The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLET
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VOLUME 9, NUMBER 39
PALMER. ALASKA, THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1956
PRICE TEN CENVS
Delinquent Taxpayers
To Face Court Action
In spite of a good return on
delinquent taxes recently, there
are a number of tax payers re
maining that will shortly have
to pay additional court and/or
publication charges, William
Wakeland, tax collector in the
City of Palmer and Palmer Inde
pendent School District, stated
this week. A real property de
linquent tax roll is being pre
pared now for publication in pre
paration for foreclosure preceed
ings, he said.
Personal property delinquent
tax accounts are now being turn
ed over to the attorney. The list
is already in his hands. No fur
ther notices will be sent by the
tax office, Wakeland said. Any
one having delinquent tax ac
counts are urged to contact
Wakeland at his office at once
io settle the account before be
ing handed a summons and forc
ed to pay additional court
charges.
A court judgement is a serious
matter, he pointed out, permitt
ing attachment of property or
wages—a step now made neces
sary by direction of the School
Board and the Palmer City
Council to collect remaining de
linquent taxes.
QUEEN CONTESTANTS
WANTED FOR ’56 FAIR
All single girls, bwteeen the
ages of 15 and 25 years of age
are urged to sign up for the
Matanuska Valley Fair’s annual
queen contest. Organizations,
business firms, and other groups
are invited to sponsor a queen
candidate. Girls interested are
asked to contact the fair man
ager, A1 Hagen, as soon as pos
sible so that they may get an
early start on their ticket sales.
Increased beifcfits are waiting
for the queen candidates this
year.
Upon qualification (selling 250
tickets) each contestant will be
paid a bonus of $25, plus $50 for
picture and poster expenses.
The first 500 tickets sold will i
earn the contestant 10 percent
of her sales. All tickets sold
over 500 will earn each contes
tant 15 percent of the sales. The
girl chosen as queen will receive
an additional $250 in cash or a
$250 wardrobe.
Railroad Crossing
Reopened Last Night
The railroad crossing opposite
from the North Palmer store was
reopened on Wednesday evening
of this week, following a closure
by the Alaska Railroad last week.
Stop signs have been erected
and all motorists are reminded
that all vehicles must come to a
complete stop at all stop signs.
Signs have been set at all ap
proaches to the crossing and
must be observed.
The crossing was closed be
cause several individual had
put claims against the iv-hoad
for damages done to thei. cars
while going over the crossing.
Through the cooperation of the
City of Palmer and the Alaska
Railroad, the crossing has been
materially improved and is once
again open.
The City furnished gravel with
which to build up both sides of
(Continued on page 8)
FIRST LETTUCE
SHIPMENT SENT TO
ANCHORAGE MARKET
The first shipment, 40 crat
es, of local lettuce was shipp
ed out of Palmer yesterday
to the Co-Op distributing
plant in Anohorage. The let
tuce, (reported to be of excel
lent grade by George Crow
ther, Department of Agricul
ture inspector came from the
gardens of Loren Weiderkehr.
Crowther stated that other
shipments are expected to fol
low soon but that ample sup
plies will be limited and
shipments will be light for the
next week or 10 days.
Local Residents
Named to High
Legion Offices
The 37th annual Department
of The American Legion and
Auxiliary ended in Anchorage
last Saturday evening with a
a banquet held at the Idle Hour
country club.
New officers elected at the
convention were: Wardie King of
Anchorage, department com
mander; Robert Druxman, Auke
Bay, first vice-commander; Hom
er Stewart, Adak, second vice
commander; Drency Dudley,
Ketchikan, sergeant - at - arms;
Jack Lee, Skagway, chaplain;
John Kessel, Fairbanks, histori
an; A. L. Richer. Juneau and
Mrs. William Poe, Anchorage,
members of the executive com
mittee; Joseph N. Briones, An
chorage, adjutant finance offi
cer and service officer, and Ray
Lancaster, Palmer, judge advo
cate.
New officers of the Grand
Voiture Forty and Eight are
Richard Hardcustle, Ketchikan,
chef de gare; William Sanders,
Anchorage, cheminot nationale;
and A1 Trump, Seward, comis
voyageur.
Outgoing Auxiliary president,
Mrs. Foster Sims of Palmer was
elected American Legion Auxil
iary Department of Alaska na
tional committee worn an.
