“News oj oAmericas Last Frontier”
VOL. 1
KODIAK ALASKA, NOVEMBER 8. 1941
NO. 36
V. • • "
Labor Demand
At Base Unsteady
Despite all efforts to give the
proper publicity concerning the
demand for labor in Kodiak, and
for the naval air station, misin
formation and unfamiliarity with
the facts.pt ill causes hardships for
individuals and creates a problem
locally.
A. A. Owen, Jr., representative
of the Alaska Territorial Employ
ment offices, points out that to
day there are men in Kodiak,
who have come here without mon
ey, who cannot get on at the base
“Contrary to general opinion,”
Owen said, “the labor demand at
the base is not steady. Currently
all they are asking for is exper
ienced construction labor. One
week they may need a number of
men, the next week theymay need
none.
“Men coming to Kodiak now
may be absorbed in three weeks
or a month. But where the men
make their mistake is in coming
here without the funds to carry
them over that period.”
The base also does not want
men who are too young, Owen
said, not alone because of the
draft, but because there is too
great a labor turnover in that
class of men. Previously most
young men could be placed in
the cookhouse, but cookhouse
employees have become a stabil
ised group to the extent that
there are fewer and fewer open
ings there
As an example of the problem
created, Owen cited as an exam
ple two young men who came
here recently. They arrived with
out money, and expected to get
on at once at the base. When
they found they couldn’t they
did some longshoring to tide
them along, but there are not
enough commercial vessels enter
ing this harbor to provide steady
extra work in that line.
And the two young men are
(continued on page 4)
Hospital Day Named To
Celebrate Anniversary
Of Memorial Hospital
! November 15 has been desig
nated as Hospital Day for the
flriffin Memorial hospital, Dr. A.
Holmes Johnson has announced.
The day will commemorate the
Bret anniversary of the hospital,
Uid in order to acquaint the pub
lic with the work of the hospital,
and give an opportunity to those
who have not done so to see the
building and its equipment, the
hospital will hold open house.
The Ladies of the Guild of tne
hospital will sponsor the open
house, assisted by the nurses. The
hours for inspection will be from
& to 5 in the afternoon and 7 to
J in the evening.
Hallowe’en Prankster
End’s Up In Courtroom;
All Quiet All Saints’ Eve
One Hallowe’en joke backfired
and landed in court this week.
Ju ia Muller, Ouzinkie, found
her suitcase with 15 dresses in.it
missing.
Her original complaint as it
reached court charged a third
party with taking it. It soon
transpired that not the third
party but a fourth party had it.
The fourth party was Ted Pest
rikoff, Julia Muller’s cousin.
At tnis stage the court doubt
ed 15 dresses could be packed in
a suitcase, so Ted Pestrikoff’s
cousin opened it to show the
court there were over 15 dresses,
plus some other articles of cloth
ing, plus some tapestries in it.
Ted Pestrikoff claimed he took
the suitcase as a Hallowe’en joke.
The court dismissed the case.
Otherwise all was quiet All
Saints’ Eve. Windows were soap
ed, trick or treats were tricked
or treated and costumed young
sters hurried down the street on
their way to different parties,
A few garbage cans turned up
missing the next morning, and a
few were simply turned up, but
Chief of Police Charlie Cook re
ported nothing serious and no
buildings pushed from the per
pendicular to the horizontal
Local Man (Named
To Job Committee
Stuart S. Nuchols has received
word of his appointment by Gov
ernor Gruening as a member of
the National Reemployment
committee.
The committee is established
by the law recently passed to
insure men drafted that their
jobs will be waiting for them
when they are released. The law
requires employers, with certain
exceptions, who are v still in the
same business to take such men
back.
The committee will handle all
disputes arising from application
of the law, and will assist all such
men released to be replaced in
their previous employment.
To come under the jurisdiction
of the committee a man must
notify it within 40 days of his re?
lease' from the army that he
trying to get his old job back.
No Formalities Slated
To Observe Armistice
No plans have been made for
a formal celeberation to observe
Armistice day, Tuesday, accord
ing to Warren Taylor, command
er, the American Legion.
Business concerns contacted
have announced their intention
of remaining open. However, the
bank will close for the day, as will
the Alaska Steamship office un
less the arrival of a boat necessi
tates its opening.
Heavy Snowfall
Gets Here Early
The first heavy snowfall of the
winter began piling up Thursday
and at the end of the week it
measured a foot defep in undrift
ed spots. This storm registers
mere snow than during the entire
1940 winter. Chains became a
necessity for cars, and people be
gan donning their creepers for
the hilly places. The scraper was
used in clearing the snow’ off the
roads.
The first casualty during the
snowy period was the freighter
S. S. Victoria, which ran aground
south of Gibson’s bay at low
water Thursday and was refloat
ed at high tide. The Alaska
Steamship offices reported there
was no damage to the ship. A
few minor auto accidents occur
ed as a result of the snow-cover
ed streets.
The road to the base was re
ported slippery in spots but oth
erwise in good condition, with no
drifts. Ice skating has been pop
ular the lasc few days and now
many are looking forward to
skiing.
