The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, March 31, 1940, Page 36

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT EDITION JUNEAU, ALASKA, SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 1940. SIXTH SECTION 12,000,000 IN AIRBASES ARE BEING BUILT BY U. 5. NAVY AT SITKA, KODIAK By Commander R. E. THOMAS (CEC), U.S.N,, Officer in Charge of Construction On August 30, 1939, the President of the United States personally ap- proved and signed a contract be- tween the Navy Department and a combination of three large con- tracting companies for the con- struction of two new Naval Air Sta- tions to be located at Sitka, and in Kodiak, Alaska. The three contract- ing companies, namely Siems-Spo- kane Company, of Spokane and St Paul, Johnson, Drake and Piper of Minneapolis, and the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company of Seattle, were specially selected to perform this important work after careful investigation had proven to the Navy Department that they were the best fitted among 108 of the largest concerns in the United States who were in competition. The particular contract form or type is known as “cost plus a fixed fee,” and this was specially author- ized for this work by the Congress of the United States. Under this form of contract all items of cost or expense to the contractors arising from their operations on or inci- dent to the work, after payment by them are reimbursed by the Gov- ernment. In addition to such re- imbursement the contractors are paid a fee fixed at a definite amount in the contract for compensation for their experience, managerial skill, construction knowledge. profit, etc With this contractual relationship certain fundamentals are establish- ed, among which are the follow- ing (a) acting In effect the contractors are as agents of the Government. (b) Any action or occurrence which increases or decreases the cost. of the work performed directly increases or decreases the cost to be paid by the United States. (c) The cost of the work per- formed or fluctuations therein do not affect in any way the amount of the fee to be paid to the con- tractors as profit or otherwise. Federal Mandate The Navy Department has speci- fied and emphasized by repetition that the Sitka and Kodiak projects are to be prosecuted to completion with the “utmost of economy, speed, and certainty.” The Department has itself a mandate from the Congress and the President of the United States to see that this is done. The contractors and the Officer in Charge of Construction acting eith- er as agents or representatives of the Navy Department have been given the direct responsibilities involved in carrying out this mandate, and they have no alternative but to pro- ceed accordingly, overcoming all re- sistance which interferes and wel- coming all assistance which can be secured. The sole reason for which these two stations are being constructed is for the improvement of the na- tional defenses of our country. That consideration is and must remain paramount. If they did not possess great importance in this respect it is only logic that the Navy would not have been given the funds and the means to provide them. The extent to which these projects both during construction and while in operation can contribute to the ec- onomic welfare of Alaska is rec- ognized and it has importance, but this importance can be only sec- ondary to the interests of national defense. Offices in Seattle The main central offices of the contractors and the Officer in Charge of Construction are located in Seattle. Branch subordinate of- fices are located at the sites of the work, and all offices are staffed with the necessary personngl, to take care of employment, purchasing of materials and supplies, engineering, accounting, supervision, and project management generally. Plans and policies for all work either at Sitka or Kodiak must of necessity be for- mulated in the Seattle offices. Within but a short interval after the signing of the contract men were actually at work on each site, and the forces on the projects have been steadily increased until now a grand total of about 700 are em- ployed either directly or indirectly. Gratifying progress has been made, but still greater progress is demand- ed. The large majority of the em- ployees at the sites are Alaskan res- idents, and the contractors will maintain these majorities just as long as the Territory can supply the required adequate men in the re- quired adequate numbers and at the required times. Preference from the beginning has been given to the em- ployment of Alaskan residents, and I am assured that this preference will be continued as the demands for more employees at the sites in- crease. It is estimated that at the peak of the consruction period there will be about 800 employees on the project at Kodiak and about 400 at Sitka, I lof ,the Territory. NATIONAL DEFENSE Extensive Work To finance the work the Con- gress has appropriated $9,800,000 for Kodiak and $2,939,000 for Sitka. The former station will, of course, be very much the larger. However, at both stations many new buildings are to be constructed, including hangars, shops, storehouses, barracks, quar- ter radio stations, hospitals and power plants. A large amount of | dredging and filling is to be done at Kodiak, and much grading, clearing, | etc., at Sitka. Again at both sta- sions there will be seaplane ramps for the launching and recovery of planes, paving, roads, sewer and wa- ter systems and fuel storage. Each station will in fact be a self-con- tained and complete unit in itself upon final completion of the work now in progress. The contractors’ work schedule | calls for completion of the Sitka | station in September, 1941, and the Kodiak station g“(‘ oot lalc; O rounding islands, a total area of 2 eptember, 1942, Prior to these dates fiit{)pcrs:rrme?