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Hopelessly yours,EMC.Unique Barrow To Get Special Fire EngineBARROW (AP) - Styles in fire engines don’t change much, but members of the Barrow Volunteer Fire Department knew a standard model just wouldn't do.So officials in the Arctic Ocean village, where a short summer offers only a brief respite to freezing cold and snow, have purchased a custom-built fire engine which runs on tracks instead of wheels.“We had originally planned to get a regular wheel truck,” explained Fire Chief Tom Opie. “But after we had a blizzard and all the roads were closed overnight, we knew that a wheeled vehicle would be useless.”TTie new fire engine was to be airlifted to Barrow Monday Ly the Air Force. The military has assisted in fire-fighting in the village for several years.Assembled by Carrington Co. of Fairbanks, the engine is built on a FN-110 Nodwell chassis. It is 22 feet long. 10 feet wide and weighs about 10 tons. It cost 129.000A 1.250-gallon tank built in Fairbanks, a water pump built in Pennyslvama and hose ordered from Connecticut are features of the unique vehicle. Top speed is about 25 miles per hour.“With a track vehicle, there's no place we can’t go. Opie said. “Now we can get there faster. If we can get to a fire in five minutes, there's a good chance we can save the house.’Opie said in the far north Eskimo community, home of about 2.500 persons, “We have three or four fires a year, and usually one or two deaths in them. We hope to cut this down considerably.A fund-raising drive started nine months ago by the Barrow , Lions Club is helping to pay forthe engine. Opie said about $12,-„000 has been raised with the balance financed through a bank.i A C124 Globemaster from El-fmendorf Air Force Base was to fly ta Stetson Air Force Base near Fairbanks to pick up the engine and del free of chargeMmonolith and began castingglances today at new peaks to conquer.Warren Harding and Dean Caldwell sipped champagne and munched fried chicken—their first hot food since Oct. 23—and declared their first ascent of El Capitans “Wall of the Morning Light” would be their last.“I feel great,” said Harding, 46, of West Sacramento, Calif., as he arrived on the El Capitan crest just before noon Wednesday, smiling broadly through a heavy black and grey beard.Caldwell, 27, of Portland, Ore., commented, i don’t think I want to do the same one again. But 1 11 do others like it.”The climbers said they hoped to form an expedition next June to attempt a new ascent routeIRS May GiveTaxpayers aHelping HandBarrowWASHINGTON (AP) - The Internal Revenue Service, a stickler for accuracy, is offering to figure income taxes free for 30 million Americans, 3.6 million of whom fouled up their returns last year.The IRS said Wednesday a taxpayer could qualify if he earns no more than $20,000 a year, takes the standard 10 per cent deduction rather than itemized deductions, and has income only from salaries, wages, divi-dents, interest, pensions andannuities.In another move aimed at easing the pain of separating citizens from taxes the IRS unveiled a revamped standard tax return form—form 1040. This year the instructions on how to fill blanks are in a separate booklet, not on the back of the sheet where last year’s aggravated form-fillers were forced to keep peeking.Taxpayers who qualify for free figuring can simply fill out vital information about themselves, list their income, and send in the return, along with W-2 forms.The government does the rest.If a taxpayer’s withholding doesn’t cover the amount owed, he will get a bill. If he’s due a refund, that will be sent alongIf the taxpayer catches the government overcharging him, he could demand a refund, along with 6 per cent interest.But if the government pays a taxpayer too large a refund theIRS could collect the overage,but no interest if the money was paid quickly.tonishment at the size of the welcoming crowd, about 75 fellow climbers and news reporters who got to the top the easy way—by a trail on the opposite side.“God, I don’t believe it!” said Caldwell as he arrived on top first at 11:34 a.m. Wednesday. He turned away and calmly resumed the chore of hauling up the 400 pounds of gear the men had carried 3,000 vertical feet and bringing up Harding on the climbing rope at 11:53 a.m. Then their girl friends rushed to the men and hugged and kissed them.The spot was less than 200 feet from where Harding emerged on the first ascent of the face of El Capitan by an easier route 12 years ago this month.The reunion of the climbers and the girls began a celebration that lasted into the night and delayed their return to the flat rock-bound valley until well after dark.Also on top was a five-man standby team of crack valley climbers left over from an aborted rescue attempt, called off last Friday when Caldwell shouted to the ground that like hell” would he leave the rock except under his own power.Both men agreed on the worst part of the climb: the rainstorm that soaked them into their hammock-like tents suspended from the sheer wall for nearly aweek.Fisheries Group To Hear ReportsPALO ALTO, Califm (AP) — TTie Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission at a general session Thursday will hear reports on Russian and Japanese fishing and discusses possibilities of extending restrictions on foreign activities along the West Coast.The five-state commission, embracing California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska, was organized in 1947 to discuss mutual commercial and sports fishing problems.The annual session began with informal talks Tuesday and Wednesday.At the general meeting Thursday, proposals also will be considered for agreements with Canada on fishing zones, along with reports on salmon, crab and shrimp fisheries.Before adjourning Friday, the commission will consider resolutions for uniform seasons for silver salmon and crabs.Both men took falls during the climb but were s^yed by their ropes. Caldwell escaped injury but Harding suffered scrapes and bruises.Harding and Caldwell had hoped to reach the summit late Tuesday, but ran into more difficult climbing than expected on the overhanging rock near thetop.They slept 40 feet from the crest Tuesday night while newsmen and fellow climbers turned the vast El Capitan summit intoa campground.Explosion at Barrow Cuts off Power. HeatBARROWAnexplosion and fire in a natural gas collecting plant left the far north village of Barrow without power in sub-freezing weather Wednesday, but a Navy spokesman said heat was being restored to village dwellings.Navy Cmdr. John R Lewis, in charge of the Military Emergency Coordination Center inBarrow, said one man was slightly injured in the explosion. He said it was believed to have been caused by an accumulation of alcohol vapors in a gas processing filter.The fire knocked out the natural gas system to the village and to the Navy’s Arctic Research Laboratory, resulting in a loss of normal electrical power and heat. Lewis said the laboratory and a nearby North American Air Defense Command site switched to emergency diesel power and heat, and action ^as under way to provide emergency heat to the village.Lewis said an evacuation center was being set up in the Barrow High School under direction of an Alaska state trooper. The National Weather Service said it was one degree below zero during the day.The village of some 1.500 persons is located on the shores of the Arctic Ocean.The explosion occurred about 9:30 a. m., Alaska Standard Time. Lewis said by shortly after noon that “a sufficient flow of gas for heat is being restored at this time.”However. Lewis said full restoration of service, including electrical power, could take as long as a week He said the military had a “large reserve” of diesel and jet fuel-powered space heaters, but added that he did not believe their use wouldbe required.
Newspaper Details
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Sitka, Alaska, US
Thu, Nov 19, 1970
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