LEGISLATLYE LIERARY, PARLIAMENY BUILOINGS, VICTURIA, B.C. VEV-1X4 COMP. 77/79 #61. Skeppard to. go for Tory’s By ED YUDIN Herald Staff Writer Allan Sheppard, the mayor of Port Edward, an- nounced Friday he will seek the nomination for the Progressive Conservative Party in Skeena. — _ The 44-year-old mayor of the small community of 1200 located just outside Prince Rupert is the first candidate to announce he will seek to become the party’s candidate in Skeena for the Feb. 18 federal election. The Skeena Progressive Conservatives will choose their candidate at a nominating conventio likely to. be held in Terrace ‘on Jan,10. Sheppard has been mayor of Port Edward since its incorporation in 1966. He has also served on the board of directors of the Regional District of Skeena-Queen Charlotte since its inception. Sheppard said the energy problem, inflation and high interest were some of the issues to be confronted in the campaign. He thinks the incumbent MP Jim Fulton hasn’t been around long enough to be judged on his performance. Moreover, he added that “it would make more sense if the member of Skeena is sitting with the govern- ment.” On local issues, Sheppard is concerned with in- dustrial development in the entire region. He would like to see the fishing and forestry industries “work Allan Sheppard... ‘en .. seeks PC nomination -more closely together" to avoid incidents such as occured in the Riley Creek area of the Queen Charlottes where salmon spawning grounds were damaged recently. He told the Herald his experience in the fishing industry could be a valuable asset in the government. Sheppard has been employed in the industry for 25 years, and has been manager of the B.C. Packers plant in Prince Rupert since 1974, His wife Barbara is a homemaker, the couple have three children. a TERRACE-KETIMAT daily h erald \ RUPERT STEEL & SALVAGE LTD. Seal Cove Rd.. Pr. 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Westend Qpen 24 Hours 635-7228 - Soviet takeover seen in Afghanistan coup Some 250 Soviet troops were killed or wounded in the Moscow-backed coup in Afghanistan last Thursday that repiaced one communist regime with another, a Weatern diplomatic source in New Delhi, India, said today, The source, quoting a rellable informant in Kabul, the Afghan capital, sald the Soviet force in Afghanistan now estimated by diplomats there to number 45,00 — is ‘fanning out” through the countryside to bolster Afghan government troops In thelr war against antl-Marxist Moslem in- surgents. id Pakistani per a reports by A n apts in Pakistan, said Sunday that the Russians had suffered a large number of casualties In fighting with rebels in one northern province of Aghaniatan below the Soviet border. Western diplomats in Kabul sald they had reports that Soviet troops had also been sent to the east and northeast to fight the rebellion, which broke out after Marxists first selzed control of the Afghan government 20 months ago. In London, meanwhile, Warren Christopher, U.S, deputy atate secretary, met with envoys from five other Western countries, including Canada, to discuss possible further moves to demon- atrate jolnt opposition to the Soviet intervention in Af- ghanistan. In Peking, the Chinese foreign ministry summoned the Soviet ambassador today, told him the Afghan operation “poses a threat to China's security’ and demanded that Soviet troops be withdrawn. Official sources in Islamabad said the Pakistani government ‘had also officially demanded a Soviet withdrawal. Not all the reaction was negative. Vietnam's Com- tmtinist party newspaper hailed the Soviet Union for “‘geslating a natlon which was in need of such assittance to save itself,’ The New Delhi diplomat, who asked not to be iden- tified, said his source in Kabul could not provide a breakdown of dead and wounded among the 250 So- viet casualties in the coup. There was no information available on losses suffered by Afghan soldiers loyal to ousted Prime Minister Hafizullah Amin during the ae houra of fighting Thur- 5 y. Diplomats in Kabul told Associated Press correspondent Robert Reid that two Soviet divisions totalling about 20,000 men crossed the Soviet-Afghan border Sunday, jolning the estimated 26,000 Russian troops already in Afghanistan, Reld was one of the few Western reporters allowed Into Kabul in the wake of the coup. IN IRAN in Washington, U.S.. National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski accused Moscow of largescale aggression that “constitutes: a serious problem for the international community.” He said the U.S. govern ment has assured Pakistan, Afghanistan's southern and eastern neighbor, of U.S. aid: including ‘the use of armed force” if the Soviets moved against it. Brzezinski also had a warning for Iran, saying: “I should think that every sober-headed Iranian — even the most antiAmerican ones — ought to ask them- selves what do the events in UN attempts TEHRAN (CP) — UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim begins another Journey to Iran today in the latest attempt by the world body to negotiate the release of American hostages being held at the