The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, September 17, 1949, Page 1

SATURDAY 1 P.M. Edition “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE| SATURDAY 1 P.M. Edition VOL. LXXIIL, NO. 11,301 JUNEAU, ALASKA, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1949 MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS PRICE TEN CENTS Scores Perish in Fire Aboard Excursion Ship Conditions of Alaska Nafives To Be Invesfigated; Pribilof ALASKA TRIP OF MILITARY CHIEFS ENDS No Comment on Findings | But Senator Tydings Issues Statement WASHINGTON, Sept. 17—#— The Joint Chiefs of Staff have re- turned from a nine-day inspection tour of Alaskan military facilities. They had no comment on their findings. The group was headed by Gen. Omar Bradley, who recently was elected to chairmanship of the defense chiefs. While they maintained silence, Senator Tydings (D-Md) spoke, up on the problem of far northern de- fenses. As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he issued a statement that troops have been withdrawn from Alaska “from time to time” because of lack ot suitable cold weather housing. “Since Alaska is one of our most important outposts,” he asserted, “this situation is deplorable.” He expressed hope for early Sen- ate action on a military public works ©ill to relieve the situation. He said members of the armed forces in Alaska are living under “appalling conditions.” Part of it was due, he said, to the haste with which shelters hac¢ o be erected during the war. Senator Magnuson (D-Wash) also pledged his aid in trying to get Senate approval of the Public Works bill. TRAPPED IN HOME FIRE, COUPLEDIE SEATTLE, Sept. 17—®—A Lynn- wood couple died early today when they were trapped in their burning home about 16 miles north of here. Snohomish County Coroner Ken Baker identified the couple as Mr. and Mrs. George C. Richmond. Their small home was completely destroyed. Baker said that Mrs. Richmond’s body was found at the doorway of the bedroom, where she had died in a desperate attempt to escape. Her husband’s tody was found be- side the bed, several feet from the doorway. The fire apparently started in an overstuffed chair. Richmond, about 45, was a rail- way mail clerk employed in Seattle. The Washington Merry - Go- Round By DREW PEARSON ICopyright, 1949, by Bell Syndicate, Inc.) ASHINGTON — In all the bit- | ter row between the army and the navy, the admirals have failed to let the public know about one naval activity for which they deserve great credit—submarines. Perhaps this is because the cramped and grimy life of a sub- marine crew lacks gold braid and glamor. Also, there are no ad- mirals commanding submarines; their place is on battleships. But at any rate, American submarines have made amazing progress, and undoubtedly will be the most im- portant arm of the navy in the fu- ture. The end of the war saw German submarines with new breathing de- vices for underwater operation plus a rubber coat which prevented ra- dar detection. If the war had last- ed much longer, the new German subs would have wreaked havoc on American shipping once again. Came V-Day and the Russians took over all Nazi submarine yards together with German scientists. Result: the Russian U-boat today is the most miodern in the world. However, the U. 8. Navy, rushing to keep up with the Soviet, has now developed a new snorkel de- vice permitting a sub to breathe underwater for days at a time. U. S. subs are also capable of the (Continued on Page Four) . U.S. COAST GUARD IS GETTING SETTLED IN NEW BUILDING In the eyes of the service itself, the 17th District Headquarters of the U. 8. Cpast Guard may not yet be officially established here, as all operations do not yet function from Juneau. But the details of one of the most important matters within the serv- ice — payday — were completely handled here this week, with every paycheck made out in Juneau. The | disbursing officer mailed more than 700 USCG checks yesterday from the Juneau postoffice. Juneau’s handsome Community Building, constructed chiefly for occupancy by the Coast Guard headquarters, has begun to hum with activity. £ Desks, chairs, office machines and wastebaskets are stacked in corn- ers. and corridors; enlisted men are swabbing the decks; cartons of re- cords, books and other equipment are being unpacked and put in place. However, Lt. C. V. Rudolpn, Dis- trict Finance Officer, and his statf had a payday coming up «cefore the installation could be completed. So, thanks to the cooperation of the Army, check-writing machines, addressograph and other needed equipment was set up in the tem- porary USCG quarters made avail- able by C. L. Robards, Resident Engineer. | “We never could have made the jprogress we have, without the Army,” said Comdr. D. McGregor Morrison, ; ranking USCG officer here in the absence of the Chief of Staff. 