(3:52 min) (23 of 27) Network of roads
Starting with Dept. of Interior, a development plan was required. One plan was for building along the Yukon River, perhaps from Steese to Eagle. Also there was a plan to build a series of roads to...
(4:15 min) (19 of 27) Haul Road -- Bettles
Once they made it to Bettles they had to refit equipment. There was too much wind north of Bettles, canvas was okay for a while but had to build with more substantial metal and wood. Snow ramps to...
(2:48 min) (26 of 27) Road has adverse effect on Native lifestyle Has adverse effect on Native lifestyle but not necessarily to Native people. Not everybody will fare equally.
(5:11 min) (27 of 27) Final Comments
Winter road north from Eagle and Circle to the DEW line. Built by Alaska Freightline. LaTourneau trains, made for the desert, were not very successful here. Less paperwork makes for more fun in the...
(4:01 min) (01 of 17) Getting to Alaska
Graduated from college wandered around worked in fish industry hitch-hiked up Richardson Highway. Wells Alaska Motors, Aurora Motors, Employment office, Christian Science Reading Room, George...
(4:02 min) (02 of 17) First job Bill Shoddy & George Gilbertson. Roomed at Francis Doyle's boarding house now National Bank of Alaska, in the Northward Building-$68 a month. Went to look at the University, if he enrolled at University room...
(3:16 min) (03 of 17) Army, teaching and Fish & Game Trained in Sta. Maria California (Moffitt Field) finished in 1942. James C. Ryan old instructor talked about jobs. Got out of Army during WWII to teach school, took Gov. Gruening and Rep....
(3:06 min) (04 of 17) Flying business
June '47 bought an airplane and started work mostly near Aniak, Fairbanks, Circle, Fort Yukon wound up in Central. Went to Globe Arizona in the winters to take classes in air mechanic and everything...
(3:15 min) (05 of 17) Back to teaching
Bad fire season too many people crashing. Took job flying for Trans-ocean airways, then flew Korean air lift for military. After war too much competition from Wien Airways so went back to teaching. ...
(4:02 min) (07 of 17) Being a live coward
Single engine planes are dangerous, no back-up. Coastal Geodetic Survey Tigvariak Island. Had to get them to Barter Island--white out cloud cover turned around and went back passenger complained.
(5:27 min) (09 of 27) Flying for fur buyers
Leo Kay member of the Koslosky family. Fairbanks, Ruby, Hughes, Kobuk, Shungnak, Kiana, Kotzebue then Nome. Maime Wig's Roadhouse ran into Jim McGoffin, & (Muskrat) Johnnie Schwagler. Took off...
(7:29 min) (10 of 17) Exciting and scary situations
Teaching in Ft. Yukon, went to Fairbanks then headed back with heavy load. Ft. Yukon ice fogged in, headed back to Fairbanks, White Mountains were fogged in too, had to climb over top. ...
(7:43 min) (11 of 17) Check your own gas cap
Picked up an L1 observation plane with Sasoon for Fish & Wildlife doing work in Prince William Sound. Flying on Sunday no one around Still had some in main tank as well as auxiliary tank. When...
(4:40 min) (12 of 17) Flying for DGGS pt.1
As a pilot for Division of Geology and Geodetic Surveys had emergency call to fly in whiteout conditions to get a badly burned man at another station. Flying under 200 ft. elevation so not to miss...
(4:16 min) (13 of 17) Flying for DGGS pt. 2
As a pilot for Division of Geology and Geodetic Surveys had emergency call to fly in whiteout conditions to get a badly burned man at another station. Flying under 200 ft. elevation so not to miss...
(3:20 min) (15 of 17) Change and familiarity
Man ran out onto ice and was waving arms Red thought something was wrong so landed and man just wanted to say hello. On a trip to Huslia with a fur buyer.
(7:50 min) (16 of 17) Medical emergencies & tourist industry While teaching at Ft. Yukon woman was having a breech birth. Agreed to take her, got everything ready and when he called to bring her to airplane the baby was born. Wien drove out...