‘of the va”wlll bagin [200/000 acres; has. bogr withdrawn | to occupy the new facilities, aircraft from entry and locked up aga(;li\st will be assigned, and all of the reg- F;w::]c g:‘:f‘:lr:‘ ;rd::c'u:fi?ilr ll;% ular aviation activities for whlch‘wm]v the stations were designed will be | ™. 0 o lger in operation. So far as I am IN-|poeyely on February 10, withdraws formed, the numbers of persons in | " ucettlement, location, sale or | | | ----»,»--,-,-,-,,-.,“4 ALL KODIAK ISLAND IS LOCKED UP 2,500,000 Acres from Location, Enfry the Naval service who will be de- | entry” all of Kodiak, Whale, Uganik, | tailed to operate these stations have not been determined, but there will be many. Spruce, Sitkalidak and Aiktalik Is- | lands and all adjacent islands, rocks |and pinnacles within two miles of Many Problems hont There are many features about Townsite Exluded the construction at each place which | o oo exception fs 570 acres will make the work most difficult. |, o sunsite of Kodiak With the principal exception of sore | port TR I P ithdrawal of this lumber, practically all of the mater- | huge area is not mentioned ullt&nh' lals required must be shipped from | ;"o cxpianation in the order that| Seattle or other United States ports. | i withdrawn “for classification Housing and living accommodations ' i i of legislation.” for the contractors’ working forces| ", o\ o0 D0 e the same | have to be provided and operated |y o" Githdrew 5000 acres around at ecach place. In order to cOM-| . 0mpe principally to the north plete in the time allowed the work‘and east, for mlhl.nrv p\lrpuscs. must go on regardless of weflther\ or season. Because of these du’[x- culties and the importance of Lhr‘ REAR ADMIRA[ work generally the contractors have selected their men with the greatast care as to efficiency and skill, hon- esty, integrity, lrlmbi_lil.v St Appropnahon of $104,- 000 Asked of Congress For Additional Work energy and ph selected for and cmploved on these Rear Admiral John Towers, Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics of the projects should be a matter of pride | to every individual, not only because | United States Navy, during hearings of the high personnel standards| which have been set, but because of the honor which comes from asso- ciation with such important na- tional defense work. Help For Territory The construction of these two| large stations and their subsequent | operational activities will contribute substantially to the progress, devel- opment and economic welfare of | . Alaska. During the construction |Propriations Committee on the Navy periods alone labor at the sites will |@ppropriation bill, asked $104,000 for be paid a total of some five to six |installation of a new hangar at the | million dollars. Expenditures in |Sitka base, and a test stand and the purchase of Alaskan materials |utility shop to take care of one will also be made to the fullest ex- | Patrol plane squadron which is based tent justified by the materials which |there permanently. and one addi- are available for procurement. Those | tional squadron for emergency. funds in local circulation should| Rear Admiral Towers said the stimulate business of all kinds. Al- ready there is plenty of evidence | to show at both Sitka and Kodiak that this stimulation is real and will be lasting. Many of the con-| tractors’ employees who have been sent from Seattle have already | brought or will later bring their fam- ilies. If these new residents are| welcomed into the Territory, Lheir‘ surroundings made reasonably pleas- | ant, and fair and equal opportuni- ties are afforded them, I have no| doubt but that considerable num- bers will elect to stay. Such an in- crease in population would surely be beneficial to the economic welfare scale. ficers' and enlisted men’s quarters are being built besides several small- er buildings. A new gasoline fueling truck, costing $8,500, and automotive equipment costing $15,000 and two added,” Towers said. equipment is being added to the Kodiak air base. (OLUMBIA LUMBER SITKA MILL, YARD AT JUNEAU BUS A busy 1939 and the outlook for Alaska’s Interest The contractors, their workmen, and the Navy personnel engaged on these projects are mindful of the great interests manifested in the work by the residents of the Terri- tory. These interests are appreciat- ed and they will continue to be recognized and met to the fullest extent permissible under the man- dates which have been laid down | by our common superiors. All that is asked in return is your tolerance, and your acceptance of assurance sincerely given and promised that every plan, policy, or operation in connection with these projects, re- gardless of superficial