ALKER, ALASKA
Dorothy M. Bell,
ditor
"ublished every week at Fnlner, Alaska for the Matanuska Valley Farmers’ Cooperating
Association for the purpose of giving nows of the Associations Work, Problems and
Accomplishments as well as News of general interest to the Valley.
SUBSCRIPTION RATS
$1.75 per year
10£ a cony.
CO-OP NOTES .
Cont. from ^age 1, col. 1
In addition there has been more than a
60$ increase in the average hourly earn**
ings of Harvester thine mill workers, ex
clusive of overtime,. since January 1941.
The three main reasons for the-,high cost
of fiber are:
1. the decreased world production in fibei
2. the removal of the government price'
subsidy of 4y-. cents per pound on fiber,
3. additional increases in fiber prices
since the removal of the price subsidy.
”'orld production of fiber is down 35$
"rora average pre-war levels. As a war
tire moasilre in the interest of price
stability, the United States Government
subsidised the price of raw fiber. The
subsidy, which was 4Vcents'rer pound, was
removed on October 24, 1946. This auto
matically increased the cost of raw fiber
at American ports by 4' cents per pound.
Then in addition, the government found it
necessary to increase the price still more
until now the price of raw fiber at Ameri
can ports is 127$ above wartime subsidised
rice. This applies to Grade A (henoquen)
sisal raw fiber, which is nroduced largely
in Yucatan, Mexico, and which was consid
ered throughout the war to be the basic
fiber used in the manufacture of binder
and baler twine*
I RA.DING POST Thc Tracing ^ost is
continuing to build an Inventory of a
much more varied line of Gift items and
will have a stock of guns and annum it ion
arriving in plenty.of time for fall.
T H E "CL D GREEN MAI □"has been
retired from service v;ith the M.V.F.C.A. '
and may go up for bids in the near future.
It was first used to haul milk and later
v;qs cut on the produce haul ’.'hen the new
va-ite milk truck arrived. It will be re
placed by the new K-7 Rad.. International
truck that you see abdut the'Civic Center
recently. This truck,which arrived in
.aimer via the Alaska Highway this spring,
was selected because it is the same model
as* the milk truck and parts and equipment
for the.two are interchangable. This will
cut the maintenance cost of the two con
siderable. A van body will- have to be'
ouilt oe fore the warm weather arrives.At
present a canvass cover servos the purpose
of protecting the merchandise.
George Black has been put in charge.'of the
Co-op Garage since Frank Dorsh left.
LIBRARY N OT E i>
Tho Library mould like to acquire a com
plete set of tho :'Valloy Settler" and have
them bound and kept permanently in the
Library. If anyone vould care to contri
bute their old Settlors, vo rill be glad
to have them.
Many of the books from "The Ark" in Anchor
age have been given to the Palmer Library
and as soon as re have our nor book shelves
they rill be placed in circulation, Me have
Mr. Neil Miller and the Soroptimist Club
of Anchorage to thank for those many books.
J.G.
FLORA NEWCOMB IN TOWN
Mrs. Flora Nor comb arrived in the Valley
this reek’and is Visiting her sister,Alice
Snodgrass. Flora, former employee in the
lo-op Offices, has had some very exciting
and interesting experiences during her
first year in the Arctic. She and her hus
band'have boen teaching there this past
year;
Mrs. Nercomb and Mrs. Snodgrass.plan to
make a trip to the States this summer to
see their parents and attend a family re
union,
SECOND GRANGE IN THE
TERRITORY TO BE
ORGANIZED IN WASILLA
It is planned to organize the second grange
in the Territory of Alaska at Nasilla this
noxt reek if plans .carry through. Officers
of the Northland Pioneer Grange No. 1 ,rill
go to Nasilla to assist in this rrork.
It is planned to hold an Organization
meeting'on this next Tuesday evening in
Pasilia.
REALTY OFFICE OPENING
IN HORTON BUILDING
Mrs. Loretta' Harmon announced today that
their ner office has opened in Horton’s
Cafe'Building. The Harmon’s have been in
the Realty Business for several reeks,but
have had no definite office at vhich to
transact their business. They re re final
ly able to locate a ■ place rhich rill
make it more convenient for everyone con
corned.
No-on ~
'"ord from the Office indicates that nor
comers are signing up for Probational"
membership as soon -as they buy a farm.