The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-03-04
Navy Works To Make Saipan,
Tinian More Habitable Spots

SAIPAN REThe roads and run
ways of the once-mighty islan'
bases of Saipan and Tinian ar
putting up a fight against tn
relentless jungle, corrosion ant
decay.
So far these great concrete
strips, which launched America!
deadly bomber raids against Japal
in World War II, are holding theil
own. But the guns, trucks ant
equipment abandoned at wars enc
have given up to the elements
They are gradually crumbling K
nothing.
A small Navy force mans Saipar
today. Their job is to keep oper
certain airfields for transient air
craft flying through to the Fal
East and to supervise the native
population of Saipan and neighbor
ing islands in running their own
affairs.
For the men stationed on Saipan
and Tinian, boredom is a constant
problem. But the Navy has come
UP with a surprising peacetime
project which is keeping some
personnel busy in a new line. It's
raising beef cattle.
On Tinian are about 120 head OF
cattle under Navy care, mostly
brahmas or crosses of brahmas
with angus, hereford and short
horns. On Saipan are 40 or so more.
There also are four horses, but
two of them haven't been broken
yet.
A pair OF tars from Texas. are
in charge of that project: Yeoman
Ralph Lee of Booker and M. D.
Matteson, construction worke r
third class from New Boston. AS
soon as they break the horses, the
two steeds will be sent to Saipan,
where Matteson is normally sta
toned.
"Shore be glad to get them"
he confessed. "These brahmas are
skittish. They're rough to handle,
especially afoot. They've worked
me over a couple of times. For.
tunately wasn't hurt bad"
Most of the cattle were imported
by the United States to improve
the native stock. An experimental
farm has been set up on Saipan
under the supervision of Navy civil
service worker Frank Brown.
Brown is sold on the brahmas
as the best cattle for the islands.
"They resist ticks and prosper
much better than other stock" he
says.
Once they have produced a
strain that does well on the is.
lands, calves branded GUS. Navy
will be distributed among native
farmers where they're a ready
market for meat. In 10 years,
Brown thinks, the islands may
have herds big enough for export.
Between Navy Jobs, farming and
work with metal. salvage COM
panies, Saipan natives manage to
maintain a fairly strong economy.
The pay for a common laborer
on Saipan is 81 cents an hour.
Semiskilled workers make as much
as $1,000 a year.
The islands are policed by a
native constabulary which works
under the Navy command.
In contrast to Guam and Kwa.
Jalein, none of the Navy structures
on Saipan or neighboring islands
are permanent.
from the air Tlnlan and little
Rota look like solid jungle. But
standing out on the north end of
Tinian is the huge B29 field where.
the first atom bomb was assem-.
bled.
The building where the bomb
was put together still stands.
Service stations, movies and
stores have sprung up in Saipan'S
biggest town, Chalan Kanoa. There
are three elementary and one
intermediate school.
Children of naval personnel on
the island 60 to separate schools.
About 10 per cent of the Navy
men here have their families with
them.
It's not the most pleasant spot
In the world, but if the Navy has
its way, it some day may be one
of the most naSfnraI