PUBLIC DINNER
TONIGHT 5 - 8 p.m.
HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA
BAND & CHORUS BENEFIT
THE FRONTIERSMAN
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
TRY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD for that
item you may have for sale,
rent or lease.
VOLUME 9, NUMBER 24
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. APRIL 5, 1958
PRICE TEN CENTS
NUIS1BEL SHOW IS BEADY TO CO; R-D? “feSS
RESERVED SEATS ON SALE AT: KOSLOSKY'S-—KETCHIKAN SPRUCE — VALLEY BANK— HARTLEY MOTORS BETTYS'
6-7
8 P.M.
Co-Op Low Bidder
Military Milk Contract
The Matanuska Valley Farm
ers Cooperating Association is ap
parent low bidder to supply re
combined milk to military install
ations at Fort Richardson, Elmen
dorf, Whittier, and Wildwood.
The contract is very similar to
one the Co-Op had two years ago,
and when signed, goes into ef
fect July 1, running for one year.
Approximately 3500 gallons of
recombined milk will be proces
sed in the Palmer plant each day.
The milk will be packaged in
one-half pint containers for troop
issue, afid in one quart contain
ers for re-sale in the military com
missaries, according to Jack Flint,
creamery manager.
A remodeling program is now
in progress at the local cream
ery plant and will be completed
before the July 1 date. Due to
increases in the Matanuska Maid
products, the remodeling job is
necessary to handle the new re
combined milk work.
Last week it was announced
that the creamery’s sharp room
will be increased in size by one
third to accommodate increased
ice cream sales.
The Co-Op has a similar re
combined milk contract with the
military in the Fairbanks area.
Work under this contract is car
ried on in the Matanuska Dairy
plant in that city.
MEA’s Letter Not
Meant As Ultimatum
Manager States
“At no time was it anticipated
that the welfare of the patients
at the Valley Presbyterian Hos
pital would be endangered”, Cy
Brewer, MEA manager said this
week. “The letter that was sent
to the Valley Hospital Associa
tiort board of directors at the di
rection of the MEA board was
not meant as an ultimatum—
rather it offered an alternative to
the board through which some
means of settlement could be
reached, he stated.
The letter, in part, pointed out
that a total delinquency of $3,
294-75 was exist ant and that
either a payment of one month’s
average bill be met (Feb. bill
$372.55 or that a joint meeting of
the boards be arranged . . . that
either payment be made or meet
ing arrangements made before
close of business April 6.
“After this time I am ordered
to suspend service, at the latest,
by the following Monday, April
9, 4:30 p.m.” This final statement
in the letter appears to have been
the statement on which the hos
pital board members based their
belief that an ultimatum was of
fered. However, according to Mr.
Brewer, the intent was “if neith
er alternative was taken—the
power would be cut off.”
A joint meeting of the hospital
and MEA board members was
held this week and a tentative ar
rangement was reached, whereby
the MEA board stated that elec
trical power to the hospital will
not be cut off.
The Machetanz lithograph be
ing offered by Theta Chapter,
Beta Sigma Phi, was awarded to
Art Thompson of Palmer, during
a party held by the sorority chap
ter on Monday of this week.
HOW ABOUT A
NEW HAIR STYLE?
Evening Appointments
VALLEY BEAUTY SHOP
Phone 3043
LAVONNE JOHNSON
HEALTH FARM
Open 10 tun. - 4 p.m.
Closed Wednesday and Sunday
Across from Trading Post
Phone 3043
REV. CLEWORTH
NAMED TO NAT.
MISSION BOARD
Dr, J. Earl Jackson, secretary
of work in Alaska for the Presby
terian Board of National Mis
sions, announced this week that
the Rev. Brian Cleworth, pastor
of the United Protestant Church
in Palmer, has been nominated to
succeed Dr. R Rolland Armstrong
as assistant secretary for work
in Alaska for the Board of Na
tional Missions. His appointment
will be made in New York later
this month.
Rev. Clewotrh’s work will be
to administer the program of the
Presbyterian Church throughout
Alaska, as it is carried on through
the churches, schools, homes, hos
pitals, and radio stations in Al
aska.
Rev. and Mrs. Cleworth plan
to leave Palmer about May 1st
and will be in the States on fur
lough for four months. They will
make their new home in Juneau.