appearances to the contrary, is designed to per- mit construction of the works with the “utmost of economy, speed and certainty.” by the Columbia Lumber Company which maintains a retail yard Juneau and a sawmill at Sitka gan estimates 25 will be built here Company supplies. A complete stock of building ma- at the Juneau yard, which during the past year added the Dutch Boy | paint line and a stock of builders hardware. The company makes FHA loans to those who wish to im- prove or modernize their homes. The -mill at Sitka cut 2,000,000 feet of spruce lumber working the year around wtih a crew of 25 men. A good percentage The opinions or assertions contained herein are the pri- vate ones of the writer and are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Navy Department or the naval service at large. R. E. THOMAS. > Prior to the purchase of Alaska by the United States, little interest was taken in the Territory and few | American vessels navigated its wa- ters. by contractors on the Naval airbase project at Sitka, and further demand from this source is anticlpated for 1940. An additional substantial construction boom at Sitks has kept the sawmill operating at capacity, terials and lumber is kept on hand | last year,| |the States, and many other reasons |in Washington, D. C. of the output has been purchnsed[ All of Kodiak Island and sur- |last month before the House Ap-| Sitka base is being enlarged along | the lines of those at Pensacola and |pe g shame to waste Pearl Harbor but on a more nmxtcdi “A new seaplane hangar, power |Commissioner | house, administration building, of-|J, F. Worley, Medical Director of the Rear Admiral Towers said similar |ing Material for constructing 32 new racks, the Governor said. homes was furnished by the firm Problem is one of national defens last year and Manager Tom Mor- Which must be decided by the Army PAGES 1 TO 8 ‘Au Corps Is Busy m Territory Executive OrderW||hdrawsv signed by President | This aerial view of Ladd Field, Fairbanks, taken re- cently, reveals the splendid progress made during the winter in preparing the site of Uncle Sam’s first cold weather | } | | equipment and crev The large white space in t 'ARMY BARRACKS AT HAINES MAY BE ABANDONED }Use of Buildings for Tuber- culosis Sanatorium Being Studied The possibility of converting the bulldmg\ and plant at Chilkoot Bar- | racks for use as a Territorial tuber- culosis hospital in event the Army post moves to Anchorage was in- vestigated last winter by Gov. Ern- est Gruening who made a visit to |Lynn Canal communities aboard the |Coast Guard cutter Haida. | Gov. Gruening said there has been a great deal of talk in Washington about the Army giving up the Haines post and moving to some place in the vicinity of Anchorage, but that it would probably be several years before any such move would be made if it does take place. There have been various sugges- tions by the War Department lodk- ing to some other use for the bar- racks and plant generally, a plani which the Governor says it would Doctors vake Trip W. W. Council, Territorial of Health, and Dr. | v Dr. ffice of Indian Affairs, Alaska Di- barracks, dispensary and store house | | vision, accompanied the Governor on ‘hl% trip to investigate the suitability of the barracks for sanitorium use. ‘ The Governor pointed out that ‘r)flen there is great difficulty in fire engines costing $15,000 are being |adapting existing buildings to other and that the cost of remodel- alter: and maintaining such “adnnlwl plants is greater than it would be to build anew. There have been suggestions of other possible uses for the barracks. the Governor id. He mentioned |that in the event the International | Highway is built by the Kluane Lake [route an extension of the Haines- | Klukwan Highway might connect | Chilkoot. Barracks with the high- ways of the nation and affect the uses an equally busy 1940 are reported |War Department’s decision, Other departments will have no in | particular voice in the decision as to what will become of Chilkoot Bar- The whole A tuberculosis hospital, Governor this year out of Columbia Lumber Gruening said, is needed for both white and native citizens of the Territory. ————— | Men and women consldermg Al- aska as a place of making their| livelihood should keep this fact in mind: being unemployed in Alaska | is far worse'than being in a similar | condition in the States, because of the rigors of the northern winters, the expense of a boat trip back to which will become apparent to the prospective laborer when he gives the matter mature thought, > What is now the Territory of Al- experimental station. of the Chena River four miles east of Fairbanks, the Army reservation, comprising four square miles, or 2,516 acres, has been partially cleared with mechanical \wrkmg thmughout the winter. Lying along the banks he center is the field proper, The War Department announced recently from Washington that two new Army Air Corps stations will be located in Alaska, one at Fair- banks and the other at Anchorage, if sufficient funds are appropriated by Congress. The Fairbanks site, for which ap- proximately $4,000,000 has already been appropriated as a starter, lies east of the City. The Fairbanks field will be used primarily for ex- perimental operations in