, Newly elected Department
president is Mrs. Charles Ten
gel of Sitka. Other officers in
clude Mrs. Carl F. Stoeckle, Sew
ard, first vice-president; Mrs.
Betty Sampson, Ketchikan, sec
ond vice-president; Mrs. Char
les J. Davis, Anchorage, secre
tary-treasurer; Mrs. Mary B.
Steelman, Palmer sergeant-at
arms; Mrs. Ellen Jones, Auke
Bay, historian; Mrs. Robert Kauf
mann, Anchorage, executive
committeewoman; Mrs. Stella
Janson, Cordova, chaplain and
Mrs. E. G. Bailey, Anchorage,
executive committeewoman.
Palmer delegates and depart
ment officers took active parts
in the convention. Outgoing
president Mrs. Sims presented
the Edith Davis traveling gavel
bell to the Auke Bay unit. The
Selma Smith cup for scrap books
was presented to the Petersburg
unit, and a standard of colors
was presented by Mrs. Sims to
the incoming president. Gifts
from several units were present
ed to Mrs. Sims in recognition of
her past year’s work as Depart
ment president.
Delegates to the convention
passed 16 resolutions, one of
which requests the removal of
race restrictions from the con
stitution of the Forty and Eight;
(Continued on page 5)
NOTICE
First half 1956 city and school district real and personal
property taxes are delinquent August 2, after which time
a penalty of 7% % plus interest of 1% per month will be
added. You are urged not to wait until the last day. The
office will close at 5 p.m. However, on Thursday evening
July 26. only, the tax office will be open from 6 P.M.
to 8 P.M. Mali or bring payments to Tax Collector,
Box 1757, located over the Bank.
WM. WAKELAND
Assessor-Collector
: NEW MILK RECORD SET DURING JUNE
TYPICAL LOCAL DAIRY HERD
Dairymen of the Matanuska
Valley set a new record for milk
production during the month of
June when they delivered over
one million pounds of milk to
the two bottling plants in the
area.
This represents, Jim Wilson,
commissioner of agriculture
pointed out, an 11 percent in
crease over the month of May
and 24 percent over June of
1955. Production is expected to
dceline from this high, he said,
but will continue at least 20
percent above a year ago.
During the past year six new
producers have started opera
tions and many young cows have
been imported to the valley. Per
haps the most spectacular im
portation was the 60 head flown
in from northern Utah this'sum
mer by Fred Grover and Bill
Sisco. The Alaska Department
of Agriculture’s records show
that as of January 1, 1956 there
were 1400 head of mature cows
and almost 900 young animals
on Matanuska Valley farms.
Milk is Alaska’s most valu
able farm product, Commission
er Wilson pointed out. More
than 12 million pounds having
been produced in the Territory
in 1955, with a farm value of two
thirds million dollars. Alaska’s
climate and soil are ideally
suited to the production of for
age crops, and dairy cattle thrive
under good management, he
stated.
AREA RECEIVED MORE
CANCER FUNDS THAN
COLLECTED IN 1955
Palmer area residents will be
asked to donate more generous
ly than ever to the campaign for
the Cancer Society, according to
Mrs. Stewart Durrant, campaign
chairman. The fund drive was
under way this week, with per
sonal appeals being mailed to lo
cal individuals, and colleltion
cans placed in businesses estab
lishments throughout the valley
area,
“Although the response to last
year’s campaign was splendid”,
Mrs. Durrant said, “far more
money was returned to this com
munity by the Cancer Society,
in the form of aid to cancer
victims in the Palmer area.
More than twice as much money
came to the valley area from the
Society as was raised locally
last year.”
According to Mrs. ourrant,
the Valley had more than their
quota of cancer victims since
July, 1955, and several of these
received help in the form of pay
ment for transportation to treat
ment centers in the States, as
well as funds to help pay for
treatments.
“We are happy to say that in
those cases which received treat
ment in time, we were able to
give aid to restore the patient to
health and normal life,” she ad
ded. “One of our most important
tasks is to encourage everyone
to seek medical aid at once, if
he suspects he might have can
cer. Early treatment is the first
step toward the cure of cancer.
One out of three cancers are cur
ed now—another third could be
cured if they went to their doc
tor in time.”