Load Restrictions
On, On Valley Roads
According to an official Alaska
Road Comrrlission news release
f.’pm Anchorage, all Valley farm
roads and the Palmer-Wasilla
highway will be under load re
strictions starting Friday, April
6, at 8 a.m.
Load restriction is 50 percent
of the normal axle loading. Maxi
mum speed is set at 35 miles per
hour—for all vehicles.
Restrictions are put on in an
effort to minimize the loss suf
fered by highway users as the re
sult of the annual spring break
up period.
“The highway system is one of
the Territory’s most valuable as
sets, and the cooperation and as
sistance of all highway users in
the spring protection program is
requested,” A. F. Ghiglione, com
missioner of roads for Alaska
said. Only the most necessary tra
vel should 'be planned during the
critical period. Repeated impact
of numerous passenger vehicles
can be as injurious and damaging
as the movement of large, heav
ily loaded trucks. “It will be dif
ficult to resist the temptation to
‘take a ride’ when the warm, sun
ny weather arrives,” the com
missioner said, “but the lighter
the traffic during the thawing
period, the better the roads will
be for use during the remainder
of the year-”
5-CENT MILK
BEING OFFERED
PALMER STUDENTS
Beginning Monday, April 9,
continuing for the remainder of
the month, fresh milk will be
made available to children of the
Palmer School system for five
cents a half pint, it was annbunc
ed this week by the Alaska Agri
culture Experiment Station and
the Matanuska Valley Farmers
Cooperating Association.
The object of the offer is to
see how much more milk chil
dren would drink if milk were
cheaper and consumption en
couraged in the Alaska school
system. The Palmer School Ad
ministration, MVFCA, and Ex
periment Station believes this to
be a worthwhile experiment. It
could result, they pointed out, in
; a program benefiting Alaskan
children, school-lunch programs,
! dairymen and the public in gen
I 5ral,
This plan would reduce the
school lunch price, with milk in
cluded, from 35 cents to 30 cents.
Additional servings of milk will
be available during lunch for
five cents, and will be available
for children with sack lunches
for the same five cent price. A
. mid-morning or mid-afternoon
serving of milk will be made
available to grade children for
five cents.
This means that during the
study each child now participat
ing in the school lunch program
will be able to buy his lunch with
a serving of milk and get an
additional serving—both for the
price he is now paying for tyie
lunch.
The study will cost both the
Co-Op and the Experiment Sta
tion more than $25-00 per day to
conduct. “We feel it will be a
worth while investment in the fu
ture of Alaska school children
and Palmer’s major industry—
dairying”, a spokesman said.
The Palmer and Seward Pub
lic Schools are interested in in
creasing the consumption of fresh
milk by children as a means of
insuring good health through im
proved diet.
The MVFCA and Seward Dairy
are seeking to enlarge fresh milk
consumption, especially during
the winter surplus period, as a
method of improving their econ
omic standing. Both diaries are
willing to make fresh milk avail
able, as an experiment, at a three
to five-cent reduction in price.
The Alaska Agricultural Ex
periment Station is interested in
profitably increasing the sale and
consumption of Alaskan produce
to satisfied customers, especially
milk.
The Experiment Station is in
terested in several benefits which
could result from the study:
First, to better evaluate how
much additional milk consumers
(Continued on Page 5)
PALMER LANDMARK
MOVES OUT Of CITY
Patrons at the Co-Op will
no longer have to dodge
around the old post office
building. One of Palmer’s
landmarks is being moved this
week by Robert Webb who re
cently purchased the building
formerly used as the Matanus
ka Electric Association gener
al office. The building served
at one time as Palmer’s post
office, and will now be con
verted into a home.
Smith and Wright
To Serve On
Hospital Committee
Ed Smith, president of the Ma
tanuska Valley Chamber of Com
merce, and Neal V/right, promin
ent Palmer businessman, have
formed a citizen’s committee to
raise an operating fund for the
hospital, it was announced to
| day.
“We believe the community is
vitally interested in eliminating
the chance for a crisis such as
threatened the hospital this
week”, said Smith. He also an
nounced that the spontaneous
drive sparked by Mayor Charles
Wilson has so far brought in
about $540.00. The largest gift of
$500 was from a source that pre
fers to remain anonymous, he
said.