U.S, Embassy in Tehran. But as the UN Security Souncil was preparing to adopt a resolution asking Waldheim to “intensify his . fforta” to secure the release of the hostages, Iranian gotiate chance to negotiate the release of the captives before the world body takes more direct actlon. But Iranian Foreign Minister Sadegh Ghotbzadeh sald in Tehran on Sunday that the purpose of the secretary-general's visit is to learn the Iranian govern- ment’s viewa on the crisis. “The question of negotiations with him Js not being raised,” Ghotbzadeh leaders indicated Waldheim ,aiq would recelve an indifferent welcome at best. ““T will not accept this man ifhe comes to Iran,”' an aide to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini quoted the religious leader aa eaying. reparte by UN officala that cia at they had indications the secretarygeneral would be granted a meeting with the Tranlan head of state. The decision by the Security Council. to ask Waldheim to make another visit to Tehran followed a delay by the United Statea in asking the council to vote Ilmited economic sanctions against Iran. U.S, State Secretary Cyrus Vance, who addressed the council Saturday and again Sunday, said Waldheim should be given another A spokesman for the militants said there has been no change in thelr poaition that the hostages will be freed only when deposed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi is returned to Iran for trial. The U.S.-sponsored resolution which the Security Council votes on today calla for the 15-member body to meet again Jan. 7 if the ary ges have not been freed en. Alt that time, it would adopt ‘effective measures" in accordance with Article 41 of the UN Charter. That article provides for diplomatic and economic Kabul portend for Tehran. There have been Soviet troops in Tehran before. Tehran could be next.” U.S. Deputy State Secretary Warren Christopher arrived in London to begin talks with West European officials seeking, to formulate a joint Western response to the Soviet action. Brzezinski said the Carter — ad- ministration was also con- sulting the Japanese, the Chinese and ‘Moslem countries,’* President Carter used the Washington-Moscow hot line Saturday to warn that unless the Soviets wlihdrew their troops from Afghanistan, U.S.Soviet relations would be adversely affected. The White House said a reply had been received from Soviet Leader Leonid Brezhnev, but refused to divulge what he sald. Pravda, the official Soviet Communist party newspaper, said Saviet forces were sent to counter “unlimited backing’ given the Moslem rebels by the US., China and Egypt. It sald they would be with- drawn when they were tio longer needed. The Afghan government, in a broadcast communique late Sunday, sald there was “ complete peace and calm in the country, and the armed forces are In full control,” But the Pakistani newspaper Jang said Afghan rebel sources in Pakistan teld of Soviet troops batéing Moslem Insurgents Saturday in the northern province of Takhar, with 400 rebels, a Soviet general and large numbers of Soviet and Afghan army troops killed. The rebels are con- servative, fundamentalist Moslems opposed to the Marxists who took over the government in April, 1978, and killed President Mo- hammad Daoud. The in- surgenta are sald to control about half the country by day and more by night, and the coup last week was an ap- parent prelude to a Soviet campaign to end = the ret Ries , The 1078 coup installed boycotts against countries -Nur Mohammad Taraki as whose actions are fed be a threat to world eee president. He lasted i7 months before being killed SHIP DRIFTS —Investi gators to look at capsizing Coast guard missed with cannon KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) — The capsized freighter Lee Wang Zin was headed today for an un- ceremonious burlal in Ca- nadian waters that may sink forever any clues to the fate of the crew. The U.S, coast guard had planned to sink the freighter earlier than planned because it had broken loose from its tow [ine and started drifting toward British Columbia’s Queen Charlotte Islands. But 16 rounds fired from the guns on the cutter Munro missed the ship early today, U.S. -and authorities then dropped plans to have a diver plant explosive charges to sink the ting freighter and said an attempt would be made to reattach the linc and haul the overturned vessel to its original burial point, in 2,500 metre-deep water 110 kilometres west of Dixon Entrance, There had been hope that some crew mem might have survived the ‘accident Dec. 25, when the ship, carrying 30 Talwanese sailors and a load of iron ore pellets for Japan, rolled over. Searchers found two bodies but divers found no signe of the crew aboard, Flights showed only traces of fuel that spilled when the ship rolled, Coast guard and navy offi- cials scuttled plans to sink the vessel in open seas Sunday and arranged to sink Itin Canadian waters when a tow line snapped, sending the ship and its estimated Canadian 200,000 gallons of fuel drif- ting toward the Queen Charlotte Islands, Authoritles said the Lee Wang Zin carried bunker C- type