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[Web
Search - October 2004, excerpt from story written by Tony Smaker, www.kadiak.org
]
CHINIAK
"A hilarious but accurate account of life and the related humorously funny events that occurred at the Kodiak Tracking Station on Kodiak, Alaska during the 1950's and 1960's."
Compiled and Written By:
TONY SMAKER
CHAPTER SIX
CHRISTMAS 1959
The winter of 1959 was an exceptionally nasty, and windy one making for outdoor activities a real challenge. Rain, rain, rain, and more rain. And ice, oh brother, ice was had, and I do mean everywhere. You couldn't drive on the roads much less stand up on them. To the locals, this wasn't anything new, but to the Chiniak people of which the majority were transplanted-Californians, this was pure hell on earth for them. People's nerves were rapidly deteriorating from being cooped up and nothing to do.
The mail runs to town were down to only 3 a week, and at that, only if 2 or more vehicles could make up a convoy for safety sake. The Navy even closed down the back gate (about where the Samson Tug & Barge docks are today) to traffic because of the icy conditions on "Base". I think that they called it condition "Charlie" or some dumb thing like that. Many a time the mail driver, and including all of the local ranchers, would have a fight with the Marine guards over allowing them to pass through to town after battling the road for 6 or so hours! Oh, by the way, this was the "new" back gate. It was relocated in April 1959 from the top of a hill about 10 miles back down the Chiniak road. You know this place now as "Marine Hill". Ah ha, get the connection now?
Finally, in the first week of December, the snows came (another strange new phenomenon to the Chiniakers) and everyone's attention turned to outdoor activities. Some of the people had the forethought to bring their skis up from California, and were having a ball cross-countrying. Others constructed small sleds out of packing crates or whatever they could get their hands on. One even made a sled out of the hood of a 54 maroon Ford that used to be a Mecca cab. Dick Prentike graded the access road from the site to the bottom of the hill (about 2 miles give or take a few yards) for a ski and sledding runway. This was the Friday Night event with races, timed events, bets, and just plain horsing- around. They even posted a road guard at the bottom of the hill to prevent any vehicular "surprises".
Then, someone figured out that there may be some real sleds in Kodiak. Well, of course there was, and yes, you guessed it, into town they went and bought up every single sled available. Well, needless to say, they were now equipped very professionally. The one thing hat these guys forgot to think of was that now the kids in Kodiak would have no sleds for Christmas!! Talk about grown men feeling really down and rotten, oh brother Words or actions just could not describe their sincere and sorry feelings!
Then, one of the nicest events (that I can recall) occurred. Lockheed, Philco, and Budson, the major contractors, initiated an emergency project called "Operation Sled". "Black" Bart Morgan of Lockeed went to Ray Martin, Sr., the Pacific Northern Airlines representative in Kodiak, and made arrangements to purchase out of Seattle 75 single child sleds and fly them in. These sleds were immediately "Donated" to the children in Kodiak (if the parents wished them to have them). Dixie McGehee volunteered to be Santa Claus (although there were several others that would have made a more "natural" looking Santa). So, on the 21st of December, in the old Kraft's mercantile store, Santa held forth "court". There were several pictures taken that day, but I am unable to locate a single copy. If anyone has a copy, please send it to me for CHINIAK TOO. Thanks..
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