3 FURNITURE LOST Like any family moving day, there was almost bound to be a slip-up, and a need to borrow from the neighbors. Somewhere between Ilinois and Seattle, a car-load of furniture with all the office chairs for the building, went astray. “Thanks to the Army,” said Lieu-~ tenant Rudolph, who handled the matter of furniture and supplies for the transfer, “thanks to the Army, we have nearly enough chairs to go around. However, they are surplus, and to be disposed of October 5, so we have to return them. by then. Meantime, we are trying to straighten out the ship- ping tangle.” The chairs, sturdy and useful though they are, look assorted when paired with the all-steel desks and stands. The office furniture, shipped by the Bureau of Supply from Seattle, is of all-steel manufacture. FITTINGS FIREPROOF “We shall have a minimum of fire hazard,” commented Lieutenant Rudolph. “The building is of fire- proof construction, and everything we have, insofar as possible, is fireproof. The all-steel furniture came from either the General Fire- proofing Company or the Federal Prison Industries. Except for a very few items from other Coast Guard offices, there is nothing but the latest and most modern furniture and equipment—$50,000 worth.” The installation which i the heart of District operations for the Coast Guard—the communications system—is partly in operation. Key equipment in the big acoustically- treated room will be thrze teletypes machines. One of these already is operating, giving a direct line to the AJaska Communications System. Officers and men are working at top speed to get the new District Headquarters in working order, and planning the big open house at | which the public will be invited to inspect the offices. No date has Iteen set yet. Yes, everything is fine, except for one little matter that was over- looked by the architect. In the requisition for supplies was an order for a large electric wall clock for each office. The clocks are here. But there's not a wall connection in the building for them! DIVORCE SUIT FILED Mabel Kathlean Plumley filed suit for divorce against Wayne J. Plumley in the District Court here yesterday. ANNULMENT ASKED Donald Hastings yesterday filed suit for annulthent of his marriage to Bertha Hastings in the District Court here. FROM ANCHORAGE A. V. Collar of the Internal Rev- enue Service, Anchorage, is a guest at the Baranof Hotel. ? CITY WATER RATES NOT T0 BE BOOSTED NOW SAYS COUNCIL There will be no increase in Juneau's water rates at present. This decision was made by the City Council at its meeting last night, after it had heard the re- port of C. J. Ehrendreich, certified public accountant, who had exam- ined the Juneau Water Works' financial statement. The Water company will be noti- fied that no increase in water rates will be allowed until an audit has been made of the Water company's books. Ordinance Number 306, under which the Water company is al- lowed its 20-year franchise, states that rates shall be fair and rea- sonable. Ehrendreich, speaking from the floor, told the council he could see no justification for an in- crease. He said that, judging from the statement, before a ‘“management fee” not included under wages, is deducted, the company’s net pro- fit amounts to more than 21 per cent. | Although the Water company has already notified its customers of an increase in rates as of Septem- ber 1, the council moved that the company would be notified not to increase rates until such time as| in increase is justified. A new city ordinance, providing rules for city elections as made necessary by the recent special municipal election, was given first reading at the council meeting. The assessor’s report, with the changes made by the Equalization Board, was accepted by the coun- cil. Bids for comprehensive liability and property damage lability in- surance were opened, and the Shat- tuck Agency bid was accepted. A representative