The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLE-*
TRY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD for that
item you may have for sale,
rent or lease.
VOLUME 9, NUMBER 14
PALMER. ALASKA THURSDAY. JAN. 28, 1956
PRICE TEN CENTS
PUBLIC HEARING SET FOR CITY ZONING
CO-OP MEMBERS
TO HOLD SPECIAL
MEETING FEB. 2
A special membership meeting
of the Matanuska Valley Farm
ers Cooperating Association has
been called for February 2, it was
announced this week by Stewart
Durrant, Co-Op general manager.
The purpose of the meeting is
for members to consider some
of the problems of the Co-Op and
discuss the proposed joining of
Tanana Valley farmers in the
local Co-Op. A committee con
sisting of membersl Harold
Thuma, A. R. Carson, and S. J.
Newcomb will make a report to
the membership on their deter
minations pertaining to the sub
ject.
The meeting will be held in
the Co-Op’s new meeting room,
located in the basement section
of the general office building, at
8 p.m. The new room will com
fortably seat from 75 to 100 per
sons.
AREA FIRMS BID
ON DRILLING JOB
Several firms, all from the An
chorage area, offered bids for
drilling test water wells near At
lasta House at Mile 160 Glenn
Highway, the Alaska District
Corns of Engineers said today.
The apparent three low bidders
were all from Spenard: Curtis A.
Chapman, $5,200; Anchorage
Drilling Co., $6,220; and Penn
Jersey-Mclnroy, $6,555.
Other bidders were Sam L.
Cotton of Palmer; and three
Spenard firms; Drillers Co-Op.
Hyland Drilling Co., and Brandi
Well Co. '■*’
Bids were offered on two sch
edules—a minimum of two and
a maximum of four wells to be
drilled near the edge of the Cop
per River Basin in frozen glac
ial drift. The work is to be com
pleted 90 days after notice to
proceed is given on the contract
award.'Access to the site is over
paved highway.
CIVIL DEFENSE
MEETING SET
FOR JANUARY 31
Key personnel with the Civil
Defense program in the Greater
Palmer Area, will meet at CD
headquarters in the theater base
ment Tuesday evening, January
31 at 8 p.m., according to A1 Ha
gen, CPA director. New appoint
ments will be made to fill exist
ing vacancies and a general dis
cussion period will be held dur
ing which activities and varied
functions of the local Civil De
fense units will be presented. All
directors, assistants, department
heads, and staff members are
urged to attend. Anyone inter
ested in participating in the CD
program is urged to attend the
meeting.
HAIR SHAPING FOR A
SHORT "CUT" TO BEAUTY
VALLEY BEAUTY SHOP
Pboa* 3301
LAVONNE JOHNSON
AGENCY ANNOUNCES
REDUCED RATES
IN CAR INSURANCE
According to Robert Pippel,
of Pippel Insurance Company,
automobile owners will bene
fit from new automobile in
surance rates which will be
come effective February 1.
Comprehensive, fire and
theft, collision and upset rates
will have a 15 percent reduc
tion, he said. Even further re
ductions (ranging from 15 per
cent to 30 percent) will be in
effect for farmers, he added.
Farm Specialists
To Meet With
Kenai Area Farmers
Farmers of the Kenai Peninsu
la are meeting this week with ex
tension specialists to discuss dairy
cattle, forages, and soil manage
ment. The meetings are schedul
ed, weather permitting, in three
communities to cut down travel j
time by the farmers, Agricultur
al Agent Edward Liebenthal said
today. The last two are to dup
licate the first program set for
Homer at 10 a.m. Thursday, Janu
ary' 26. Second meeting will be in
Ninlchik on the 27th and the
last in Kenai on the 28th.
Appearing on the program are
William Sweetman, dairy hus
bandman; Paul Martin, soil scien
tist, H. J. Hodgson, agronomist;
Arthur S. Buswell, Extension as
sociate director, and Stewart
Durrant, general manager of the
Matanuska Valley Farmers Co
operating Association. Sweetman,
Martin and Hodgson are research
scientists at the Alaska Agricul
tural Experiment station who also
do specialist work for the Uni
versity of Alaska Extension Ser
vice. Durrant will meet with the
farmers on marketing in Alaska
and the place for farmers’ cooper
atives in Alaska.
A similar series of meetings is
scheduled in February for farm
families to discuss the new build
ing plan service for Alaskans.
X-RAY AND LAB
RATES TEMPORARILY
LOWERED AT HOSPITAL
X-ray and laboratory proce
dure rates have ben temporarily
lowered at the Valley Presbyter
ian Hospital, pending the deci-1
sion of the medical staff to which
the proposal was referred by the
board of dir'vtors following a
recent meeting.
Other business transacted at
the meeting included the an
nouncement that by-laws for the
Valley Hospital Association, and
all motions pertaining to by-laws
since the organization of the new
association, will be reported in
the agenda of the annual meet
ing which will be mailed to all
members prior to the meeting.
Members are requested to study
the proposed changes so they may
be familiar with them before at
tending the meeting on February
15.