cold wea- ther, employing all types of planes and testing Uncle Sam’s wings in sub-zero temperatures against the day a war might be fought by this Nation in an Arctic Zone. FORTIFY ALASKA SAYS SOLON WHO VISITED NORTH Con gress—n;a—n Kennedy Says Need of Defenses in Alaska Great Fortification of Alaska against “any force striking at the United States across the Pacif is advo- cated by Rep. Ambrose J. Kennedy, Democrat, of Maryland, who visited the Territory last summer. “At the present time,” the Con- | gressman said, “Alaska is practical- ly without any defensive works whatver. “It is obvious that in any war on | the Pacific, the enemy will seize and take possession of the coast of Alaska in force, bringing hostile forces within 50 miles of the United | States proper. “It seems highly probable that we will soon be confronted on the Pacific with Japan and Russia, bound by a friendly understanding | on conquest and armed to rule or ruin the world.” 'PLANS LAID FOR ANNETTE ISLAND ARMY AIRFIELD An application for a $50,000 pro- | Jject for clearing a landing field on Annette Island for Army Air Corps use is now under consideration by the Works Prbdjects Administration In outlining the purposes of the proposed project, Delegate Anthony J. Dimond said that while the con- | struction was urged primarily for military defense of the Territory, aska was, until 1867, a part of the the field would be available at all | Russian Empire and was known as | times for commercial flying use and Russian America. lfor private civilian aviators. extending some 10,000 feet being expanded in length and width as desired. cross runways have yet been cleared. The figures indi- cate the chief points of interest AARMY BUILDS NEW STATION ATFAIRBANKS ‘Work on Cofleather Ex- perimental Field Goes on All Winter Beginning of actual construction on a cold weather experiment sta- |tion at Fairbanks last fall marked the first definite step in the U. S. Army Air Corps unit installations |in the Territory. 41 Fairbanks News-Miner cut in length and capable of No 1.—Chena River. 2.— Alaska Railroad Spur, and crossing of new 591-foot trestle bridge. 3.—End of rallroad spur. 4.—Building area, 45 acres, where stripping is now being completed. 5.~Dump pile. 6.—Main cleared area. 7.—Birch Hill. H —hxperlmental cnmrcte '-slah and tractur thm War Deparlmenl fo Build First Class Airfields at Fairbanks and Anchorage Construction plans for Fairbanks include hangars, shops, paved run- ways, night landing equipment, quarters for 30 officers and 26 mon- commissioned officers and barracks for 300 men, hospital, central heat- ing plant and electric light and power plant. The Fairbanks field has been des- ignated Ladd Field in honor of Capt. Arthur Ladd, a native of Texas, who was killed in an airplane accident at Dale, South Carolina, in 1835, Anchorage Field The field at Anchorage, to be even larger than that at Fairbanks, will be located just south of the City. It will cover some 1,400 acres and uli- mately will inelude both ground and air units. PFunds totalling $12,734,- 000 have been asked for this work in the 1941 budget. The Anchorage field will be named Elmendorf Field in honor of Capt. Hugh Elmendorf, native of New York, who was killed in an airplane ; in | accident at Wright Pield, Ohio, 1933 Eventually, the Army will have to have a field somewhere in South- east Alaska to serve as a conven- ient stopping place for planes flying from the States to the large new Alaska stations at Fairbanks and Anchorage. The intermediate field will be at Juneau, Ketchikan or Su‘mbcny Pmm, DELEGATE ASKS ARMORIES FOR NATIONAL GUARD Formation of Alaska Unit Awaits Construction of Quarfers A bill authorizing an appropria- tion of $250,000 for construction of two armories in Alaska has been introduced in Congress by Delegate | Anthony J. Dimond. The measure, House Bill 8071, would authorize the Secretary of War to acquire land and facilities on which to construct the armories, one in Southeast Alaska and the other in the Interior or Westward. Passage of the measure would expedite formation of a National Guard unit in Alaska. In the States, such armories are provided by the States themselves. The War De- partment requires that before it will | supply arms for National Guards- men, assure proper protection and hous- ing for the equipment. - The name Alaska is derived from the Aleut word, Alakhskhak, mean- ing “a great country or continent”' provision must be made to| ARMY TRANSPORT ALASKA SERVICE Residents to Be Favored in Fairbanks Airbase Construction The U. 8. Army transport St. Mihiel is to be assigned April 1 to the Alaska run to carry supplies for to word re- Edward M. Quartermas- Fairbanks, according ceived from Major George, Construction ter. An office is being opened at Fort Mason, California, for the procure- ment of supplies for the base, Major George wrote. First Lieut. Carlton M. Clifford of Ogden, Utah, has been appointed Assistant to the Con- structing Quartermaster and will be in charge of procurement at Fort Mason. Lieut. J. B. Rankin will be Assist- ant C. Q. M. at Fairbanks. Trucks Purchased vehicles have been purchased for shipment to Alaska on the first transport. Specifications are being | prepared for the purchase of addi- tional grading equipment