FOOD PROCESSING
SEEN AS POSSIBLE
LOCAL INDUSTRY
Food processing is foreseen as
one of the next stages of develop
ment for Matanuska Valley agri
culture, Stewart A. Durrant, gen
eral manager of the MVFCA stat
ed at a meeting of the Chamber
of Commerce industry committee
last Thursday evening.
In order to keep its present
market, and continue to grow, the
valley will have to move into the
freezing business very soon, Dur
rant stated. He pointed out that
frozen foods are rapidly replac
ing canned foods on the markets,
and that Alaskan products are
eminently suitable for freezing.
He estimated that local farm
ers could have earned an addi
tional $50,000 during the past
winter if there had been a potato
processing plant in the valley.
During the meeting the Com
mittee continued with studies and
reports on possibilities for local
industrial development. Carlos
Driggars of the Valley Machinery
and Manufacturing Company, an
nounced that he and his partner
John Eppler, are starting a
foundry, believed to be the only
one in the territory. Bob Klem
volunteerd to donate fire clay,
and Merritt Long, who has been
studying foundries, also offered
cooperation to the new industry.
Eugene Reid reported on his
investigations of a professional
agricultural and industrial sur
vey of the valley by the Doan
firm. The greatest value of the
survey, Reid pointed out, was in
consolidating efforts of all groups
into a master development plan.
Reid quoted figures compiled by
H. P. Gazaway’s owing Alaska’s
total food bill runs over $100 mil
lion a year, with only six to 10
percent supplied from loca lsour
ces, whereas at least 60 percent
could be produced in Alaska.
Special recognition was given
to the importance of distributing
a report prepared by Bob Webb,
A1 Brooks, and Bob Nichols, dem
onstrating the immediate oppor
tunity of starting a meat pack
ing plant, and hog-raising indus
try in Alaska.
A meeting will be called of log
ging and sawmill operators of the
area to discuss establishment of
a central dry kiln and planer for
handling local lumber.
The next meeting will be May
31 in the Experiment building
when it is hoped that all commit
tees will present reports. Persons
with ideas or information regard
ing new industries will be wel
comed at the meeting. Committee
members feel their efforts are al
ready beginning to show results.
Health Officials
Warn Against Hoxsey
Cancer Treatment
The Valley Presbyterian Hos
pital this week received from the
U. S. Department of Health, Edu
cation, and Welfare a public
warning against the Hoxsey can
cer treatment.
The warning states: “Sufferers
from cancer, their families, phy
sicians, and all concerned with
the care of cancer patients are
hereby advised and warned that
the Hoxsey treatment for internal
cancer has been found worthless
by two Federal courts.
“The Hoxsey treatment costs
$400, plus $60 in additional fees—*
expenditures which will yield
nothing of value in the care of
cancer. It consists essentially of
simple drugs which are worthless
for treating cancer.
“The Food and Drug Adminis
tration conducted a thorough in
vestigation of the Hoxsey treat
ment and the cases which were
claimed to be cured. Not a single
verified cure of internal cancer
by this treatment has been
found,” the report states.
The Department emphasized
their warning to those affiliated
with cancer not to be misled by
the. false promise that Hoxsey
cancer treatment will cure or alle
viate their condition. “Cancer
can be cured.only through sur-s
gery or radiation. Death from
cancer is inevitable when cancer
patients, fail to obtain proper
medical treatment because of the
lure of a painless cure ‘without
the use of surgery, X-ray, or ra
dium, as claimed by Hoxsey”, of
Eagles Take Track
Meet; Break 8 Records
In me new track and field rec
ords were set during the Western
Alaska track meet held in Anch
orage May 4. The Anchorage
Eagles set eight of these records,
while Fairbanks took the ninth.
Bythel Compton* Palmer sopho
more, gave the Palmer team first
place in the discus by tossing the
circle 121 feet, 3% inches.
The Anchoarge Eagles took the
meet with an aggregate of 92
points. Fairbanks placed second
with their total of 33% points;
Palmer third, 22% points; and
Seward, 6. No otAer teams enter
ed the competition.
. Complete results of the meet
are as follows:
High jump—Jones (A), Trow
bridge (P), Duke (A), Sharp (P)
and Stohl (F), 5-9.
Discus—Compton (P), Hansen
(F), Kleinkopf (A), Miller (F) and
Trowbridge (P), 121-3%.
Shot put—Lyman (A), Allen
(F), Latta (F), Miller (F), and
Bledsoe (P) (tie) 42-2%.
