PUBLISHED IN THE INTEHEST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
VOLUME 10, NUMBER 30 PALMER, ALASKA -THURSDAY, MAY 16. 1957 PRICE TEN CENTS
VEHICLE SAFETY CHECK SET FOR SATURDAY
v * » I tv V
RESOURCE BOARD
ACTIVITIES TOLD
AT CHAMBER MEET
James Wilson, member of the
Alaska Resource Development
Board since 1955, was guest
speaker at the May 15 meeting of
the Matanuska Valley Chamber
of Commerce.
Wilson gave a brief resume of
accomplishments of the Board
the past two years, chief of which
was the implementing of forestry
industry in Alaska. He spoke of
work done to get the timber in
dustry started that resulted in
the large mill at Kecthikan, the
Japanese plant in Sitka, and two
other active timber industries.
Copies of a report prepared by
the Board of Juneau are avail
able to interested persons, he
reported. Similar surveys have
been made for Anchorage, Fair
banks, Valdez, Cordova, and
Ketchikan. “With funds available
now it is not likely the Board
will be able to do more than one
report this year and Seward has
requested one on their area,”
Wilson said.
Data reports are available re
garding Alaskan cities; Alaskan
population; Alaska traffic sur
vey, and a thermo power study
is underway and will probably
be published this summer, he
»aid.
Wilson touched briefly on the
hew tax incentive legislation en
acted by the 1957 Legislature and
the role that it will play in at
tracting new industry in Alaska.
4<This will encourage industry
making use of basic materials
Such as minerals agriculture, for
est, and tourist trade”, he said.
The program is aimed, he ex
plained, at industries that might
be marginal without a tax ex
emption. He pointed out that if
a new industry, which has receiv
ed the tax exemption ,is in direct
competition with an existing like
(Continued on page 10)
CLEAN-UP WEEK
MAY I9-2B
The week of May 19-25 has
been designated as Clean-Up
Week in Palmer and {Mayor
Charles W. Wilson has called
upon all citizens to participate in
?very way possible to “clean up,
fix up, paint up” in the City of
Palmer. >
The dates were chosen to fall
just prior to Colony Day which
will be held on May 26. Since the
winds earlier this week, consider
le waste is visible against the
xences and buildings in many
spots in the city, he pointed out,
and it will mean cleaning a little
bit more than just one’s own
yard.
Although no special campaign
has been announced it is hoped
that organiaztions will spearhead
the clean-up work in various
tions of the city.
Co-Op To Install
Grain Dryer and
Other Facilities
The M. V. F .C. A. is planning
another expansion step in their
growing industry. A grain dryer,
elevator, and bin space in which
to store about 20 thousand bush
els of grain is to be constructed
in the Co-Op business area, near
the warehouse section.
“This installation is being put
in to encourage grain production
in this area”, said Stewart Dur
rant, Co-Op general manager.
“As a new venture enters into
an area, many people immediate
ly support the project while oth
ers are prone to question whether
it is practical or not. Not too
many years back when a few
dairymen went into production of
grade A milk a lot of people felt
that it would never be too im
portant as far as the economy of
the valley was concerned. Today
over a million dollars is paid the
valley farmers for their milk
alone,” Durrant stated.
Durrant pointed out that in
many areas the production of
crops which leave the ground
open in the winter is hazardous.
Wind erosion is a serious prob
lem and if stubble can be left
during the winter this problem
can be partially overcome, he
added.
With facilities for drying and
storing grain in the valley, grain
rotation along with other crops
can be possible and proper handl
ing of grain will make it possible
for some individuals to become
full time grain producers, thus
widening our agricultural pro
gram, the Co-Op manager stated.
He pointed out the additional ad
vantage of making available
straw and bedding material.
“By furnishing our present
needs we would be able to re
tain between one-quarter and
one-half million dollars in the
valley each year which would be
beneficial to our economic life”,
he added.
