Seward seaport record., 1953-09-04

The Golden Anniversary story of Seward in song and story was given by Doris Smith at the B&PW Charter dinner August 28, written by Mrs. Smith and Onnalee O'Brien.
 Fifty years ago, in 1903, the glitter of that magical word gold" had worn off a bit, the hectic stampede of thousands during the still echoing Gold Rush days had thinned out, yet there were still those who fil- tered through Seattle bound for the north in search of the illu- sive yellow dust, and though the word gold still had the magnetic force to draw good portion, a shining new word was now drawing countless thou sands of its own-that word frontier
 What a romantic era it was gas lamps and one horse Shays, women with pompadours and buStles gliding gracefully across the floor to the strains of the hesitation waltz. Men wore derby hats and handlebar mus taches and gathered in barber shops to sing. Do you remember the songs of their day?-Dear Old Girl, Daisy Daisy, East Side West Side.
 These were the pioneers, the reckless, the daring, the adven- turous, the men who opened the way for others to follow, the men who began the epic chron- ical we call Alaska.
 The Whitepass and Yuk on railroad under the joint juris- diction of the United States and Canada connecting the Lynn Canal with the Yukon, was al ready in operation. But the 'shriek and roar of railroad planning was most active fn South Central Alaska. The only serious problem was the harbor terminus. There were few pos sible harbors on the Gulf of Alaska. The best of these was on Resurrection Bay. And so it was that just fifty years ago this day the first landing party arrived on these shores and the beginning chapter in the story of Seward was underway.
 Landing was made by boats on the beach a few feet south of the shore end of the present dock from the SS Santa Ana.
 The name of the new town was taken from the man whose foresight and judgment had re- suited in the purchase of the Territory of Alaska and indeed no greater tribute could be paid William H. Seward, Secretary of State under Presidents Lin coin and Johnson.
 What was it like then, fifty years ago, in the infancy of this town Ot seward!
 They were eXcitin g days, stormy and turbulent, filled with the growing pains of a new country New landings brought new arrivals and through the fervor of progress one word could always silence the ham mers and saws and send every one-man, woman and child running for the beach. That word was steamboat and it heralded the arrival of ship in port.
 A story is told of an old timer during that era who passed on and was refused admittance at the pearly gates because, as St. Peter told him, the Heavenly Seward Quota for that month was already filled and no room was available The old timer scratched his head for moment and then said to St. Peter, Well, I can fix that" and he stepped back a few feet and called out, Steamboat" The entire Seward population came running out and the old timer smilingly en- tered the gates of Heaven.
 There was always time for laughter and dancing in the little city and out of the Whirl- wind came permanence-BroWn & Hawkins, the depot, the old Overland Hotel, the d r a l building. Streets were named and houses went up rapidly,
 In 1912 the district of Alaska became an organized Territory and Seward grew with the new land. Work on the railroad con tinued and inch by inch the shin ing new rails of the Alaska Cen tral famed out across the will derness.
 World War I left it's inevitable mark upon Seward and then at last in 1923 a dream that men had dared to dream and see it rrsI.