Pole vault—Allen (F), Davis
(A), Leek (P) and Verrall (P),
10-2.
Broad jump—Ford (A), Allen
(F), Jones (A), Pitts (F), 19-9%.
60 yard high — Barner (A),
Trowbridge (P), Eddy (A), Pitts
(F), 8.3.
100—Taylor (A), Wolff (A), Al
len (F) and Stohl (F) (tie), 10.2.
Mile—Jarvis (A), Montgomery
P), Cavalier (A), Means (A), 4.55.0
440 relay—Anchorage (Taylor,
Wolff, Jones, Green), Fairbanks,
Palmer, Seward, 46.1.
440—Eddy (A), Martin (A), B.
Jarvis (A), Davis (S), 55.1.
110 lows—Green (A), Barner
(A), Trowbridge (P), Sharp (P),
13.3.
880—Bankston (A), Hatch (A),
Davis (S), McGuire (A), 2:09.1.
220—Taylor (A), Jones (A),
Allen (F), Vanderpool (S), 22.5.
880 relay—Anchorage (Green,
Wolff, Kleinkopf, Jones), Fair
banks, Palmer, Seward, 1:43.4.
SUNDAY NIGHT FIRE
FOUGHT FOR 4 HOURS
Palmer Volunteer Firemen bat
tled a grass and brush fire Sun
day evening on the Roland Snod
grass property along the upper
bank of the Matanuska river. The
fire, which originated as controll
ed burning, spread through a
| dense stump row and into the
! trees. Assisting in fighting the |
I fire were members of the Bureau
of Land Management Fire Guard j
personnel and equipment. Fire- i
men w'ere on the job from 8:15
fp.m. until about 1 a.m. when the'
fire was brought under control
by dozing a fire stop. The city’s
street department equipment and
personnel were called upon for
this phase of the work.
Bill Miller, fire guard at the
local station, was injured and
hospitalized when struck on the!
head by a limb. He was released
from the hospital the following j
day.
At the time of the fire alarm |
the fire guard personnel were
returning from a fire call in the
Big Lake area. They also receiv
ed a fire report in the Moose
Creek area and Lazy Mountain
section. These did not require
their attention.
The size of the Snodgrass fire,
which lit up the sky for several
miles, attracted a large crowd of
spectators.
Teachers Named for
U of A Scholarships
Two Palmer High School teach
ers have been awarded scholar
ships for summer study at the
University of Alaska. They are
3etty Jo Riddle, biology teacher,
and Eugene Annas, chemistry
teacher.
Their awards are National In
stitution of Science scholarships
in the field of chemistry and
science and wall be an eight-week
session from June 10 to August
3. The sessions are set up to pro
vide current knowledge in the
specific fields and to provide ad
ditional training for teachers in
these fields. #
ficials said.
Paid advertisements have been
placed in a number of Alaskan
newspapers by the Hoxsey repre
sentatives, promoting their pro
duct.
%
LOCAL FIRM
ANNOUNCES PUNS
TO START FOUNORY
The start of a new industry
for Palmer, an iron foundry, was
announced at a meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce industry
committee last week by Carlos
Driggars.
Driggars, and his partner, John
Eppler, of the Valley Machinery
and Manufacturing Company,
have taken steps to make castings
locally. Their first product will
be links for weasel tracks. Pat
terns have been made, a local
source of molding sand has been
found, and an oil furnace has
been set up.
The men hope eventually to use
electric power for heat and are
looking for an electric furnace
proper to their scale. Driggars
pointed out that recent reduction
in MEA power rates indicates
conditions are becoming more
favorable for. this type of indus
trial operation.
Raw material to be used in the
foundry is scrap metal, a local
product of which there is a plenti
ful supply with very little local
outlet, members of the Committee
agreed.
Operation of the foundry, Drig
gars said, will also help provide
work for the machine shop, where
finish work on the castings will
be done. The company has been
in operation in the valley for the
past three years, but has become
a full-time operation in the val
ley supporting two families, the
past year.
The shop is located in the
former King Building.
AGS TO INCREASE
TELEGRAPH RATES
Alaskan commercial telegraph
rates, which will be raised July
1, 1957, effect a 30 percent in
crease in revenue, it was an
nounced this week by the Depart
ment of Army. A minimum
charge of 70 cents for Intra-Alas
ka messages will also go into ef
fect on that date.