including tractors, carry-all scrapers, rollers, steam shovels and gravel washing equipment Alaskans l‘rc-h-rr('d “It is our policy,” Major wrote, “to employ labor now in Al- aska where such labor is qualified to do the work. Of course, we all realize that a sufficient number of skilled laborers in the various clas- sifications are not available in Al- aska and will necessarily have to be imported from the State: “My office in Fairbanks for the past three months has been busy classifying and card indexing all available laborers, both common and skilled, in that vicinity. These applications are being received in the office of the Construction Quar- termaster at Fairbanks, and it is our desire to have all available la- borers classified and listed in that office.” e - PORTLAND CEMENT VALUE RECOGNIZED Careful ])Iunum" attractive de- sign and workmanlike construction are declared to be essential for the small store, factory or fire station Jjust as they are in the monumental post office, city hall, school or mod- ern hotel. The initial cost of good buildings is often no greater than that of their less attractive neighbors, and when constructed of durable, fire- safe materials, properly used, the maintenance costs that go on throughout the life of a building | may be reduced to a minimum., Port- land cement is termed the ideal material to fulfill all these require- ments. IS TO BE USED IN | | Sourdoughs gathered to watch huge the Alaska Air Base project at| Major George announced 48 motor | George | It is expected that, as appropria- tions are available, more units will be built until Alaska can be defens- ively and offensively adequate. The Fairbanks installation, Ladd Field, got under way early last fall under the direction of Major E. M. George, Quartermaster Corps, who was ordered to Washington, D. C., in September and relieved by First Lieutenant J. B. Rankin, who has been in charge of the project | during the winter and will continue as assistant. Major George opened a purchasing and contracting office at Fort Mason, Calif. in January | to expedite procurement of supplies. First Lieutenant C. M. Clifford is Major George’s assistant at Fort Mason and will continue to run that office when the Major leaves for Alaska i April. C. L. Coray of Ogden is Superintendent of Con- struction on the project. Work All Winter Weather or no weather, prelimin- ary work has continued throughout the winter, leaving a trail of ac- complishment greater than either the Army or local kibitzers expected. tractors and a 16-yard carryall ‘doze up grades, strip overburden of frozen moss and conceded that “these Army fellows are doin’ some unheard of things” and began immediately to calculate how they could apply the successful experiment to all-winter mining operations. Approaching spring finds the area | surveyed and mapped; 5.2 miles of railroad spur constructed to the site, three miles ready for traffic and 22 miles awaiting arrival of !‘rall. The spur was constructed by the Alaska Rallroad, with the Con- | structing Quartermaster’s office fur- nishing the engineering supervision. Over 500 acres of land were cleared for building area and runways. A 45-acre building site has been stripped of overburden and strip- ping of runways is going forward. A connecting road to the Richard- son Highway is ready. Two miles of this road were gravelled during January, an unheard of thing in the North. ‘Water Supply Eighty feet of frost was pene- trated in drilling a first well for | water supply before a small flow was encountered. Then 277 feet were |drilled without more water. The |drill was moved 200 feet, drilled 60 feet of frost and hit a good water table. Either well is capable of sup- plying the needs of the post, it is estimated. It is anticipated that all will be in readiness for the arrival of ma- terials in mid-April and footings |for buildings will be ppured as soon |as the weather permits. | A preliminary lay-out plan of | buildings received indicates a com- bined barracks and hospital, com- bined officers’ and recreation facili- ties, an apartment building for of- ficers' quarters, commissioned offi- cers’ quarters, two non-commis- sioned officers' apartment build- ings, quartermaster waterhouse, power house, garage and mainten- ance shop and hangar. Reports indicate that approxi- mately 356 men and officers will be stationed at Ladd Field. it Work during the winter has been carried on with two crawler type tractors of 85 horsepower; ‘one 16- yard carryall; two combination stake and panel 1% ton trucks; one cargo 1'% ton truck; one % ton pick- up and one sedan. Alaska Road Commission tractors were used in railroad grading. The Quartermaster's Holabird de- pot, Baltimore, Maryland, has been directed to deliver 36 1'% ton trucks and six pickups to the Ft. Mason office for shipment to Alaska. These are expected early in April. Approximately 100 men were em-= ployed at the peak of winter opera- tions and the minimum was 32 men. At the present time about 1,000 men are registered with the personnel department of the QMC office in Fairbanks. Lieut. Rankin pointed out that the office was fortunate in securing good workmen, that necessary land for the reservation was obtained without difficulty and that no pro- (Continued en Page Eight)