oll, which solidifies in cold weather and will remain trapped Inside the ship when it reaches the ocean floor, It has not been determined what caused the 225-metre ship to capsize. Only one distrees signal was recelved, indicating the ship inverted. suddenly, The coast guard. found a 43-metre gash on the vessel's hull and believe it may have smashed into a Alaska Btate troopers landed atop the exposed hull _ by helicopter to Haten with Saturday but ‘ heard no reaponses, It was presumed that crew tmembers would have asuf- focated or died of exposure. Del Hansen, a Ketchikan ‘diver and salvager, also entered the ship and reported after two hours that he saw no bodies. Meanwhile, federal of- ficials reported after several inspection flights Sunday there did not appear to be major oil pollution in the environmentally-sensitive passage. Lee Wang Zin Navigatlon, S.A, owned the Panamanianreg|stered freighter and had leased it to Japanese interests. Authorities said the owners had disclaimed respon- sibility and likely would be sued to recover cleanup costs, Safety said issue in railway dispute VANCOUVER (CP) — Hu- man life is the cheapest com- modity on the strikebound B.C. Railway, says a brakeman, and safety is the key issue in deadlocked contract talks. Unions have said they are digging in their heels on the safety issue and the strike, which began Dec. 18, could last longer that the seven: week shutdown In 1974-76, the longest previous strike, The Jolnt Council of Railway Unions eays safety, which includes train crew size, is a nonnegotiable issue. Management of . the Crown-owned railway, is: equally adamant that crew’. aizes wisi be reduced to three men from four on certain runs “The cheapest commodity Town getting bridge VULCAN, W.Va. (AP) — John Robinette, a 42-year-old bartender who wanted a bridge linking this tiny community te Kentucky so much he asked the Soviet Union for help, is seeing his dream come true. After the former carnival barker's widely-publicized plea for Soviet help two years ago, the state an- nounced it would build the bridge, reconnecting the tiny Mingo County community with the outside world. Vulcan's turn-of-the- century, wooden footbridge over the Tug Fork to Ken- tucky collapsed in 1874, leaving the community of about 50 families with no public route in or out. They have been using a railway right-of-way ever since. “Tt didn’t dawn on me until they began pouring co- crete,” Robinette said as he stood by the railway tracks and gazed at the nearly complete single-lane bridge. “T was driving up the road and it hit me. I just pulled to the side of the road and cried." _ Although cold weather has temporarily halted con- struction, the $1.3-million span is expected to be finished next year, Robinette says he was in- apired by a 76-year-old local woman who wanted to see a bridge across the river before she died. So, in 1976, Robinette began a campaign to get the bridge bullt, But tiring of refusals from the state highway depart- ments in West Virginia and Kentucky and the U.S. goverment, he turned to more drastic measures, Headlines splashed across the world when he wrote letters to the Soviet Union and East Germany asking for financial aid to build the bridge, A New York-based Soviet Almost a miracle BURNLEY, England (CP) — Doris Hephrun, 64, nearly went into the medical books when, during a checkup, her urine sample was ac- cidenlally switched for a sample of scotch. without Soviet help - journalist, Iona Andronov, went to Vulcan to meet with Robinette and survey the problem. ‘'He was alqcere,”’ Robinette said. ‘'The Russians said they would keep an eye on the bridge and see if it were bullt, If not, they would.” Within an hour of An: dronoy's visit Dec, 17, 1877, word filtered down to reporters walting in Vulcan that the state had decided to - build the bridge. . “Our government was afraid the Russians would build the bridge,"” Robinette said, “They were em- barrassed into it, and nothing will convince me otherwise."* Robinette tends bar at Vul- can's only business, The She: | nandogh., He says there used to be a food store, but it : Closed because the Norfolk and Western railway, which owns the right-of-way, banned commercial vehicles on the road, Predictions for 1970's. id . finally made PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Procrastinators Club of America, which usually makes New . Year’s predictions for the year just ending, has caught up with the times and issued predictions for the entire last decade, Included in the list of things to expect in the last decade were hot tubs, cloning, gay rights activism, soaring blue jeans sales, unleaded gasoline and “a new dance disco that is bad for the eyes and ears.” The Procrastinators Club — also anticipate that in the 1970s people would wait in line for gasoline that tripled in price, an automaker would need $1.5 billion In U.S. government loans and a U.S. vice-president would resign and be replaced by a congressman, who later would replace a resigning president only to lose an election toan obscure peanut farmer. A power oulage which affected parts of the down- town