Knik River
Test Well Bids
Announced by BE
Hyland Drilling Company of
Spenard has submitted the ap
parent low bid of $36,195 for
drilling, sampling and testing of
exploratory wells on Knik River,
.According to the Alaska District
Corps of Engineers.
Bids on the project were open
ed May* 14 at the Anchorage of
fice of the Alaska District. A
total of seven competitive bids
were received from Alaskan and
U. S. firms.
Work includes drilling, sampl
ing and testing of exploratory
wells on the south bank of Knik
River at a location 5.5 miles up
stream from the highway bridge
crossing the river on the Palmer
Anchorage highway.
Government estimate for the
job was $34,565.
Second apparent low bid, of
$37,820, was submitted by Chap
man Drilling Company of Spen
ard. Sam L. Gotten of Palmer
submitted the third low bid of
(Continued on page 10)
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""71"-'- _ ' I';— *_1"' .. nivun.ri~Anrinn.-iA<»n _■ ;■ .—
| PROCLAMATION
i| WHEREAS the safety of all vehicles in the City of Palmer\\
| is of utmost importance to all residents, and jl
;l WHEREAS, it is the purpose of the Palmer Kiwanis Club I;
jl to offer a Vehicle Safety-Check Program to all vehicle owners,!;
j; and
j! WHEREAS, such a program will provide all citizens an I;
jl opportunity to work together to check the safe driving condition I;
<| of vehicles, and ;>
j! WHEREAS, the vehicle safety-check is a community ap- I;
jl proach to traffic safety, J*
|! THEREFORE, I, Charles W. Wilson, Mayor of the City of <|
j! Palmer, hereby declare Saturday, May 18 as COMMUNITY I;
;; VEHICLE SAFETY-CHECK DAY and call upon each and every I;
11 citizen vehicle owner to participate in this voluntary program. I;
!; CHARLES W. WILSON, Mayor of Palmer j!
PRIZES PLANNED
FOR DOLONY DAY
PARADE WINNERS
Cash prizes in two sections will
be awarded for winning floats in
the Colony Day parade, it was
announced this week by Jack
Flint, chairman of the Colony
Day event being sponsored May
26 by the Matanuska Valley
Chamber of Commerce.
Three prizes, $20, $15, and $10,
will be awarded in the adult sec
tion and prizes of $8, $5, and $3,
in the childrens’ section. All or
ganizations and individuals on
that date, will begin at Central
School at 1 p.m. and follow the
usual route along Railroad and
Valley streets.
Following the parade Colonists
and early day Settlers will be
honored with words of welcome
from Stewart Durrant, Chamber
president.^
At 2 p.m. the annual free bar
beque will be held at Che fair
grounds. While the barbeque is
being served a series of contests
will be held for all young people.
These will be held inside the race
track on the fairgrounds.
As the main entertainment at
traction on Colony Day the Arctic
Trails Riding Club will stage
horse racing and riding events,
with prizes for the winners. All
riders are invited to enter the
contests. A number of merchants
in Palmer are contributing mon
ey to provide attractive prizes
for the winners.
Along the midway concessions
will be operated during the after
noon, including a pancake sale
by the local Kiwanis Club.
MATANUSKA WINDS
UNWELCOMED GUEST
IN VALLEY AREA
Following exceptionally warm
weather last week, winds from
the Matanuska Glacier were most
unwelcomed when they arrived
in the valley Sunday evening.
Not only was considerable dis
comfort provided for all resi
dents, but it proved to be very
costly for many of the area
farmers who had completed part
of their seeding. On the Max
Sherrod farm lfettuce and cab
bage plants were completely
blown off from five acres of
land. The Bob Klems also were
hard hit by the wind, as well as
many other produce farmers. It
was reported as one of the most
damaging winds of its type at
this time of the year in the past
decade.