A special meeting of the board
of directors will be held Wednes
day, February 1, at the hospital
for the purpose of completing the
1 agenda for the annual meeting.
NOTICE
Second half payment for 1955 real and per
sonal property taxes for the City of Palmer
and Palmer School District will be delinquent
February 1, 1956. Penalties and interest will
occur after that date. Tax office will be
closed February 2 and 3.
PALMER INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
MARCH OF DIMES
TO BE AIDED
BY BAKE SALE
The area’s newest homemakers’
club, the Young Mother’s Club,
are sponsoring a bake sale at
Koslosky’s this Saturday, with all
proceeds to go toward the March
of Dimes. The sale will begin at
11 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m.
Home baked goodies will be of
fered for sale at reasonable pric
es. The public is invited to par
ticipate.
Members of Beta Sigma Phi
who conducted a tag day pro
ject last Saturday have not yet
completed their figures but ap
parently the sale of minature
crutches will net the March of
Dimes over $200, a spokesman
said this week. The sorority ex
pressed their thanks to the com
munity for their support in the
project.
Additional contributions have
been received during the past
week by Faith Krause,, acting
campaign manager. New contri
butors are: Riverbend Homemak
ers' Club, $5, and Frank Krause.
Word has ben received indirect
ly that an organization in Wasil
la is planning a March of Dimes
event February 4, with all pro
ceeds ear-marked for the cur
rent campaign. Other organiza
tions are invited to participate in
fund-raising activities to help
raise the area’s total contribution
to the March of Dimes. Individu
al contributions may be mailed
or taken to Mrs. Krause at the
Palmer Depot. Groups planning
public activities are requested to
contact Mr. Krause to avoid con
flicting dates.
Plans for Palmer’s March of
Dimes dance are being formulat
ed and will be announced soon.
The program for the Farm For
um meetings to be held in Fair
banks February 29 and March 1
and in Palmer March 2, 3, and 4,
is being formulated. Dr. ScarSteth,
director of Research for the Am
erican Farm Research Associa
tion, will again this year appear
on the program. Dr. W. E. Pet
erson, head of the Dairy Hus
bandry department of the Uni
versity of Minnesota, has been in
vited to appear. Other nationally
recognized speakers will be on
the program.
LOCAL AUXILIARY
SPONSORS ANNUAL
ESSAY CONTEST
The Matanuska Valley Ameri
can Legion Auxiliary unit an
nounced this week their annual
Americanism Essay Contest
which is open to all students aged
six through 18 years.
This year’s theme is “Why I
Am Proud to Be An American”.
Cash prizes will be awarded in
the junior and senior divisions,
with the winners of each section
to received $5.00. The junior sec
tion will consist of students six
to 12 years of age; the senior di
vision from 12 to 18 years of age.
Entries must be submitted by
February 14.
Winning essays in the Unit con
test will be entered in the De
partment contest and will com
pete for Territorial prizes of $10
in each division. The National
contest has been discontinued.
National is this year sponsoring
an essay contest for all Ameri
can Legion Auxiliary junior and
senior members, in which there
will be prizes. However, this con
test will not be open to winners
of the current contest in Alaska
schools.
MINSTREL SHOW
SHAPING UP WELL
Talet is being lined up pretty
well for the 1956 Palmer Kiwanis
Minstrel Show, according to
Charles Logsdon, show chairman.
However, he added, we can still
use a few more good specialty
numbers and anyone who wishes
to participate in the show is urg
ed to contact the committee as
soon as possible.
End men, always favorite mem
bers of the show, have been lin
ed up and are getting ready to
go into rehearsals this week,
Logsdon said.
This may be the last call for
talent, so all you area residents
who have participated in past
shows, or have always had a
yearning to “get in the act”, con
tact Logsdon at the Experiment
Station, or leave your name at
the Frontiersman office as soon
as possible.
Council Notes
Ralph Moore and Robert Pip
pie, members of the City Plan
ning Commission, presented the
Commission’s proposed zoning
plan for the City of Palmer at
the January 24 meeting of the
Common Council. Following a
lengthy discussion, Council mem
bers voted 4-1 in favor of direct
ing the Planning Commission to
hold public meeting on the pro
posed zoning and to report back
to tkv Council on the results of
the meeting. The dissenting vote
was cast by Councilman Alfred
Hagen who objected to the sec
tion of Bailey Hill Street from
Wasrilla Highway south being
zoned as residential. He pointed
out that four businesses now exist
in this section and that the phras
ing of the proposal will necessi
tate the attendance of ajl busi
ness owners concerned at the pub
lic meeting to protest the zoning
as residential.
* * »
Mayor Charles Wilson appoint
ed, and the Council approved,
two city residents for the City
Health Board. They are Barbara
Skok and Mrs. Rose Kirsch, re
presenting the School District.
Other members of the Board are
City Health Officer Dr. John
Burnett, executive officer; Police
Chief Bernard Bouwens, Alfred
Hagen, chairman of the board,
and A1 J. Dejulio. The latter two
are members of the City Council
health committee.
