The Daily Alaska Empire

SUCCESSOR TO EIELSON HERE FOR FAIRBANKS

Arthur W. Johnson Aboard Northwestern Going to His New Post

The Aviation Corporation of New York City, with whom Col. Carl Ben Eielson, of Hatton, N. D., was employed at the time of his disappearance, has selected another North Dakota man to look after its interests in Alaska. He is Arthur W. Johnson, Jamestown, North Dakota, who has signed a three-year contract as business executive in charge of operations of the company in Alaska. He was in Juneau last night aboard the Northwestern, accompanied by his wife and children.

Friendship with Carl and Alfred Lomen, the former president of the Lomen Reindeer Corporation of Alaska, led to an investigation of the qualifications and experience of Mr. Johnson, with the result that he was selected by the company, who were looking for a man who had had aviation experience, executive and business training and who knew Alaskan conditions, all of which were possessed by the Jamestown man.

The Lomens and Mr. Johnson became friends when the latter was a resident of Alaska, where he spent three years.

Formerly at Nome

Mr. Johnson was stationed at Nome and traveled up and down the coast in the general region of the territory in which Col. Eielson was lost.

For one year Mr. Johnson was government agent at Nome, being connected with the Bureau of Education, having charge of the Eskimo village and the reindeer development work. He also was instructor in mathematics and athletic coach at the Nome high school, and spent one year in prospecting in that country.

World War Veteran

During the World War, Mr. Johnson was stationed at Kelly Field, Texas, where he held the rank of captain, holding the classification of a pursuit pilot. He was commanding officer of the 322nd squadron, and officer in charge of the dual control stage, and also assistant officer in charge of the flying field. Lowell H. Smith, commander of the round-the-world flight, was one of the assistant officers.

Mr. Johnson is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, and previously attended the Moorhead, Minn., State Teachers' College, later returning to that institution to teach psychology for three years.

He and his brother, Perry V. Johnson, also in the aviation service in the World War, have been in the implement business in Jamestown for ten years.

Monday, January 27, Mr. Johnson was given a farewell banquet and public reception by the Ernest DeNault Robertson post of the American Legion, the Kiwanis, Rotary and Lions clubs, at Jamestown.

He is district deputy of the North Dakota Department of the American Legion.