Official wind velocity, as re
corded by the Weather reporter,
do not indicate the density of the
soil that was so visible, both in
doors and out. The Monday 8
a.m. reading showed the wind
velocity at 23 mph; at 11 a.m. it
was up to 25 mph, and much
quieter in the evening. However,
Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. the
Knik wind took a turn at blow
ing and was recorded at 6 mph
and by 4 p.m. was up to 12 mph.
Temperatures fluctuated from 50
above on Monday to a low of 30
at night.
I COUNCIL |
NOTES
A quorum of five City Coun
cil members attended the regular
City Council meeting held on
May 14. Attending were Mayor
Charles W. Wilson and council
members, William Zahradnicek,
A1 V. Hagen, Jan Koslosky, Char
les Logsdon, and Ray Lancaster.
Visitors at the meeting were
Isabelle Woolcock and Edna
Wehking of the Palmer Garden
Club and Jack Daum, represen
tative of the bonding firm handl
ing the sale of the city bonds.
Daum spoke to the Council
members, explaining the matur
ity schedules and the lots of the
bonds which will be issued.
Council members voted to fur
nish the bonding attorney with
the necessary information so that
the bonding ordinance may be
drawn. It was pointed out that
any local residents desiring to
purchase the smaller demonina
tion bonds should contact the city
clerk immediately.
Clean-up week in Palmer will
be participated in as fully as pos
sible by the City of Palmer, May
or Wilson stated when asked by
Mrs. Woolcock what part the City
will take in the observance. The
removal of the many barrels of
asphalt from their present lo
cation near the MEA building
was again discussed. It was
pointed out that the street de
partment personnel have been
tied up doing road work but that
it is hoped the barrels may be
removed within a few days.
* * *
In the reading of the minutes
of the Board of Equalization
meeting it was brought out that
real property in the city is now
valued at $3,774,772, as compared
with last year’s figure of $3,494,
000. Personal property is valued
at $2,191,695, compared with last
year’s $1,893,528 figure.
* . * *
Council members approved the
purchase of bonding insurance
for all city employees. At the
present time only the city clerk
is under bond.
# * *
Over nine barrels of sand were
removed from the city water well
which was causing trouble, ac
cording to a written report made
by Sam Cotton who was hired to
work on the well. Although it is
now felt the well will produce
sufficient water for the present,
Cotton recomended the Council
consider the possible need to drill
a new well and suggested it be
of a larger size to meet the pres
ent need and additional growth
of the city. Councilman Lancas
ter reported that during the
month of April 3,977,000 gallons
of water were pumped at the res
ervoir.
* * *
The proposed zoning ordinance
was read for the second time. The
next reading will be the third
and final reading before being
(Continued on page 10)
16-Year-Old
Admits Breaks
In Local Stores
City and territorial police on
early Tuesday morning brought
to an end a crime career upon
which a local 16-year-old youth
had embarked. The youth was
discovered in Koslosky’s Depart
ment Store by Jan Koslosky
about 12:30 a.m. when he entered
the store by the side entrance toj
obtain a ladder. Entry had been
made by the youth by smashing
the glass in one of the front
doors. He had filled a suitcase
with guns, ammunition and hol
sters before being surprised by
the store owner. Koslosky report
ed he had been unable to unlock
the door to his apartment be
cause it had apparently been jim
mied and had entered the store
seeking a means with which to
enter his apartment. The youth
ran to the rear of the store
//hen discovered and was from
there taken into custody by the j
police officials.
When questioned the youth
admitted having entered the Co
Op Building and Farm Supply
on May 2 where a number of
guns were taken valued at $255;
entering the Valley Store where
miscellaneous items were takn
on May 4; and Hartley Motors,
Inc. on May 11 where a 470 Alas
kan rifle and money from two
cash registers amounting to $25
$30 was taken. The guns have
been recovered.
Action against the juvenile is
pending.
Officials stated the youth has
no known previous record.