Terrace area Saturday morning was caused by a single vehicle accident. An RCMP spokesman explained that a motorist lost control while driving on Kalum St. near Scott Ave. The power outages lasted a few hours before repairs were facilitated. The police also received a call for help Friday evening, when Queensway Trading reported a robbery on the B.C, Railway is human life,” saya brakeman Ken Lindley, a United Transportation Union representative on the jolnt council, oo. The unions say they will negotiate crew sizes only if the railway upgrades ita operation to make it safer, Lindley speaks of crawling on his belly across a bridge trestle to locate a broken air hose with only air under him between gape in the trestle’s superstructure, . For 15 years, the trainmen have asked that catwalks be built along trestle edges but still there are none. . Larry Moreau, a dispat- er in North Vancouver, pencils pleadings into his log - to have dead spots and In- terference in tha radlo system rectified. He returns to work the following day to find “can’t” written beside the requests. This means, says Moreau, that if a train breaks down while It's out of radio con- tact, he might not know until it's too late and a train coming 20 minutes leier into: q 7 es ne ralieae ee reidy reduced crew size by in- creasing the slze of the trains, says Norm Farley, chaiman of the joint council, “Twenty-five years ago, the average train was about 60 cars. Today it's more like 120, sometimes 150.” Thefirstaafety Investment the rallway should make, the unions say, ja a computer ayatem that monitors the mavementa and breakdowns of rolling stock. Next on their list are trackside sensors that detect overheated bearings, faulty wheela and dragging equipment, then transmit warnings to train crews, The council also wants a signal system to warn train crews of breaks in the line, rock, mud and snow slides far enough In advance to atop the train. Management says the in- novatlons could: add $50 million to it) $700 million operating deficit. if that can’t be done, the council argues twa brakemen are essential because stopping more than 100 loaded freight care must be done from the front and rear of the train. In addition, rear brakemen flag down trailing trains when a train breaks down and radio contact ts loat, while the front man sels brakes on individual cars. The strike haa resulted in lost revenue, increased shipping costa and lost markets but Labor Miniater Jack Heinrich Saya the goverament will not mcer- vena, A poll of northern commu- nitiea served by B.C. Rail shows no serious problems yet, but the 65 major lumber operations which rely on the railway are running out of atorage space. The Christmas holiday period, and the traditionally- slack winter period also are helping the mills. The railway is ag economic lifeline for much of the interlor of the povince, hauling lumber, grain, coal, potash, sulphur and other products to Vancouverarea terminals, The railway, which termi- nates in North Vancouver, follows Burrard Inlet and Howe Sound to Squamish, then cuts through the in- terior into northeastern B.C. e a British e a a optimistic a despite massive i] io LJ infiltration SALISBURY (AP) — Rhodesian troops under British command dug in along the eastern frontier with Mozambique today to stop infiltration by guerrillas after the Salisbury com- mand reported hundreds crossing the border in violation of the ceasefire, The troop deployment was ordered by Lord Soames, the British governor. However, a spokesman for the governor, Nicholas Fenn, sald: ‘We continue to be en- couraged by the general situation. There are problems, We expected problems ... No way do I regard this in despair.” The Salisbury command said Saturday that about 600 guerrillas from Robert Mugabe’s wing of the Patriotic Front guerrilla alliance had infiltrated from Mozambique in the previous 48 hours, It also reported four deaths since the ceasefire became effective at mid- night Friday night. They included a black civilian and a guerrilla killed in an attack by some of Mugabe’s men on farms, another Mugabe guerrilla killed in one of four strikes against Rhodesian government bases and a white farmer killed in an ambush by Mugabe's guerrillas, The _—iCiBritish Com- monwealth farce monitoring the truce said Sunday that about 600 guerrillas had reported peacefully traditional fashion. be on patrol tonight. POLICE WARN PARTY GOERS It is that time of year and again, and no doubt many people in Terrace and Kitimat will be out tonight ushering in the new year in the The RCMP in Terrace and Kitimat are asking . people lo take taxis home if need be, and a police — spokesman said a full compliment of officers will Robbery, blackout here in progress. By the time the RCMP arrived, however, the situation was under control. The minor who had attempted the holdup was being held at gun point. The youth, a native of Prince Rupert, will be charged in eonnection with the incident. No names have been released, The RCMP are investigating a bres and entry at Canadian Freightways over the weekend. No further details have been made public.