The snow last year at the
same time was so wet and melt
ed so fast people didn’t know it
wasn’t rain until they read the
paper. ,
Washington JP—The senate
commerce committee has decid
ed not to hold hearings until
after January on the bill to re
vise Alaskan fishing regulations
licensing all fishermen in Alask
an waters. The bill is sponsored
by Senator Wallgren, Washing
ton.
Captain Adams |
Talks To Rotary
The Rotary club heard reports
on fire hazards in the city and
on progress made in purchasing
a fire truck at the regular meet
ing held Tuesday at the Brown
Bear Cafe.
Captain Adams, finance officer,
Fort Greely. gave an impromtu
talk He told the work of the fin
ance department of Ihe army,
which does the paying off. He
humorously divided the army
into two branches “the military,
of which we hear the most, and
the quiet, dignified finance de
partment, which does the work”.
He said the department here
would soon be transformed from
the agency it now is to a com
plete department on its own.
David Flood, resident engin
eer in charge of army construc
tion of roads, was a guest and
spoke of regret at the possibility
of being through here in about
30 days.
Gene Dawson, secretary, pre
sided in the absence of the presi
dent and vice-president.
Highway Behemoth And
Highway Bantom Meet;
Embarrassment Results
Just about the biggest thing
on the road met just about the
smallest thing on the road in
what was the most one-sided ac
cident Kodiak has ever seen on
its city streets
The out-sized double-ender bus
of the local line, while passing a
car coming fiom the opposite
direction at the corner near the
drug store, h ioked onto a parked
Crosley car belonging to A1 Naul
ing. The Crosley didn’t argue,
but went along with it for a few
feet. It took about 15 minutes
to get the two separated.
There was no damage, but
some embarrassment.
Finland to Cease War;
Follows U. S. Ultimatum
Helsinki JP—The Finnish rad
io announces military operations
are drawing to a close even tho
ugh war between the Great Pow
ers continues.
“We will not carry on any
longer than necessary for the
safety of defenseiisFrontiers will
be determined at a. coming peace
conference.
The action follows the demand
Monday by the United States
that Finland quit the war with
its German ally, or forfeit Amer
ican friendship. -
Enlarged Force
Tackles Mail Pile
Steps have been taken to rem
edy the situation at the post of
fice, where inadequate quarters
and lack of clerical assistance
created a condition of such ser
iousness that the Rotary club
took action and called the sit
uation to the attention of author
ities in Washington, D. C.
Upon receipt of a wire from
Fourth Assistant Postmaster
O’Connell authorizing additional
help, A1 King, postmaster, added
Mrs. Alice Gibbs and Tom Frost,
Jr. to the local staff. Work was
begun immediately on a backlog
of mail three weeks old.
The fourth assistant postmas
ter, in charge of buildings, wire
ed that advise about quarters
would be forthcoming. A sub
(contmued on page 13)
Oft-Repeated Excuses
Made as Cards Given
“Teacher’s got, it in for me”...
“The exam was too hard”.... “I
shoulda had better than an X”..
“Teacher’s pet got all S’s”...
The same old story, or rather
stories, were heard between the
schoolhouse and the student’s
homes after report cards were
passed out last week.
They were the first ones of the
school year, and both the grades
and high school received them.l
Governor bigns
Second Draft Call
Juneau—S—Governor Green
ing signed the call today (Wednes
day)'for the second Alaska draft
to place additional 477 men from
the territory into the national
armed forces. The draftees will
be inducted December 10.
The local office said they had
received no notification of the
second call. The first call for
Alaska numbered 683 men. and
Kodiak’s quota was 53. It is ex
pected the same proportion will
prevail in the new call, as the
quota is based on the total num
ber of registrants.
So far 8 of the 53 have been
inducted, and there are only a
few eligiblesleft in the 1-A group.
The local board has not been in
formed as to how the new induc
tees will be chosen, or whether
they will be selected from the
other various classifications. It is
presumed the other classifications
will be in line next.
The local difficulty in filling
the first draft quota has arisen
from the fact that the registra
tion was large for the community
because it included employees of
the naval air station. The employ
ees of the base in roost cases are
granted deferment, when re
quested with the questionnaire,
because they are defense workers
on a national defense project.
The procedure leaves fewer ebg
ibles for the large quota.
Of the last seven inductees
two were turned down after the
physical examination at the base.
They were Orville Riipinen and
Ernest P. Graves
The names added to the pre
vious list of selectees eligible for
induction released this week aie.
389 George C. Naughton
581 Robert B. Clifton
665 R. E. Resoff
The above men are subject to
induction ten days after being
officially called. There was one
additional name, 1' red fe. Cook,
number 36, reported to be i«
Chicago. He was notified by wi»e.
R. R. Lundey has notified the
(continued page 4)
KODIAK
A Year Ago This Week
Curfew will be rung at 9 o’
clock, and children must be off
the streets.
An ordinance was passed con
cerned with “eliminating radio
interference”.
Over 5 inches of rain fell in the
last seven days.
Charles Madsen started the
work of decorating the exterior
of his hotel.