines Arrive
Badly needed fire equipment,
ordered less then a month ago
by the Rotary club, has arrived
and has already been assembled
ready for use.
It consists of one single and
one double 40 gallon Ajax chemi
cal engines, both used, and a
new Phomene 40 gallon foam
type chemical engine, complete
with charges for both.
Plans now are to spot the 3
engines about town in strategic
locations, and the matter of bui
lding sheds to store them will be
brought up at the next council
meeting.
Members of I he Volunteer Fire
department will meet tonight to
familiarize themselves in hand
ling the new engines.
Work On Roads
Gets Under Way
Wayne Waldrip, chairman,
road fund committee, told the
Rotary club at the regular meet
ing Tuesday at the Brown Bear
cafe that further arrangements
had been completed to better the
local roads
The current wet weather
makes it impractical for grading
work to be carried on at this
time, he reported. However, in
cooperation with the Alaska
Road Commission, gravel will be
hauled to fill chuck holes and
soft spots. Trucks and drivers
pledged for this work in the r°ad
fund campaign will be used
Because a large part of the
poor condition of the Mission
road is due to inadequate drain
age, the second step will be to]
dig ditches and clear out plugged j
culverts. So that the money can
be streched as far as possible to
do the greatest good, it is asked
that anyone who can contribute
laboring time, if only a few hours
or a day, get in touch with Way
ne Waldrip.
As soon as weather conditions
permit graders will also go to
work on the road.
Members of the club were
informed that three pieces of
chemical fire fighting apparatus
ordered by them had arrived.
The equipment will be paid for
from the Rotary fire fund.
Mayor Chadwick promised the
club he would bring the question
of building suitable sheds for the
equipment to the attention of
ithe city council at the next meet
ng
New Year’s Day Fire
Results In Difficulties,
And Wrong Fire Signal
To start with the wrong tire
signal blew New Year’s day a
little before 2 p.m., and from
there on everything went wrong.'
Volunteer firemen quickly
dragged the pump wagon from
the fire hall to the Club Liquor
store and attached it to a taxi
driven by Ray Martin. The taxi
wouldn’t start, however, and in
an attempt to back it downhill
to start it the wagon smashed a
headlight on a taxi behind it.
When that taxi backed up to get
out of the way Vic Loughead,
fire chief, in his truck with a
load of men also had to back up
quickly, and in making a quick
swing to avoid another car be
hind him the truck struck the
corner of the building of Bert’s
drug store. It missed the plate
glass window by inches
The wagon was detached from
(continued on page 9)
Important
Business houses, includ
ing bars and liquor stores,
will be permitted to remain
open until 8:45 p. m., pro
viding they comply with
blackout regulations: i. e.
with all lights shielded so
they are invisible from out*
side.
This supersedes Rule 11,
printed elsewhere on this
page.
Signed:
Director of Public Safety.
Mayor R. H. Chadwick
To avoid error by any
one using the fire siren,
hereafter until further no
tice all siren signals, includ
ing FIRE ALARMS, will
be given from the U. S.
Marshal’s office.
SHOOT AT SUSPECTED SABOTEURS
tyar Jeopardizes
Alaskan Fishing
Seattle (.P)—War in the Pacific
cast a fog of uncertainty over
the Alaska food fishing industry,
one of the Territories greatest
sources of wealth and a prolific
food producer for the nation’s
armed forces.
Representatives of operators
and workers agreed with con
firmation from naval sources
that operation of enemy sub
marines off the Pacific coast and
the state of war in the Pacific
raised a serious problem for the
industry. Tiansportation to the
North of supplies for fishermen
and canneries normally starts
within a few week.
Union officials are working in
cooperation with packers in an
effort to obtain protection of
this year’s operations.
The naval source said the
Navy expected within three
months to have augmented pre
sent operations with sufficient
air and surface craft to provide
the needed safeguards.
