Palmer,Alaska
Editor.*. *.... * * iDorothy M. Bell
Advertising*.*...***.♦*Harriet Z. Bell
Published once a week at Palmer, Alaska, for the Ivlatahuska Valley Farmers* Cooperating
Association for the purpose of giving news of the associations* work, problems and
accomplishments.
SUBSCRIPTION RATE 31*75 $1.00 for six months lOjzf a copy ‘
PI ORE Eli S - - :
In 1935 when the Colony settlement came to the Valley, there were many other things
that were In the pioneer stage of development. This was true of Air transportation.
While it was true that the airplane even at that time was used more in Alaska ac
cording to the population than in the States, there still were no routes to the
states. The bush pilots were %e trail blazers during this early development. They
never knew whether or not the weather would permit them to reach their destinations
or the field conditions would allow them to land. The CAA has changed all of this.
Following is a release from the CAA on FACTS ABOUT THE CAA which we feel fits in
with Colony Day celebrations as well. It was written by Kenneth B. Ruhle, CAA Com
munications Specialist.
Many volumes have been written about the vastness, the magnificence, the incredible
natural wealth, and the spellbinding beauty of Alaska. As many more could be written
and yet barely scratch the surface of this fascinating subject. Forceful poetry: has
been written about this forbidding, brooding land, which jealously guards its treas
ures from the weak and unfit, but pours out its bounty on the strong and the sane.
The soul-stirring greatness of Alaska is something which can only be felt, with an
inner understanding which cannot bo imparted by the wordsmith to one who has not
feasted in royal solitude on the vista of endless mountain ranges and the infinite
depths of a glorious Alaskan sunset.
To the larger cities of the territory have come people from all walks of life, from
all parts of the United States. Here have come the young men, with life ahead, with
glowing hopes and ambitions, and the older men y;ho remain young in heart and look to
the Golden Land for the fulfillment of the purposes of lives half spent. der?also
come the pioneers, the preachers, the merchants, craftsmen and builders, and the riff
raff who inevitably appear where wealth is created.
From these cities, there is a constant flow of the bravest and best to the smaller
communities and to isolated locations, where they toil alone or at the sides of wives
who share their dreams to build homes and enterprises for -the development of the great
land’s uncounted riches. This activity has spread, and continues to spread over the
territory from the mild, fjord slashed southeastern coast to well above the Arctic
Circle, from the Canadian border to far out in the Aleutians, “herever these people
go, and for whatever purpose, one thing which is certain to go with them is air trans
ported on.
Where the sourdoughs of geld rush days depended, on the annual boat and on the dog sled
for nail, transportation, and supplies, the modern pioneers rely on daily or weekly
airplane flights to their isolated communities. School children in Nome drink fresh
milk flown from the States. People in Kotzebue and Candle have fresh oranges, bananas
and celery summer and winter. This is a distant yodel from the days when a few raw
potatoes was all that stood between the \Ahite inhabitant and crippling scurvy. Today,
in a great measure, Alaskans owe life, health, and prosperity to the airliner and the
bush pilot. In fact many have settled in such remote places that they are totally
dependent on air transportation.
The element of risk of early aviation was greatly increased by their lack of commun
ications, which forced, them to rely on Shanks Mare, or, if the stars were right, on
a friendly native1 s dog team, for rescue from a crash or forced, landing. The tremen
dous aviation industry of present day Alaska would be impossible under such conditions
and the settlement and. development of the territory would be retarded almost to a
standstill, were It not for the fact that the Commerce Department^ Civil Aeronautics
Administration has established an extensive and ever-vigllant airway communications
system. * *
There are 44 CAA stations in Alaska. This system utilizes a great diversity of both
old and new methods and equipment. Its functions include the collection and distri
bution of weather reports, foreoasts, information on the conditions and landing field?
and. aids to navigation, airplane position reports, traffic clearances, and. load mes
sages. Point to point communications are maintained between the Alaskan CAA stations
and Canadian, Stateside, and Aleutian stations. Radio aids to navigation are spotted
along the airways, and. any well equipped flight can contact one of the forty-four
CiJ* radio stations from any place in the Territory.