"News of ^Americas Last Frontier'’
VOh 14 NO 27
KODIAK. ALASKA,
SEPTEMBER 11 1S54
PRTOE 10 CENTS
Claim Involves Alaska
Property Act Of 1949
Mayor Jack Hinckel of Kodi
ak announced today that the
Kodiak Electric Association,
Inc, of Kodiak, Alaska has
submitted a claim for refund
of $31,345.26 in taxes paid by
the association since 1949. The
claim, submitted by Leon H.
Johnson, Manager of the co
operative, alleges that KEA is
exempt from municipal taxes
by virtue of Section 3, Chapter
33 of the 1953 Session Laws of
Alaska.
Mayor Hinckel stated that
should the KEA claim be valid
it would require an additional
three mill tax levy on other
taxable proprerties in the City
to raise the necessary funds
with which to make the refund
It would also require an addit
ional tax levy of over one mill
each year to offset for the loss
of revenue from KEA taxes in
the event the association is
found to be tax exempt under
the laws of Alaska.
The KEA president, Wilton
White, and manager, Leon H.
Johnson, earlier this year dur
ing tax' equalization hearings
filed protest and appeared be
fore the City Council asking
for a reduction in the assessed
value of KEA properties. The
protest was based on the con
tention that KEA is a non-pro
fit firm and should not be tax
ed on the same basis as other
properties. They further argu
ed that a portion of the KEA
system did not earn anyreven
ues during the preceding year.
The City Council declined fav
orable action on the request
for a reduction based on the
fact that all tax assessments
must be equitable and that to
give KEA preferential treat
ment would probably subject
the City to taxpayers’ suits
seeking the same treatment. A
series of such suits could well
disrupt City finances and de
lay tax collections.
The KEA manager also filed
a letter with the City of Kodi
ak in which it is contended
that electric rates and charges
because KEA is an REA fin
anced co-operative, are not
subject to regulation and con
trol by the Cityof Kodiak Coun
cil. The City Council had pre
viously asked the co-operative
to justify a proposed change
in electric charges for City
street lights. The KEA mana-1
ger also stated in his letter to
the City that the co-operative
was not required to file a fin
ancial statment with the City
as prescribed by Title 49-1-4 of
the Alaska Compiled Laws,
1949, Annotated.
Mayor Hinckel said the KEA
letter had been referred to the
City Attorney for legal study
and that the City Council
would take up the matter at
their next metting on Septem
ber 13, 1954.
CrabSurvey Conducted
The Alaska Department of
Fisheries have been conduct
ing a research program on the
crab fishing industry for the
past two years, which is so
vital to the economics of Ko
diak.
Ed Huizer, the junior bio
logist of the Department is in
Kodiak at the present time
and he has called a meeting at
the Union Hall on September
the 13 at 8 pm to discuss the
results of this two year Re
search program with the local
crab fishermen.
All persons interested in
this industry are urged to at
tend this meeting.
Downen Dies In Crash
Adolph Downen Jr-, brother
of Connie Christoferson. was
killed on Saturday, September
the 4th, in a plane crash in
Massachusetts as a member
of the crew of an ill fated
Navy bomber.
Downen was 33 years of
age and had been stationed
in Massachusetts for several
months, where he was en
gaged in Navy research work
on the defenses of the At
lantic Coast.
The plane went out of con
trol as it was taking off and
plunged into the sea about
300 yards off shore at Ocean
View, Va. To date one body
has been recovered.
BULLETIN
All electrical power will be
off in the City of Kodiak from
3 am to 7 am Sunday, Septem
ber 12, to permit repairs on
the plant sub-station. Power
will not be interruped in case
of bad weather.
Kodiak Electric
Association, Inc.
Polio Drive Nets
Almos. $2,000
The Kodiak Emergency
Polio Drive, which has just j
finished a ten day run netted
$1,950.82 Mrs. Wes Rhoades,
chairman ot the Kodiak drive
states: “The committee and
myself were highly gratified
with the results of the drive,
and I wish t.o express our ap
preciation to all organizations1
and individuals in Kodiak and)
on the Naval Station who gave
so generously of their time
effort and contributions to
this worthwhile cause.”