* * *
Members of the street commit
tee reported that snow removal
costs for the recent snowfall ran
to $547.00. Members of the bud
get committee pointed out that
several communities were hard
hit by the unusual snowfall and
that the budget will be readjusted
to take care of the unexpected
expense in the Palmer area.
* * *
Insurance bids for the City of
Palmer were awarded to Pippel
Insurance of Palmer, following
the reading of that company’s
bid. They were the only bidder.
The insurance bids cover acci
dent policy coverage on volun
eer firemen, $180; Comprehensive
liability for the City of Palmer,
$1233.60; and $40,000 fire insur
(Continuea on page 8)
Potted Daffodils
IN 91
BLOOM V»«W
MAUD'S FLOWER SHOP
Theatre Building
ORGANIZATION MEET
SET FOR FIRST AID
TRAINING CLASSES
;j All area persons planning to !
> take the American Red Cross!
> first aid course which will be !
; taught by Bill and Betty Ad- !
; ams, are requested to meet!;
!; with the instructors Monday
!; evening, January 30 at 7:00
!; p.m. in Room 208 at Central j:
!; School. Although there will •;
!; not be a class held that even
; ing, regular class hours will be :
; established and those planning :
!; to take the course will have an
! opportunity to get acquainted
! with the instructors. Both \
1 Standard and Advance classes !
! will be held. !
Hospital Ass’n.
Membership List
Needed by Committee
Persons who are relling mem
berships for the Vellav Hospital
Association are asked to turn in
fees and file cards for member
ships sold to A. H. Mick at the
Alaska Agriculture Experiment
Station before February 1.
Names of new members are
needed so that the agenda and
finance reports can be mailed out
well in advance of the annual
meeting on February 15, Mick
stated.
interested persons wno nave
| not yet purchased membership
i in the Association may do so by
contacting any local Kiwanian,
members of the hospital board of
directors, or at several public
spots in town, including the of
fice at the hospital. Membership
in the Association entitles the
holder to vote on hospital matters
at the annual meetings. If a mem
ber is unable to attend the meet
ing in person, he may assign his
proxy to another member.
PALMER'S NAME
DETERMINED BY
MANY READERS
Well, it’s now the consensus of
opinion that the present city of
Palmer was named after George
Palmer .early time operator of a
Trading Post in the valley vicin
ity.
Several interesting communi
cations have been received by
The Frontiersman in response to
an article which appeared in the
January 12 issue in which a Mr.
Faust Palmer of Ocean Park,
was quoted as believing the city
was named after him in 1923 or
1924.
The majority of those who
wrote in agreed that George Pal
mer came to the area many years
before Faust Palmer—that he
operated at Trading Post at Knik
—that Palmer Slough and Pal
mer Canyon were named after
him, as well as the city.
The Frontiersman expresses its
thanks for the response to the
question of how Palmer got it’s
name.
PUNNING COMM.
TO PRESENT
PROPOSAL FEB. 9
A public hearing will be held
February 9 at City Hall for all
city residents interested in the
proposed zoning of the City of
Palmer.
The meeting will begin at 7:30
p.m. and all interested persons
are urged to attend and partic
ipate in the discussion pertaining
to the business, residential, and
public use zoning areas of the
city.
The City Planning Commission
has made an extensive study of
the city and has come up with
eight specific proposals as to
how the city could be zoned. The
proposal is advertised in another
section of The Frontiersman.
If the proposals are receptive to
the public, they will eventually
become law.
The Commission has recom
mended to the City Council that
the City make every effort after
adopting a zoning plan to make
information available to the gen
eral public of the fact that the
City of Palmer is zoned and that
the zoning law will be enforced.
This is an absolute necessity,
they pointed out, to avoid hard
feelings and loss to individuals
who may wish to come into Pal
mer to enter into business, or to
buy property for residental pur
poses.
This warning, they feel, should
eliminate those situations which
result from a person buying pro
perty and then finding that they
I cannot use it for the purpose for
which it was purchased.
CHAMBER TO MEET
WEDNESDAY FEB. 1
A regular meeting of the Mat
anuska Valley Chamber of Com
j merce will be held Wednesday
1 noon, February 1 at the Co-Op
club room. Standing committee
| reports will be made on current
projects. All members, and pros
pective members, are urged to at
tend.
Open Week Days
7 A.M. — 7:30 PJM.
Sundays
2 P.M. — 7:30 PJM.
We WH Cater for
Dinners & Banquets
PHONE 3091
Don't Forget!
Friday night is
FAMILY NIGHT at the
Co-Op Cafe
CLAUDIA WILSON, MGR.
Fund Raising Event for
Kitchen Band
Club U9
Saturday, January 28
Fun and Entertainment for Everybody
Basketball, Jan. 27
____nnnA|iuWVW>AVWV*»*i* m
Palmer Elks vs.
Panhandle Flyers
No Admission
Palmer Gym
8:00 P.M.