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Juneau, Alaska
"News of oAmericci’s Last Frontier”
NO 45
KODIAK, ALASKA
January 12, 1946
PRICE 10 CENTS
Fairbanks
Mecca Loss
Fairbanks (Special)—Roy
8oyder, of Kodiak, owner of the
Fairbanks and Kodiak Mecca
bars, lost the former in the fireof
last Saturday that wiped out 6
business firms in a $400,000 fire,
the most costly blaze in 40 years
of the city’s history.
Battling frost and fire, firemen
struggled for 2 hours in 12-below
weather while the flames raged
out of control, while thousands
watched.
The 2-story I,a very and Ner
land buildings on the west of the
area and the Empress theatre on
the east stopped the flames path.
Lost were Patton’s hardware,
Mecca bar, Tavern bar owned by
Jessie Hometbko, Tavern Bar
ber shop, Waechter Meat Mar
ket and Sourdough liquor store.
The origin of the fire remained
a mystery. First reports differed
as to whether the blaze originat
ed in the Patton Hardware or in
the rooms above the Mecca bar.
Witnesses reported an explosion
at the start.
Firemen found the interior of
the hardware a mass of flames
and were dri ven out by flying
bullets. One bullet struck a pol
iceman in the back but did not
penetrate his clothing.
As the fire broke into the Mec
ca bar, where bartenders armed
with seltzer bottles had held
their own for a time efforts were
directed to save the Lavery
building on the other side.
The Mecca bar, listed as own
ed by J. E. Mainella of Fair*
banks and R. F. Snyder of Kodi
ak, was a total loss. Stock and
fixtures, including a new $2000
sign, was $50,000, partially cov
ered by insurance. The building,
owned by Mrs. George Hil'er of
Glendale, Calif., estimated at
$20,000.
Occupants of rooms in the
Mecca bar building all suffered
some losses. Seven persons lived
in the building, including a dis
charged Marine who lost a brand
new civilian outfit. Tommy
Jones, of Kodiak, was manager
of the bar.
Sjveral hundred dollars dam
age occured to stock in the Co
op drugstore, when the basement
flooded. George Williams, of Ko
diak, is manager.
Asa result of investigations
conducted on Anchorage liquor
stores, damage settlements invol
ving 6 dealers were reported by
OPA enforcement officials.
A total sum of $323.32 was
paid to the U. S. Treasury by 0
dealers found in violation of per
mitted ceilings. Evidence that
violations were unintentional
and would cease accounted for
the minimum settlement figures.'
Center Board Organizes; Drive Set
Community Center
Has 5 Objects
The 5 objects of the Commun
ity Center, as provided by the
Constitution and by-laws of the
project, are:
1. To provide clean commun
ity recreation for all ages, classes
and creeds.
2. To promote friendship a
mong all citizens and organiza
tions in the community.
3. To provide a meeting place
for cultural and educational
groups.
4. To maintain a library for
the use of all.
5. To offer an open house for
servicemen who desire such an
advantage while in the city.
Witnesses Get
Trip; Trial Delayed
Jorgen Fredrickson and Jim
Pierce returned to Kodiak yes
terday by plane after a 5-day
fruitless trip to Anchorage
where they were called as wit
nesses for the Schultz safe rob
bery trial. On their arrival they
were told the trial had been post
poned until Feb. 4.
Deputy U. S. Marshal Paul
Herring had a reservation to re
turn on yesterday’s plane, but
cancelled it to stay in Anchorage
for the Emanuel Davis rape
trial.set for sometime next week.
Seattle (JP)—A big black 8
ball loomed large and darkly for
Seattle citizens Friday morning
as they awoke to find no city
transportation service, no tele
phone service except dial instru
ments as long as they hold out
mechanically, and no newspapers
to tell them about it.
Some 1100 transit system bus
drivers rolled their machines in
to the garages and weut home as
an average half-million daily pas
sengers joined the bunion derby.
The union is asking for an
houtly wage of SI.37 for a 40
hour week. Present wage is $1.15
for a 48-hour week.
Addressee Sought
The boat that brought this
week’s meat supply also brought
mail, including many Christmas
parcels.
Much t.f the mail gave evid
ence of being thoroughly water
soaked, and damage t > many
parcels was reported.
The post office is holding 2
parcels, from which the address
was washed off. They were mail
ed by a Ruth Wateis in the
States.
The first organizational meet
ing of the new Kodiak Commun
ity Center was held Thursday
evening at the Bank of Kodiak
and officers were elected, consti
tution and by-laws adopted and
plans begun for the city-wide
fund drive which will provide the
finances for operating the project
in its many planned fields of en
deavor.
The governing group of the
center is to consist of represent
atives from the city council, Am
erican Legion, Federated Unions,
Protestant church, Roman Cath
olic church, Russian Orthodox
church, Public school faculty,
American Red Cross chapter,
Naval Operating base, Chamber
of Commerce, and Rotary club
and the representatives shall con
sist of the president, minister,
priest, school superintendent or
officer in charge of each organiz
ation, or some one appointed by
him or elected by the organiza
tion.