of citizens re- siding in the Seventh and Eighth Streets region was promised that difficulties in sewer and water systems in that area would be ironed out as soon as possible. In the course of the meeting, Mayor Waino Hendrickson pointed out that the change-over, made { necessary by the Territorial law which moved the municipal elec- tion dates to October 4, would prove difficult at present, but bene- ficial after the change-aver has been made. “‘We will have operated for 18 months on one year’s income,” he said. Representatives from Douglas City Council asked the Juneau City Council to give its approval of the plan for a small boat har- bor at Douglas. No action was taken on this matter. * MORGAN RETURNS AFTER ATTENDING HEARINGS IN WASH. Joseph M. Morgan, Chief of the Alaska Investigations Office of the Bureau of 'Reclamation, returned to Juneau today from Washington, D.C., where he has been for the past eight months. During his stay in the capital, Morgan appeared numerous times before hearings by the Bureau ot the Budget, the House, and the Senate on appropriations and legis- lation for Bureau of Reclamation projects in Alaska. He returned to,the Territory via the Alaska Highway, then came from Haines to Juneau by plane. The Bureau Chief plans to leave here Monday for McKinley Park to attend a Department of In-| terior Alaska Field Committee meeting. He will be back in approxi- mately a week. MRS. MATSU DIES HERE Mrs. Katie Matsu, 70, died this morning in the Indian Village here. .She followed by two days her husband, who passed away at the Sitka Sanatorium Thursday. Mrs. Matsu is survived by three sons by a former marriage: Harry Watson and Henry Howard Watson of Klawock and Jimmy Watson of Juneau. She is survived by one daughter, Julia Matsu. 3 Other survivors include Mrs. Mat- su’s nieces, Maggie Anderson, Lizzie Wise, Elsie Jones and Mabel Lon- | ning of Juneau, and 'a nephew, Eddie Murphy of Juneau, | Funeral arrangements will be announced later, Prowler Is Shot PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 17.—#— A 2l-year-old man, who was sleeping in his father's taven in the hope of trapping a recurrent prowler, fatally shot a man in the tavern early today. Detectives identified the dead man as Ellis Ruben Garrison, 37, who has served three penitentiary terms for auto theft and burglary. Athanasios (Tom) A. Monstis told police he had decided to sleep in the back room of his fatder’s East Side Tavern, hoping to catch a prowler. The taven had been burg- larized twice recently. Monstis said he was awakened early this morning by the crash of glass and splintering wood, and crept into the tavern to see a man near the cash register. Monstis said he fired twice as the man came toward him. 2 FLIERS MISSING, SEATRIP NEW YORK, Sept. 17—#—Coast Guard, Air Force and Canadian air- craft were thrown into a wide- spread hunt today for a small, single-engine. plane long overdue on a projected 2,000 mile non-stop flight from the Azores to New York City. The little plane, a Beechcraft Bonanza, reportedly was loaded with fuel for 29 ‘hours of flying when il took off with two Italian aviators from the Azores yesterday. Under' normal conditions, its gas suppl y would have been exhausted at 10 am. (EST) today. The search planes started from American and Canadian bases shortly after dawn, about 10 hours after the plane last made radio contact with shore. At that time, the fliers, John M. Brondello and Camillio Barioglio, zave their position as about 940 miles east of New York City and 1180 miles due south of the Naval sase at Argentia, Nfid. * VESSEL ON ROCKS; SOS SENT OUT MIAMI, Fla., Sept. 17—(#—Rescue craft were rushing today to aid the 2,500-ton Belgian freighter Braant aground on rocks off the southern coast of Cuba, An SOS signal was picked up from the vessel shortly after 1 a.m. (BEST). Ships at sea were Alerted and the Coast Guard in Miami stood by ready to send help if needed. Coast Guard air sea rescue head- quarters said®the Brabant’s master reported the vessel was “taking on a little water but was in no imme- diate danger.” The vessel was reported to have been enroute from Gulf Coast ports to Antwerp. Paimer Kiwanians Plan Big Night PALMER, Alaska, Sept. 17—#— Tonight is charter night for the Palmer Kiwanis Club, and the club is going to leave its signs around for all to see. Literally. The club decided to name all