The last previous rate boost was
a token increase in 1951 amount
ing to about five percent. Since
then, rapidly rising operating
costs have necessitated another
increase, the announcement stat
ed.
The U. S. Army Alaska Com
munication System was establish
ed in 1900 by an Act of Congress
to provide telegraphic communi
cation between isolated garrisons
and the Department Headquart
ers of Alaska.
Today the system is providing
long lines communication for the
military, other government agen
vies, and the general public. It
also provides ship-to-shore ser
vice, facilities for transmission of
radio broadcasts, rural telephone
service, press service, and money
transfer.
A.C.S. History
During the Klondike gold rush
of 1897-1900, with the resultant
influx of people into Alaska, the
United States government found
it necessary to establish a milit
ary department of Alaska, with
garrisons at various points to
maintain law and order in the
territory.
In order to provide telegraphic
communications between isolated
garrisons and the Department
headquarters, Congress, in the
Act of May 26, 1900, authorized
the War Department to construct
the necessary telegraph lines and
cables.
Within 30 days after the pass
age of the Act, the Washington
Alaska Military Cable and Tele
graph System wras born. Later the
name of the system was changed
to the Alaska Communication
System and recently to the U. S.
Army Alaska Communication
System.
By early 1901, a combined wire
line and cable system, running
605 miles, brought into commun
ications the three forts in Alaska,
and the Department headquart
ers.
In the same year work was be
gun on a line to connect Alaska
with the United States through
Canadian facilities. The period
1902-1941 saw considerable ex
pansion of the system. Submarine
cables connecting Alaska with
the U. S. were laid. With the ad
vent of World War II, the ACS
suddenly expanded into a com
;! Reporters—
]! Notebook
Mrs. Katherine Ashby, mother
of the Rev. Joan Ashby, is visit
ing at the home of her daughter.
Mrs. Ashby, who makes her home
in Portland, Oregon, is making
her first visit#to Alaska.
Mrs. Jewel-R. Briggs has been
named secretary to the cashier
at the Matanuska Valley Bank,
replacing Rita McClafferty who
recently resigned. Mrs. Briggs has
been with the local bank since
October of last year when she
came here from Hayti, S. D.,
with her husband, Alfred Briggs,
technician with the Soil Conser
vation Service. Mr .Briggs works
out of the Palmer SCS office and
is the technician in the Kenai
area.
Mrs. Bruce Graham has return
ed to her home in the valley fol
lowing a visit to the States.
Bobby Jo McRae was guest of
honor at a pre-nuptial shower
held in her honor at the home
of Izetta Ganschow May 6. Co
hostess with Mrs. Ganschow was
Kay Pippel. The guest of honor
was the recipient of a number of
beautiful gifts. Sixteen friends at
tended and enjoyed the shower
and refreshments which were
served.
MTA and AGS
May Share Office
Arrangements are being made
to combine the services of the
MTA and the ACS telegraph ser
vices, it was announced this week
by Max Clements, MTA manager.
If present plans materialize the
j combine will take place around
the first of June. After that date
telegraph facilities will be avail
able in the MTA office, with ACS
personnel to man the equipment.
Engineer here
Earl J. Sisk, REA engineer, ar
rived in Palmer on Tuesday of
this week and will assist in plans
for' a new construction loan. All
persons, not now receiving tele
phone service, who desire such
service, are asked to contact the
MTA office immediately.
Lew Hanks, MTA president,
pointed out that in making ap
plication for the construction loan
it will be essential to know7 how
much expanding of the present
system will be required. At the
present time there are openings
on nearly all areas and applica
tions for new memberships are
being received.
Membership in MTA is $10.
Equity requirements are $40. The
equity requirement payments
I may be paid in monthly install
ments if desired, Hanks and Cle
i ments pointed out.
---——
CUB SCOUTS ATTEND
SCOUT EXPOSITION
Forty-three Cub Scouts of the
Palmer area attended the Scout
Exposition held in Anchorage last
week. The group traveled in cars
and were accompanied by nine
adults. One of the outstanding
displays was handicraft, the boys
reported, and spectacular demon
stration of Indian dancing, com
plete with authentic costumes,
proved to be one of the pro
gram’s leading highlights.
REVIEW BOARD SET
FOR SCOUT TROOP 654
Boy Scouts of Troop 654 will
meet with the Explorer troop
next Monday evening at which
time they will go before a board
of review. Troop 654 is sponsored
by the American Legion Post.
The Explorer troop is sponsored
by the Elks lodge.
bination Army theatre, and major
tactical communication system.