Persons or firms wishing to
contribute are urged to contact
either Smith at Ketchikan
Spruce Mills, or Neal Wright at
Bert’s Drug store. At least $5,000
will be needed to ease the hos
pital’s present credit situation.
The Board of Directors of the
Valley Hospital Association,
have, in turn, promised to tight
en up on credit extensions by the
hospital, Smith said.
Benefit Dinner at
High School Tonight
The public dinner being spon
sored by members of the Palmer
High School -band and chorus de
partments will be held this eve
ning from 5 to 8 p.m. in the cafe
teria of the new high school.
Every resident of the valley has
■ been invited to attend the fund
raising event. Parents of the band
and chorus students are assisting
by furnishing the home-made
beef stew, fresh vegetable slaw,
hot rolls, and home-made apple
pies for dessert. Admission to the
dinner will 'be $1.25 for adults;
75 cents for children. If tickets
have not yet ben purchased, they
will be available at the door.
Members of the chorus group
will work at the dinner in the
role of waitresses while band
students will handle the bus-boy
(Continued on page 8)
1956 Minstrel Show Bigger, Belter
Well, Friday and Saturday
nights of this week seem to be
pretty well spoken for by the Pal
mer Kiwanis Club who will pre
sent their annual minstrel show
on those dates. Curtain time has
been announced at 8:30 p.m. A
few reserved seats still are avail
able at Bettys’, Ketchikan Spruce
Mills, the Matanuska Valley
Bank, Hartley’s Motor, or at Kos
losky’s Department store. In ad
dition general admission tickets
are also available, or may be pur
chased at the door.
This year’s show theme is bas
ed on the Alaska Constitutional
Convention with Delegates Mr.
Interlocutor (Jack Flint), Snow
flake (Marv Slaughter), Lightn
ing (Jack Maze), Zebediah (Har
old Stephan), and Hambone (Dave
Porter) ably representing the Val
ley and doing their best to make
a farce out of an otherwise seri
ous occasion. The delegates will
offer (and solve some very posing
questions during the presenta
tions.
The show curtain will go up on
the Minstrel Show Orchestra who
will present “Where the River
Matanuska Flows” as the prelude.
The song composed and written
by Don L. Irwin, is fast becom
ing well-known throughout the
Territory.
For the two show nights Con
stitution Hall will be located on
the stage at the Central School
gymnasium. Two of the three acts
will be presented from “Consti
tution Hall” — the third from
an Alaska Railroad club car.
The Minstrel Orchestra will
present several popular numbers,
including “Toot, Toot, Tootsie”,
“Hot Time in the Old Town To
night”, “Sentimental Journey”,
and others. Gerry Pazaruski, who
proved to be one of the show hits
a year or two ago, will present
violin selections. Among other
familiar names appearing on the
programs which were printed this
week is Mel Munson, former Pal
merite and now of Anchorage.
Anyone who has ever heard
Mel’s deep bass voice will be an
xious to hear his rendition of
“Sixteen Tons.”
Specialty acts, featuring Valley
talent, include Annabelle Kel
leigh and his partner, in a special
dance number; Clarrise Isaacson
and Wayne Huter in a tap dance
specialty; Dana, Robin, and Ter
ry—well-known mother and dau
ghters singing trio; Dave Porter
and A1 Jolson (?) who will offer
a special vocal number; harmon
ica quartet selections by the
Beauty Shop Quartet and Pal
mer Kiwanis Quartet.
“And that’s not all”, show pro
ducer Chuck Logsdon stated this
week. “We have lots more that
will have to be kept as an “extra
surprise”. The folks in Palmer,
and our visitors from the Anchor
age and Wasilla surrounding
areas, will be surprised at the
wonderful talent that has shown
up for the 1956 Palmer Kiwanis
Minstrel Show.”
Idaho Firm to Build
MTA Outside Plant
POWER TO
HOSPITAL
WILL CONTINUE
The finance committee of the
Valley Hospital Association and
board members of the Matanus
ka Electric Association met Mon
day afternoon of this week to
discuss ways of averting the ter
mination of electric service to
the Valley Presbyterian Hospital.
Members of the finance commit
tee again made the point that the
National Board of Missions does
not operate the Valley hospital
and that continued operation of
the hospital calls for community
| support.