Palmer streets and erect street signs. Members already have cut and painted 120 posts, and are stencilling names which they hope will be ready by tonight. After that Palmer, trading cen- ter for the 750 to 1,500 in the Matanuska valley, will be able to tell people where they are. JOE MEHERIN OUT ON PAA J. J. (Joe) Meherin, merchandise| broker who divides his time be-~ tween Juneau and Seattle, was on yesterday’s southbound Pan Ameri- can flight, going out on business. LOOK OUT, RUSSIANS, 60 EASY Atlantic Pad Powers Plan Defense If Attacked in Quick Action WASHINGTON, Sept. 17—(®— The Atlantic Pact powers agreed in one hour today on organization of Western defenses against any possible attack by Russia. Ministers of the 12 pact countries met in mid-forenoon for a session that was expected to last two or three hours, possibly spill over into a late afternoon meeting or even a meeting here next Monday. They elected Secretary of State Acheson as their presiding officer. ‘Then they went to work in un- expected harmony of plans for de- fense machinery which already had been laid out in complete detail. Their deputies had been busy at the State Department for the past several weeks on that task. ‘The ministers approved the proposed plan evidently without any controversy and then adjourned at 11 a.m. ‘Thus they completed in an hour the most important joint action since the treaty was signed here April 4 to tie together under a single strategy the war plans of the United States, Canada, and the na- tions of Western Europe. CANNED FRUIT PLANT SWEPT, NIGHT BLAZE CASHMERE, Wash., Sept. 17—(® —Fire swept the block-long plant of the Cashmere Fruit Growers Union here early today with loss estimated at $750,000 not including thousands of koxes of fruit. The blaze, which started at 4 am, still was burning nearly five bours later, Company officials said the pre- liminary loss figure applied to building and equipment. In the building were about 75,000 boxes of packed D’Anjou pears and 35 box cars of Bartlett pears. An official said the building was partly covered by insurance. 211 CARS CHECKED IN SECOND DAY OF MOTOR INSPECTION For the second day of the annual vehicle safety check-up being made by the Juneau Police Department and the Territorial Highway Patrol, the following report was submitted sy Patrol Lt. Emmett M. Botelho: Between 1 and 6 p m., September 16, 211 cars were checked with these showings: 37 violation tickets were issued: out of this number 25 individuals did not have their dirver’s licenses with them; 7 had no driver's licens2 whatsoever. 40 tickets were redeemed from the previous day. 15 cars had no emergency trakes. 13 cars had no stop lights. 8 cars had only 1 license plate. 9 cars had only 1 light. 3 cars had no windshield wipers. 3 cars with foreign license which was to be renewed. All motorists must obey the “Stop” signals at all times at the school crossing at the church in Waynor Addition. This will be en- forced by the Highway Patrol. STEAMER MOVEMENTS Freighter Victoria from Seatttle, in port. Princess Louise from Vancouver due at 4 o'clock this afternoon. Baranof scheduled to sail from Seattle Sunday, due Wednesday. Aleutian from west scheduled southbound 1 a. m. Monday. FROM PETERSBURG Mrs. Arnold Israelson and child of Petersburg are guests at the Gastineau Hotel, | ! | | ONE STRIKE LOOMS; ONE IS WANING (By the Associated Press) The threat of a nation-wide coal strike waxed today while that of a steel stoppage waned. Some 400,000 members of John L. Nahves in Peonage (harge Lewis' United Mine Workers were expected to stay away from the coal pits next Monday Lecause their welfare fund’s trustees, headed by Lewis, suspended pension and other benefit payments. The trustees gave as their reason for the suspension that the fund | was fast running out of money. Meanwhile, the CIO Steelworkers’ Union and the major steel firms accepted the invitation of the gov- ernment’s chief mediator, Cyrus Ching, to meet Monday in Washing- | ton for further contraot talks, There was no early settlement in the nine-day old Missouri Pacific strike, and trains of three other lines became tangled in picket nets last night.