Arrest Was No Rumor
Benjamin Brown was arrested
yesterday for spreading malicious
rumors, and after investigation
was released and warned against
a repetition of the offense. Of
ficers said he appeared at var
ious homes and told the occu
pants to get out of town as the
“Japs were coming.’’
Christmas eve services will be
held at the Russian church 1
p. m. Jan. 6, end special Christ
mas day services will start at 9
a.m. Jan. 7.
NEW SIGNAL ADDED, RULES AND REGULATIONS ISSUED
Latest regulations, enforceable
under the new city “blackout”
ordinance passed last week, have
been issued by the Civil Defense
Committee coincidentally with a
message, printed elsewhere in
this issue, from authorities at the
Naval Air Station.
The most important new reg
ulation is the adoption of a differ
ent signal for evacuation. Follow
ing are the rules
1. Five short blasts of the
siren will continue to be the fire
signal and is not to be confused
with blackout or evacuation
warnings.
2. One long blast of siren in
dicates immediate blackout.
3. Two long blasts of siren in
dicates evacuation.
4. One short blast of siren in
dicates ‘ all clear’' following ev
acuation. Individuals may return
home but blackout will be con
tinued until the “all clear ’ the
following morning.
5. If blackout signal is given
prior to 9:30 p. m. (routine black
out time) it will be in effect un
til the “all clear” signal of one
blast is given at 8 a. m.
6. No automobiles to be op
erated in the city of Kodiak af
ter 9:30 p.m. (Incase of evac
uation signal, however, assigned
cal’s will proceed immediately to
respective stations).
7. During blackouts all lights
will be shielded so they are not
visible from the outside.
8. All cars operating during
blackout or evacuation periods
must have their lights shielded
in accordance with rules pertain
ing to Army and Navy vehicles.
9. No cars except those hav
ing charter trips or urgent official
business allowed on the streets
of Kodiak prior to 8 a.m.
10. Any person necessarily on
the streets during blackout per
iod may utilize a properly shield
ed flashlight, the same to be
kept pointed toward the ground.
11. Ail bars to close at 8:45 p.
m. If blackout or evacuation
signal is given prior to that time
they will immediately close.
Attempted sabotage is sus"
pected in connection with the
firing by guards on some men,
variously reported from two to
four, near the Standard Oil tanks
late New Year’s eve.
The incident happened just be
fore midnight when the meii ap
proached the tanks in the dark,
and the guard ordered them to
halt. After the comn and was
given the third time guaids fired
two shots directly at them, and
the men fled. At the second shot
one of the men fell but got np
and continued and it is not
known whether he was struck or
not.
Suspicion of sabotage is height
ened by an attempt ealier in the
evening of a man who presented
himself as having work to do on
the tanks and said he was sent
by a contractor. When refused
admittance he was told to have
the contractor bring him down
and left, apparently to do so.
His failure to return was report
ed by the guard, and a check
with the contractor showed no
one had ordered any repairs.
Jap Submarine
Suspected Near
Washington—Dec. 30—Kavy
announced Japanese vessels sus
pected of being in vicinity of
Kodiak. All merchant vessels
have been warned of the pres
ence of Japanese war craft, pre
sumably submarines, in Alaskan
waters.
The release of the above story
explained the unexpected early
blackout Saturday night, and
the continuance since of earlier
blackouts. Rumors of other
vessels have been totally un
confirmed as is the story, heard
in many versions, that Anchor
age planes have sunk any Jap
anese boats anywhere in Alaskan
waters.
The early blackout will con
tinue until further notice, with
the customary signal, one long
blast. The new signal, two long
blasts, will be used for evacu
ation.
KEA Unit On Way
Word has been received from
Hubbell & Waller, project en
gineers, that the first unit order
ed by the Kodiak Electrical Ass
ociation will leave the factory at
Peoria 111. January 7. Six units
will be in operation as soon as
they are available. 1 he KEA is
petitioning for a reduction in the
set minimum of $4 to $2, local
officials said.