To the ACS fell the job of plan
ning and supervising the tele
phone and telegraph communica
tion facilities to serve the con
struction and operation of the Al
can Highway. This line, complet
ed in 1943, covered a distance of
some 2,000 miles.
Today, the U. S. Army ACS
operates and maintains a com
munication system consisting of
wire, cable and radio channels.
With other circuits leased from
the Canadians, communications
are extended through Canada to
the U. S. and connected to points
within Canada. '
COURT NEWS
Charles H. Simmerman was
fined $25 following a plea of
guilfy to driving in excess of the
legally posted speed on April 18.
fie appeared in court April 24
to answer the territorial police
charge.
Billy Nelson was fined $100,
with $75 suspended, when found
guilty of a charge of causing in
jury to the road and obstructing
the roads by holes and a pile of
gravel. He appeared in court on
April 24.
Ruth C. Mueller of Spenard
was fined $50 on May 1 and her
driving privileges were removed
for 15 days following a plea of
guilty to a charge of negligent
driving, brought by territorial po
lice.
Frank .Tyone was fined $100
and received a 30-day sentence on
a territorial police charge of driv
ing without' current registration
and improper license tags. On a
charge of driving while under the
inluence of alcohol, brought by
City of Palmer police Tyone was
found guilty and fined $100 and
had his driver’s license revoked
i for six months.
George W. Smith paid a fine
jf $50 and lost his license for 2o
aays when found guilty of n^>u
*ent driving which resulted in ai\
accident. This complaint was
oought by the territorial police.
On May 5 Milton P. Munter
was fined $30 on a territorial po
lice charge of driving in excess of
.he legally posted speed limit.
ANTICIPATED JH 1 A/ —
DIVIDEND /g% PER
RATE W 2 'WTEAR
j Retroactive to Jan. 1, 1957
j First Federal Savings & Loan Assn, of Anchorage
223 East 5th Avenue • Anchorage, Alaska
■■■■■_ _ ■■■--■■■■■nn-;;->
I j: Try the Family-style
|jj meals at j|
UNCLE TOM’S CAFE
j (Formerly Co-Op Cafe) :
Breakfast 7-8 a.m.
||; Lunch 12-1 p.m.
Dinner 6-7 p.m.
j;i Short orders between j
meals ;!
:Jim & Claudia Wilson, j:
11| owners j:
Shamrock Bldg. Ph. PI-2910 ||
Member of Alaska
Resources Board
To Be Chamber Guest
James Wilson, member of the
Alaska Resource Development
Board, will be guest speaker at
the May 15 meeting of the Mat
anuska Valley Chamber of Com
merce. Wilson, who is Territorial
Commissioner of Agriculture, will
talk on a recent meeting of the
Resources Board and the new tax
incentive bill, passed by the re
cent legislature. All interested
persons are invited to attend the
luncheon meeting which will be
held at noon in the Co-Op Club
Room.
TRUCK LOANED DURING
1 YOUTH DAY PROGRAM
In giving credit to the many
participants in last week’s
Youth Day, one person was in
advertently overlooked. He
was Virgil Meehan who loan
ed his large dump truck to the
Explorer Scouts for their day
long project of cleaning the
winter’s accumilation of rub
bish off the city streets.
SEE IT NOW!
Homelite
t
*
^ DIRECT DRIVE \
CHAIN SAW
• full 5 horsepower
So only 19 pounds
• new low cost
Cfet more cutting
.tor your dollar with
the new Homelite EZ . . .
the direct drive chain saw
with Floating Power that* gives you
more power, less weightand lowercost. . 1
Slices through 8* oak in 5 seconds, 18* '
pine in 14 seconds. Cuts ux&.down..
right, left, even upside down.. j
Have a free demonstration today and
see for yourself. Ask about our con*
venient time payment plan. ^
Brooks Equipment Go.
1 ^ t a ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ' ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
V
v
v
John Deere See It!!
j-v
I V
* yf
Yes sir, see the huge stock of new JOHN
i; DEERE tractors and implements now avail
able at the large Brooks Equipment Co.
if display lot just 2 miles south of Palmer.
v
i >r
Yf
: You can try it out right there on the large
v demonstration area under all types of con
i' ditions.
v 4
V
T
Drop out and see us or call PI-4195 for
I further information.
v
V
V
V
I Brooks Equipment Co.
]' PALMER, ALASKA
> f
;; Representing Northern Commercial Company
J of Anchorage
V
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