| but | ‘The trains finally moved on, late. Affected were Cotton Belt, Santa Fe, and Rock Island trains which were picketed at Illmo, Mo, and Atcheson, Kans. The CIO National Maritime Union | is considering a recommendation of its President, Joe Curran, that the organization’s constitution be changed to ban Fascists and Nazis" from member- ship. The NMU is holding its an- nual convention in New York. REVEALS PLOT IN HUNGARY| (By The Associated Press) The former chief inspector of the Hungarian army today told a People’s Court trying him for trea- son that he plotted with others to overthrow the Hungarian govern- ment. The testimony of Lieut. Gen. Gyorgy Palffy followed closely that of Laszlo Rajk, Hungary's former foreign minister and Communist leader, who yesierday confessed a similar plot. Rajk testified the plot was back- ed by United States officials and was part of an anti-Soviet crusade led by Premier Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia, who, Rajk said, plan- ined a military invasion of Hun- gary and the incorporation of AI-‘ bania into Yugoslavia. In Berlin, the Soviet army news- paper Taegliche Rundschau re- flected Russia’s interest in the Hungarian trials and their explo- sive threat. The newspaper sald Rajk “finally unmasks the Tito clique on Yugoslavia as an agency of foreign imperialists.” Lieut. Gen. Palffy, one of the defendants, testified: “We had formed three special shock troops of 12 members each which were to arrest and eventually kill the three top Communist ministers headed by Matyas Rakosi.” Milifary Bridge Opened, Fairbanks FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Sept. 17—# —The longest military-type Bailey bridge in the north will be opened officially today. It was constructed by the 807th Engineer Aviation Battalion. The 340-foot structure spans the Chena river at the Ladd Air Force Base. Michael Gaffney, five-year-old son of Gen. Dale Gaffney, Ladd’s Commanding General, will cut the traditional ribion. FROM SEATTLE Baxter Pelch, Mr. and Mrs. Chris Johnson, and W. H. Lilly, Jr., of Seattle, are registered at the Bar- anof Hotel. indication of an| “‘Communists, | WASHIN(:TON, Sept. 17—(M—A seven-man team will leave Nome, ‘Aln.skn, next Friday to study con- ‘dnlons among natives from the | Aleutian Islands to the Bering Strait off Siberia, the Interior De- partment said today. In New York City, the Associa- Indian Affairs “hopeful first conditions 4uon on American called the study a step” in improving | among the natives. ‘, Secretary of Interior Krug said the group will include Albert M. Day, Director of the Fish and Wild- life Service, and John R. Nichols, Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The party will visit Nunivak, Makushin, Unalaska, Akutan and | Dutch Harbor in the Aleutia St Paul and iSt. George in the Prici- lofs, and lonely St. Lawrence Is- land, nearest U. S. point to the Soviet Union, and King Island ofl the Seward Peninsula. The party will sail from None | aboard the Indian Service vessel North Star, and will return to Anchorage by air about Oct. 11, | PRIBILOF PEONAGE | Oliver La Farge, President of the | Association on American Indian | Affairs, said in a statement that natives of the Pribilofs “may be in virtual peonage.” | “They are words of the Fish and Wildlife Service, exclusively engaged in fur sealing operations for the United States,” he said. La Farge | also is chairman of the Interior Department Advisory Committee on Indian Affairs, | Officials estimate that in the last 30 years the government has re- |alized a net profit of more than $0,000,000 from the sale of sealskins. CHARGE AGAINET GOVT. | “The Pribilof Islanders them- selves Have not been as fortunate,” La Farge said. [ “The government has spent less lthan $260 yearly per person for Iood clothing, fuel, medical service land other maintenance items. “The workman’s pay is determined bysthe total seal take, and top pay tis around $950 a year. We can't help but feel that the government has been just a little more interested in seals than sealers.” Mark A. Dawber, Executive Sec- retary of the Home Missions Coun- cil of North America and a Direc- tor of the Association on Indian Affairs, also is a member of the survey group. BRING OUT TRUTH “T" accepted memcership on this committee in the hope that it can bring the truth to light,” he said. “I expect the findings of this com- mittee to influence basically the government policy on our Alaska Indian citizens.” Other members of the team are Lawrence Stevens, Assistant to the Indian Commissioner; Extension Service Director Lorin T. Oldroyd of the University of Alaska; Di- ‘lem.or Don Foster of the Alaska | Native Service, and E. P. Hadon of | the Fish and Wildlife Service. WEATHER REPORT (U. S. WEATHER BUREAU) (Thi; data is for 24-hour pe- riod ending 7:30 am. PST) In Juneau—Maximum, 61; minimum, 45. At Airport—Maximum, minimum, 38. 