Mrs. Durrant also requested
that those residents who do not
receive a personal letter, giving
them the opportunity to donate
to the American Cancer Society,
send their donation anyway.
“Our mailing list is far from
complete, and we know we are
missigg many who would like to
donate," she explained. “The ad
dress is simply, “ ‘Cancer—Pal
mer, Alaska’.”
Visiting at the Butte home of
Dr. and Mrs. Lee McKinley are
Dr. McKinley’s parents, Mr. and
Mrs. J. G. McKinley of Tucson,
Arizona.
4-H CAMP SESSION
OPENS MONDAY AT
KING’S LAKE CAMP
Registrations for 4-H Cai\p,
which will be held at King’s
Lake July 23 to July 26, are
now being turned in at the Pal
mer Extension Office, according
to Mdrylou Rideout, registrar.
All registrations and medical
certificates must be turned in at
the office by Friday, she said.
Medical certificates are manda
tory and registration slips must
be signed by parents or guar
dians.
Lew Hanks, Extension Service,
will be camp director, assisted
by Mrs. Rideout, Mrs. Carol
Winey of the Anchorage office,
Mary A. Gallagher, College of
fidfc. Mary Robinson, home dem
onstration agent at Homer and
Ed Liebenthal, district agent,
Homer, and Lawrence Scholl, re
creation specialist in Alasak this
summer to help with 4-H’ers. A
number of 4-H leaders are plan
ning to assist with the camp
plans. Mrs. Jeanne O’Neill of
Sutton will be waterfront direc
tor.
Four-H campers will arrive
and register at camp between
2:00 and 2:30 p.m. Monday. The
original date for camp open
ing, July 22, was changed to
avoid confliction with the Civil
Defense exercise slated for that
date.
During their camping session
4-H’ers will be kept busy with
planned projects and programs,
including swimming, boating,
games, hikes, movies, cookouts,
and a variety of hand crafts.
Winding up the program on
Wednesday evening campers will
present skits in a stunt night
program. This is the only part
of the camping session which
will be open to the public. Other
phases of the session will be
limited to those only who are
registered for the camp. Visitors
will not be encouraged during
other times because of the busy
program being planned for the
registered campers.
Camping rules state that camp
ers may not leave the camping
area without permission of those
in direct charge of the group,
and that only those registered
for the session may participate
in the programs.
Four-H’ers are reminded that
(Continued on page 8)
Area to Participate in
CD Drill on Sun., July 22
NURSES NEEDED
AT LOCAL HOSPITAL
Several recent resignations
from the nursing staff at the
Valley Presbyterian Hospital
have placed additional work
loads on the remaining few,
according to the Association’s
quarter report made this
week. With the help of local
nurses who have generously
assisted at considerable sacri
fice to their families, every
crisis has been resolved. Any
one knowing of any nurse who
would like to work in Palmer
is asked to submit the name
and references to Mrs. Mari
on Mclntire, RN.
Second Suit
May Be Filed
In M.LA. Dispute
According to announcements
in the two Anchorage daily news
papers last night another court
suit, pertaining to officers of
the MEA, may be filed in Dis
trict Court; this one to test the
legality of the preesnt board of
directors or me xviaianusKa Elec
tric Association.
The news items quoted Mrs.
Justine Parks, as saying her at
torney will file suit in District
Court to test the legality of the
present board. She said R. B.
Graham, who with Mrs. Parks is
a disputed MEA director, will be
co-plaintiff and she was quoted
as saying a third, unidentified
MEA member will also take part
in the action.
The suit will charge James J.
Hurley, Harold Thuma, and C.
Ivan Branton. with “usurping and
illegally holding office”, Mrs.
Parks was quoted as saying. This
charge is similar to the one fil
ed against her and Graham in an
earlier filing by James Frey,
MEA member, following their re
fusal to give up their seats on
the MEA board of directors af
ter the annual membership
meeting in April. At that time
they stated they felt the elec
tion held at the April 16 meet
ing was not a valid election and
for that reason refused to seat
the above named three directors
who were elected by the mem
bership at the April meeting, and
who were again elected by the
membership at a special meeting
held in June.
Following the June 16 special
meeting Hurley, Thuma and
Branton took office and have
ben conducting MEA business
along with board members Phil
O’Neill of Sutton and Aaron
Combs of Wasilla.