The proce. ds of the Kodiak
Polio Drive will be sent to
Mrs. Jean Renfro, general
chairman of the Emergency
Drive for the Territoay of A
laska, to be forwarded to the
National Foundation for the
Infantile Paralysis.
I
I
Man Drowns-Ouzinkio
Aplone Panamairoff’s body I
was recovered from the bay1
at Ouzinkie on Wednesday, j
after having been missing
since late Saturday night. Ac- j
cording to witnesses, Pana
mairoff visited at the home of
Herman Anderson on Satur
day evening and left about 10
pm and wasn’t seen after that.
It is supposed he returned to
the dock area and fell into the
bay. He had a bad bruise on
his forehead but this could
have happened as he fell.
Police Chief Vickery Is
Recommded For Award
City Manager, Robert Sharp
was the recipient of a letter
dated August 17 th, from the
manager of the Mission Texas
Chamber of Commerce re
questing information on Chief
Roland E. Vickery, who has
been recommended for the
Gold Seal of Progress Award.
This award is given an
nually to the most outstanding
Chief in each State and Ter
ritory and consists of a parch
ment scroll endorsed by J.
Edgar Hoover, head of the
Federal Bureau of Investiga
tion. The contest is based on
five main points of civic and
police duties. These activities
are Youth Activities, Traffic
Control Program, Civic Acti
vity, Vice and Gambling Ac
tivity and Years of Law En
forcement.
City Manager Sharp, in
answering Manager Albert A.
Adv’g request for information
gave an excellent report on
Chief Vickery’s record, enu
merating the following points.
Chief Vickery has served
the City of Kodiak as Police
Chief, since August 1st, 1953
and during that time has set
up a thorough system of police
files including a mugg and
fingerprint file. He has in
au grated a police school oper
ated by FBI agents from the
Two of the negro children who joined classes in the former
ly all-white Ft. Myer, Va.( elementary school, listen to opening
announcements by Mrs. Louis Snee, third grade teacher, as
the fall term begins. There are 380 pupils in the federally
operated school on the military post, six of whom are negros.
(JP Wirephoto)
[Territory, given First Aid
work to all the members of
the department, obtained two
way radio contact vehicles foi
police work- He also operates
the ambulance runs for the
city, reviewed City ordinances
relating to safety and submit
ted recommendations to the
City Manager and City Council
for consideration, and Chief
Vickery was the City repre
sentative on the Armed For
ces Disciplinary Board.
As to youth activities were
enumerated: taught a begin
ners class in swimming to 40
Boy Scouts at their encamp
ment this summer, organised
and ran the Soap Box Derby
for the Labor Day Celebration
and at various times has re
leased news items for publiea
tion on traffic safety for
children, curfew and other
subjects.
Under traffic control the or
ganization of the School Pa
trol and its operation comet
through his department. The
ordering and posting of street
signs for the sake of safety
was under his direction.
Civic aclivities stressed the
cooperation the Chief has al
ways given for civic duties
and his help in organizing and
planning city programs such
as parades, games and races
for the kids on special holiday
celebrations, and always keep
ing a watchful eye on the
safety of all these events.
Gambling in Kediak is al
most non-existant, but its due
to the careful scrutiny of the
Chief and his department.
Chief Vickery has had 1*
years of police duty and ex
perience in law enforcement.
MacGiltivary Arrested
Eleanor May MacGillivary,
age 30, was arrested on Fri
day, September 3rd for oper
ating a motor vehicle while
under the influence of intoxi
cating liquor, confined in the
'city jail until a $200 bond was
posted and then released. On
i Tuesday she plead guilty as
charged, before the U. S.
Commissioner, Mabel Fenner,
and received a 20 day jail sen
tence which was suspended, a
$100 fine and her drivers li
cense was revoked for 6
months.