60; FORECAST (Juneau and Vicinity) Decreasing cloudiness this afternoon, Partly cloudy to- night and Sunday. Slight- ly warmer this afternoon with the high around 63 degrees. Low togight near 42. SPRECIPITATION @ (Past 24 hours ending 7:30 a.m. today City of Juneau—.50 inches; since Sept. 1, 384 inches; since July 1, 14.85 inches. At the Airport—.26 inches; since Sept. 1, 196 inches; since July 1, 945 inches. ® 0 0 0 v e -0 o ing Authority was moved yester- day from the Federal Building to new quarters in the Coast Guard building. FROM SKAGWAY Mr. and Mrs. W. Duncan from | FHA OFFI The office of the Federal Hous- lslq:v:y are guests at the Baranof. FLAMES ROAR FURIOUSLY IN NIGHT BLAZE Majori IyFPassengers Asleep as Cries of Fire Sounded-Trapped TORONTO, Sept. 17.—(#M—A mid- dle-of-the-night fire roared through the Great Lakes cruiser Noronic at her pier and by noon, today, police said, 185 bodies had been removed |irom the wreckage. In addition they said three per- sons died in hospitals and four were recovered from the water, making a known death toll up to aoon of 192, Investigating offi- “lals at the scene of the Great Lakes' worst shipfire in a century aid they thought the number of dead might mount as high as 226. The fire, which raced through he 36-year-old vessel, broke out while most of those aboard were sleeping. Operating officials said there were | 112 passengers and 170 crew mem- ers aboard the veteran 6,905 cruis- er, which tied up here last night with holiday trippers, bound from Detroit and Cleveland for the Thousand Islands. Most of the passengers were 1sleep but hundreds escaped in a frantic, screaming, pushing mob awakened by cries of fire and the first alayms, Many Trapped Others were trapped and their uncounted bodies were still believed to be huddled in the submerged C-déck. The death toll rose as tiremen kept bringing up the char- red, broken bodies of the victims. They said it might be three days before the fate of all those aboard could be established. Two women died in hospital. One of them was identified as Mrs. Eunice Dietrich, Cleveland, O. Victims Are Americans All except about 20 of the pas- | sengers were said to be Americans. The vessel arrived here last night from Cleveland and Detroit for her last cruise of the season to Pres- cott and the Thousand Islands. The cause of the blaze is not known, but firemen said they had established that it started in state- soom No. 462 cn the starboard side, ‘wo cabins ait of the cocktail bar. Within three minutes after it start- 2d, witnesses said, the whole of C- deck was afire. Whole Ship Ablazeé A pier watchman turned in the first alarm after seeing “a glimmer of fire near the stern.” Not two | minutes after he telephoned, he sald, the whole ship was ablaze.: i As daylight came, firemen work- ed with pike pole and shovel in the wreckage, bringing out bodics. Sometimes three or four bodies, sometimes only broken, charred parts of bodies. | Hundreds, awakened by the flames, escaped by jumping to the pier, into the water, or clambering over rails to ships tied up. near | by. i Captain Leaps Overboard Captain William Taylor, of Sar- | nia, Ont., the ship’s master, smash- lpd in cabin doors to waken many passengers and carried at least one woman to safety. Crew members said he leaped over the bow as flames closed in on him. The fire broke out in the after- section and then roared through { the wooden deck structure of the 36-year-old vessel. It was the worst Great Lakes saster since 12 crew members died when the Canadian freighter Em- peror rammed into the Lake Su- perior rocks and sank June 4, 1947. 'BARANOF SAILING DELAYED ONE DAY SEATTLE, Sept. 17. —(M— The cheduled sailing: of the Alaska Steamship Company vessel Baranof tomorrow was cancelled today when it was discovered the vessel had a cracked tail shaft. The sailing, }unglnnlly set for today, had been | postponed until tomorrow. The vessel now will be put | through her annual inspection and | overhaul in addition to the repa:r of the tail shaft. FROM KETCHIKAN | Mrs. Everett Noble of Ketchikan is registered at the Baranof,