The fact that a suit was pend
ing at the time of the June 16
meeting in which Mrs. Parks
and Graham were charged with
“usurping and illegally holding
office”, both felt that the special
meeting could not be held and
apparently for this reason do not
feel that the second election was
legal.
It will be recalled that at the
June 16 meeting the MEA mem
bership voted authorization to
John Shaw, attorney, to defend
any action against the newly
elected directors and to engage
co-council. Attorney John Radar
is filling this capacity on the An
chorage scene.
A review class in American
Red Cross first aid will be con
ducted Tuesday evening by Po
lice Chief Bernard Bouwens for
military personnel affiliated
with the Fish and Wildlife Ser
vice. Chief Bouwens recently
completed the first aid instruc
tor’s course and was awarded
his instructor’s card .
FLOWERS FOR ALL
OCCASIONS
Telegraph Delivery Service
MAUD'S FLOWER SHOP
; Theatre Bldg. Phone 3601
Greater Palmer civil defense
key personnel, and all Palmer
area radio, traffic control and
first aid workers, will meet to
night in the Valley theatre base
ment at 8 p.m. to discuss plans
for area participation in the
Civil Defense exercise to be
held Sunday, July 22.
Anchorage residents, includ
ing civilian as well as military,
will take part in the first mass
evacuation under the American
flag. The purpose of the exercise
is to guide Civil Defense plan
ning and to acquaint civilians
with evacuation procedures. The
drill is expected to begin some
time after 6 a.m. Motorists from
the Anchorage area will drive
along prescribed routes on the
Seward and Palmer highways.
All traffic will be moving on the
highways in double lanes of traf
. fie.
Civil Defense officials have
called the July 22 evacuation
drill the most important ever at
tempted in the Anchorage area.
Motorists will drive south from
Anchorage on the Seward High
way to 25 evacuation grounds in
the Portage-Girdwood area. El
mendorf, Fort Richardson and
Government Hill residents will
drive north along the Palmer
Highway to designated haven
areas in the valley.
Elmendorf residents will be
going north along the Glenn
highway as far as the Fishhook
Road. They will turn there and
go to designated haven areas
along Fishook road as far as
Wasilla Four-corners, a^ well as
along the Farm Loop road.
mner norm Douna residents
will turn at Kirk’s Sales and
Service corner, come down
through the City of Palmer along
Valley and Colony streets to safe
haven areas designated along
farm roads south of town.
Sole facilities on the grounds
will be latrines a ...drinking
water. Motorists have been ad
vised to carry a picnic lunch,
sealed containers of water, in
sect repellent, toilet paper and
a chamber pot for younger chil
dren.
Ed Fortier, deputy CD direc
tor, said that Sunday was chosen
for the drill to encourage great
er participation, interfere less
with construction and disrupt
less the normal working week.
An imaginary bomb contain
ing 100,000 tons of dynamite will
be dropped on Anchorage. For
tier said that distance from the
target would present the only
defense. The drill is expected to
last until about 2 p,m. Sunday
afternoon.
Locally, said A1 Hagen, CD di
rector of the Greater Palmer
area, motorists will be delayed
if they find it necessary to trav
el in the areas where traffic is
being controlled. For instance,
he pointed out, Butte area resi
dents attempting to travel to
Palmer may expect to be held
up if a line of traffic is passing
northbound. It will be possible
to drive into the Palmer area,
but motorists should allow them
selves plenty of time, he said. If
a double line of northbound
traffic is passing the Butte roads
it will be necessary for the mo
torist to wait until there is a
sufficient break in the line of
traffic to allow him to enter the
highway lane. Southbound traf
fic out of Palmer will be stopped
early Sunday morning and will
be under complete control of
military and territorial police,
assisted in CD areas by traffic
control personnel.
Anchorage radio stations
KENI, KFQD, and KBYR will
set up headquarters in the thea
tre basement and will be broad
casting the evacuation progress.
Radio operators will work with
military personnel in keeping
radio contact with units invol
ved in the drill.
Hagen requested that all resi
(Continued on page 8)
SPAGHETTI DINNER
ST. MICHAELS CHURCH
BASEMENT
Adults $1.50 Children 75c
JULY 21 — 5 to 7 P.M.
ALL YOU CAN EAT
Sourdough Bar
EILEEN STRICK &
BILL RUSNSK