CD Directors,
Service Chiefs
To Meet Friday
There will be a meeting tomor
row night, May 17, at 8 p.m. for
all Civil Defense area directors
and service chiefs. The meeting
will be held in the theatre base
ment meeting room according to
A1 Hagen Greater Palmer CD di
rector who announced the meet
ing.
According to Director Hagen
Kings Lake Camp in the Wasilla
Palmer area and the Victory
Bible Camp, near Mile 91, Glenn
highway, have been designated
as emergency shelter areas.
The civil defense organization
has acquired 52 beds, valued at
$500 and a 20-man raft, valued at
$1,000, for the King’s Lake Camp.
Similar rafts have been furnish
ed the local Explorer and Boy
Scout troops, he stated.
f
I GIFT ITEMS AND FINE
CHINA <:
CHOICE IVORY, JADE, ;!
HEMATITE ;!
NATIVE ARTS & CRAFTS j!
TREASURE CHEST
Wasilla Rd.
POLICE OFFICIALS
GIVE SUPPORT
TO KIWANIS PROJECT
* Palmer Kiwanlans are ready
for the day-long Vehicle Safety
Check program which they will
sponsor in this city Saturday,
May 18. Banners will be set up
in the city lot opposite the fair
grounds where check lanes will
be established and operated from
9 a.m. until 5 p.m. All vehicle
owners in the valley area are in
ivited to take their vehicles to
the lanes for a free 10-point check
for safety.
Jack Maze, chairman of the
program, said that vehicles will
be checked for safety condition
of brakes, front lights, rear lights,
steering, tires, exhaust system,
glass, windshield wipers, rear
view mirrors, and horn. A print
ed report on the condition of the
vehicle will be presented to each
owner and a sticker, which cer
tifies the vehicle has passed the
10-point check will be affixed to
the windshields of each vehicle
which meets the requirements, he
added.
This is the first vehicle safety
check program sponsored by a
valley organization although or
ganizations in other Alaskan cit
ies have sponsored similar-suc
cessful programs. Territorial and
city police are lending their
wholehearted support to the pro
gram and have joined the Kiwan
ians in urging all vehicle owners
to participate in the program.
Although the Territorial and
City police will not be participat
ing in the actual checking of the
vehicles, they will be on hand to
direct traffic and answer any
questions vehicle owners might
have, Maze said.
The Kiwanians will be assisted
in the lanes by students of the
Palmer High School driver’s
training class and by mechanics
from Kirk’s Sales and Service,
Hartley Motors, Inc. and Tosfs
Service.
It was pointed out this week
that during the summer months
police officials are planning spot
checks along the highway and
roads. Cars carrying the safety
check stickers, unless obviously
faulty, will not be re-checked.
Maze again pointed out that
this program is not compulsory
for vehicle owners. It is being
sponsored by the Palmer Kiwan
is Club as a service to the com
munity to allow vehicle owners
to become aware of the safety
condition of their cars, trucks,
jeeps or other type vehicles. Resi- •
dents of the outlying areas are
also reminded that they are most
welcome to participate in the
program. The service is being
made available to any and all in
terested vehicle owners.
Dr. and Mrs. Foster Sims and
Mrs. Hildreth Steelman of the
local American Legion Post and
Legion Auxiliary, are planning to
attend the annual Legion and
Auxiliary conventions being held
in Sitka next week.
' > > ' ' ^ ^ ’N "V > "V *V "V *V > "S ^ V *V "V *V*V -V ■% «V T TT'T' 'T'
ANNOUNCEMENT
>ff
yr
Yr Due to the recent increases in food prices,
Yr restaurant operators in the Palmer area
Yr have found it necessary to raise some of
Yr their prices. We regret such move was
v necessary and hope this meets with the
v understanding of our patrons.
y'r
Every effort will be made to keep our
prices as low as possible and continue to
Yf offer the best in service.
yr
: Palmer Restaurant Operators
yr
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DANCING TO
GENE
COONRADTS
BLPE NOTES,
SATURDAY
MAY 18
PALMER BAR