Officers were chosen at Thurs
day's meeting, and the work of
getting the new center underway
will be under the direction of the
new president, Dr. A. Holmes
Johnson, the vice-president, L. J.
Norman, and secretary-treasurer,
Walter Sippre 1.
The new president set the next
meeting for the coming Thurs
day, at which time he will an
nounce the membe. ship of the
permanent committees, member
ship of which will be drawn from
the entire community. The com
mittees are: executive, finance,
house, program and library.
The new constitution provides
that a director, fully trained in
carrying out a community pro
gram, shall be chosen by the
board, at a salary to be deter
mined later. The director shall
[“be of such a character that he
will serve as an example to the
community in the highest type of
living” and sh: 11 have had exper
ience in a community center or
social group work.
Dr. Johnson said inquiries are
already out for securing applica
tions for the director who will
have complete charge of a pro
gram that will provide activities
for all ages in supervised play,
hobbies, recreation and library.
While the Community Center
s primarily for the purpose of
carrying on a complete commun
ity program it will be secondarily
used by groups of a representa
tive or civic nature—such as the
Red Cross chapters, school
groups for parties, and public
health progiams. When not in
use for the community program
it may be used for parties and
meetings of clubs, churches and
other groups.
(continued on page 9)
Prizes Offered
For Center Poster
In connection with the fund
diive for the Community Center
a poster contest is announced for
school children, with 2 sets of
prizes, one for high school anti
one for grade school.
Prizes will be 85 for the best
poster in each set, 83 for the
second and 82 for the third prize.
The Bank of Kodiak and the
Kodiak Mirror are each offering
one of the sets of prizes.
The posters will be judged on
art work and arrangement but
particularly on a subject matter
which will represent the spirit of
the new Community Center as
to its educational, recreational
and cultural aspects for the en
tire community of all age groups.
New Year’s Dance
Next Monday
The Russian New Yea’rs bail,
next Monday evening, will be
held at the American Legim
building, and masquerade cos-|
tumes will be the order of the ev
ening. A local orchestra will fur
nish the music from 8 pm until
l am
Tickets are $2 and the pro
ceeds will go into the Russian
church decoration fund, a project
of the Russian Ladies Club, the
sponsors of the dance.
As an added feature a lunch
will be served for 50 cen s a
plate, consisting of homemade
sandwiches and cakes with coffee
and coke for drinks.
Tickets are being sold in ad
vance and may be purchased al
so at the hall the night of the
dance.
Patients at the GM hospital
this week included:
Mrs. Jack Delane, admitted
Jan. 10 or medical attention;
Mrs. Emil Knudsen, admitted
Jan. 4 for medical attention and
discharged Jan 10; and Mrs.
Geraldine Eaton, Jan 10. for a
major operation.
Movies were shown at the Ro
tary luncheon Tuesday at the
Victory cafe. W. J. Cambltn was
a guest.
Tourists Postponed
Two parties of tourists, sched
uled to visit Kodiak this year by
Pan-Pacific Tours, have been
cancelled, the travel agency re
ports, because a yacht planned
for the trip will not be available
in time.
The agency said parties would
jbe routed he.e in 1i and an
I nually thereafter.
Base Seeks
362 Men
Twenty-two men recruited in
Juneau for employment at the
local base, left the capital city
on Monday on the Y ukon on
their way to Kodiak, astpart of
the force of civil service employes
being hired throughout the Ter
ritory for jobs here,
T. A. Stiles, base personnel of
ficial, returned here by plane
yesterday after a trip that took
him to various Alaska towns
where men were obtained in con
junction with various W- S. Em
ployment offices.
The number of men so far ob
tained are: from Cordova 13;
Fairbanks32; Juneau 22; Anch
orage 30. Theie will also be a
number ironi Ketchikan.
The Anchorage-Fairbanks con
tingent arrived last week as first
of an effort to fill an original or- _
der for 362 employes for the
base.
When the order for the JbJ
was first issued it was planned
to hire the men in the States,
but alter confeieuees between
Navy and U. S. Jim ploy ment
offic.als, and because of the em
ployment problem in several Al
askan towns, tbe plans were
changed. Single men hired are
given accommodations at the
base, and if both of a married
couple are so employed accom
modations are provided. If either
quits the housing must be given
up.
Rates of pay for some of the
job classifications being filled
have yet to be set by tbe Navy
Depaument
Labor Council
Picks Officers
New officers of the Central
Labor council were elected at
the regular meeting this month.
They aie: president, Gien hob
iuson: vice-president, A. A. Ow
en; secretary-tieasurerer, Stuart
Nuckols; recording secretary,
Catkeiine Blaukenburgjtiustees;
Charles Skinner, Ray Sears. Bud
Metzgar and Mr. and Mis. Wil
liam McDonald.
The High School domestic sci
ence class, under the direction of
Mrs. Georgya Ellis,prepared aud
served a dinner at the school
Thuisday evening for members
of the city council, school board,
and Superintendent Harry Holt.
Mill Vokacek, city utilities
superintendent, returned to Ko
diak yesterday by plane from
Anchorage where he went on
business for the city in connec
tion with surplus property. He
stopped over in Homer and S’el
dovia.