MEA officials promised that
electric service to the hospital
will not be stopped and offered to
assist the hospital association in
any way possible, through edu
cation and public relations efforts
and in turn, recommended that
the hospital finance committee
tighten down on credit extension
policy and payl.nent of bills. It is
felt that out of this meeting a
local program to raise money for
a revolving fund for the hospital
will be possible.
The meeting was arranged fol
lowing a letter received by the
hospital board from the MEA di
rector in which the possibility of
a power cut-off was expressed.
Hospital board mowJoers have
stated that last October letters
were sent to the MEA board of
directors requesting a meeting
with them on the subject of the
hospital's power bill. No answer
was made to their request, nor
did any of the MEA directors at
tend hospital board meetings.
Patients of the Valley hospital
still owe the hospital approxi
mately $40,000 board president
Allan Mick pointed out this
week. Due to unpaid bills owed
the hospital, the hospital has
been unable to meet current ex
penses and is now in Arrears to
the MEA nearly $3,300, as well as
several other local accounts.
FEW FREEZE-UPS
IN CITY WATER LINES
Freeze-ups on the City water
system are well under control,
according to the water depart
ment personel. A break in the
main near the A1 King property
last Friday poured gallons of
water into the streets. During
repairs all water in the city
system was cut off. A few areas
in the city are still frozen, they
reported and thawing work is be
ing continued to alleviate the
situation.
UP FOR SALE BY BID
The old hospital building is
again being offered for public
sale, according to an announce
ment made this week by Allan
Mick, board president. Proposals
will be received by the Board un
til April 20. Offers of less than
$2,000 will not be considered, he
said.
The Bonneville Construction
Co. of Idaho Falls is apparent
low bidder on the construction of
the Matanuska Telephone Asso
ciation’s outside plant, according
to Lew Hanks, MTA president.
Bids were opened in the MTA
busines office on Wednesday of
this week. Representing the Ida
ho firm was R. W. Bauchman.
Th Bonneville bid of $305,014.97
was over $100,000 less than the
only other bid which was sub
mitted by Modern Electric of An
chorage. The Alaskan firm bid
a total of $423,185.10. The low
bid has ben submitted to the
REA office in Washington, D.C.
and upon approval, construction
will get under way within 30
days, Hanks said. Bauchman
stated that his firm plans to
1 bring in only key personnel, that
the balance of the necessary help
will be hired locally. The con
tract calls for construction of
pole and line installations in the
entire MTA system which in
cludes the areas of Palmer, Was
illa, Sutton, and Chugiak.
“Next week we expect to be
ready to call for bids for the con
struction of the buildings”,
Hanks said.
Representing the Rural Electri
fication Administration at the bid
openings was Earl Sisk, RjEA en
gineer from Seattle. All board
members of MTA were present
for the openings, as well as the
MTA engineering 1'irjn Alaska
Engineers, who had estimated the
outside plant job at $272,782.00.
In addition to Hanks, other
board members are A1 Withey,
Palmer, vice-president; Phil O’
Neill, Sutton, secretary-treasur
er; Jim McDowell of Chugiak,
and John King of iPalmer.
CONSTITUTION FORUM
DRAWS SMALL BUT
INTERESTED CROWD
Although the number of per
sons attending the Know Your
Constitution forum last Thurs
day was smaller than expected,
very informative answers were
given by the Constitution Dele
gates who were present to help
explain the various sections of
tite Constitution.
In a panel discussion, which
was chaired by Delegate James
Hurley of Palmer, Anchorage
Delegates presented the follow
ing Sections: Victor Rivers, spoke
on the Executive; George Mc
Laughlin, Judiciary; Victor Fish
er, Local Government and Leg
islature; Barrie White, National
Resources and Finance; Seaborn
Buck a lew, Bill of Rights and Or
dinances.
The forum was sponsored by
the Matanuska Valley Chamber
of Commerce to better acquaint
the voters with their Constitution
which they will be asked to ratify
at the April 24 Territorial pri
mary election.
Delegate Hurley has available
to all interested persons, broch
ures on the Constitution. They
may be obtained for the asking,
. he said this week.
GRAND RE-OPENING
KING MOUNTAIN LODGE
Mile 77 — Glenn Hiway
Under New Management
JACK AND AGNES BETTS
SATURDAY, APRIL 7
LIVE MUSIC —REFRESHMENTS