I The frontprsman '
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
VOLUME 10, NUMBER 26 PALMER, ALASKA THURSDAY, APRIL 18. 1957 PRICE TEN CENTS
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CO-OP APPARENT LOW
BIDDERS TO SUPPLY
RECOMBINED MILK
About 95 percent of the milit
ary recombined milk require
ments in this area for the coming
year will apparently be furnish
ed by the creamery department of
the Matanuska Valley Farmers
Cooperating Association, it was
announced this week by Clayton
Esslinger, Co-Op comptroller. The
Co-Op was apparent low bidder.
The contract which is subject
to increases or decreases, calls for
the following estimated amounts
of recombined milk per month:
Elmendorf Airforce Base: 570,
tOO half pints; 80,000 quarts; 30,
000 half-gallons.
Fort Richardson: 650,000 half
pints; 80,000 quarts; 30,000 half
gallons.
Whittier: 2800 quarts. The Al
aska Dairy is apparent low‘bid
der to supply 55,000 half pints
of recombined milk to Whittier.
CAR WRECKED; RAIL
DAMAGED IN CAR
ACCIDENT APRIL 13
A 1951 Chevrolet sedan, driv
en by Carlos Flores of Elmendorf
AFB, was a total loss following
an accident at Knik River bridge
Saturday evening. Two sections
of the guard rail were destroyed
when Flores failed to make the
turn. Territorial police, investi
gating officers, reported the ac
cident was caused by excessive
speed and inattentive driving.
Flores was charged with negli
gent driving.
Territorial police stated this
week that excessive speed is be
coming a great problem and that
enforcement of regulations will be
increased.
ELKS PLAN ANNUAL”
BUTTER CLAM FEED
Members of the Palmer B.P.O.
Elks lodge will hold their annual
butter clam feed on Saturday
night. A cocktail hour will be
held and dancing will follow the
feed. This event is for Elks and
their ladies only.
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: The public is notified i
: that the fire telephone j
(Pi-4444) is for the pur- j
: pose of reporting fires.:
; NO CALLS may
made to this number j
by the general public |
I to determine the loca- i
tion of a fire.
This WARNING is given j
: because of the need to i
: keep the fire line open j
at ALL TIMES in the;
event of simultaneous I
; fires.
CITY Of
Bartlett Bills
Would Exclude
10% Limitation
Two of five bills introduced by
Delegate Bartlett last week relate
to bonded indebtedness of munic
ipalites, public utility and school
districts in Alaska.
Under laws enacted in the ’30’s,
these bodies for construction of
public works may incur general
obligation bonded indebtedness
up to 10 percent of the assessed
valuation of their taxable proper
ty. In 1949 Congress enacted the
Alaska Public Works Act which
specified, as later upheld by the
Comptroller General of the Un
ited States that any bonded in
debtedness incurred under such
act could be undertaken without
regard to the 10 percent limita
tion on bonded indebtedness con
tained in the laws passed in the
’30’s.
The bills introduced this week
by Delegate Bartlett, one relating
to municipal corporations and the
other to public utility and school
districts, would exclude from the
10 percent limitation in the old
laws any indebtedness incurred
under the Alaska Public Works
.Act.
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Jack Hint Named
Colony Day Chairman
Jack Flint, Co-Op creamery
manager, has been named chair
man of the Colony Day celebra
tion being sponsored by the Ma
tanuska Valley Chamber of Com
merce. Pat Hemmer, one of the
original colonists, will assist
Flint with the program planning.
Flint reported to Chamber
members this week that the cele
bration will be aimed at honor
ing not only the original colon
ists, but the early-day settlers as
well. Tentative plans include a
parade, a brief ceremony at Col
ony Park, and the famous free
barbeque at the fairgrounds and
special events for entertainment.
Members of the Palmer Kiwanis
Club have made tentative plans
to hold a pancake fry on that day,
with proceeds to go to their
Youth Services fund.
MEMBERSHIP LEARNS
MEA RATE CUT
EFFECTIVE MAY I
Matanuska Electric Association
members learned at their annual
meeting April 13 that a new re
duction in electric rates will go
into effect May 1. The announce
ment was made by Aaron Combs,
association vice-president, during
his annual report. The new rate
has been approved by the Rural
Electrification Administration and
received unanimous support of
the membership. As previously
announced, the new rate will of
fer savings of about nine percent
for the home and farm user and
about 14 percent to commercial
users. The reduction was propos
ed by the MEA board of directors
following the findings of R. W.
Beck and Associates utility an
alysts and engineers, who had a
rate study for MEA early this
year.
Two controversial subjects
were brought up at the meeting.
The first was a request for the
MEA mailing list which would
be made available to charitable
organizations for contacts during
their annual campaigns. This re
quest had been made at two pre
vious membership meetings and
in both instances was turned
down. Following a discussion at
the April 13 meeting it was vot
ed to table the request.
The membership turned down
a request to make grants of $2,
000 each to Chugiak and Wasilla
territorial schools. This amount
was granted the two schools by
the membership last year, and
by oral reports from the super
intendents of the schools, the
funds were used for the purchase
of playground, gym, and lunch
room facilities not provided by
the territory. The funds were
paid out of the MEA education
fund, which is set aside by law
each year. MEA board member,
Harold Thuma, stated he felt
some of the publicity released to
the membership this past year
should have come out of the edu
cation fund, pointing out that the
law states the money shall be
used to advance the public educa
tion on cooperatives. Other com
ments made were that it is not
a good business proposition—that
(Continued on Page 8)
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Kiwanians Hear
Easter Message
The Rev. Malcolm Miner of All
Saints Episcopal Church in Anch
orage was guest speaker at the
April 15 meeting of the Palmer
Kiwanis Club. His topic was the
significance of Easter.
Also guests at the meeting were
the Rev. Philip E. Jerauld of St.
Mary’s Episcopal Church in Spen
ard and Jerry Brandenburg of the
First Alaska Investment Co. of
Anchorage.
STUDENTS TO NAME
YOUTH DAY
PARTICIPANTS
Students at the high school will
hold an election next week Tues
day to select those who will take
active parts in the National Youth
Day which is being sponsored in
(Palmer by the local Elks lodge
on May 1.
A special committee was nam
ed to pesent nrominations for the
various civic positions which will
be occupied on that day by the
students. Members of the student
council also will make nomina
tions.
RICHARDSON HIGHWAY
OPEN TO TRAFFIC
The opening of the Richardson
highway to traffic from the
junction end to Big Delta was
announced effective April 14 by
officials of the Bureau of Public
Roads. This section of the high
way has been closed to traffic
since December, 1956
MAYOR WILSON PRESENTS 21 ITEMS FOR COUNCIL STUDY
Mayor Charles Wilson present
ed 21 items to members of the
City Council for their study and
action during a special meeting
held on April 16. These items are
as follows:
Select an Engineer to handle
the engineering phases of the
street paving project not to be
done by the Bureau of Public
Roads.
Change alignment on Rail
road Street to keep roadway off
railroad right-of-way insofar as
possible up to Park Avenue.
Clean up city owned lots as an
example to other property own
ers.
Work out a schedule and loca
tion for street drainage on all
city streets before next winter.
Develop and carry out a street
maintainance program.
Clear and grade Park Avenue
from Walker Street to Snodgrass
Street.
Enforce health, safety and fire
provisions of City Code and order
clean up or fence hazard areas.
We need an ordinance more
clearly defining subdivision pro
visions of Planning Commission.
Attempt to secure street right
of-way east of railroad right-of
way in north Palmer as a prere
quisit to improving a street in
that area.
There are a number of streets
shown on City maps which have
not been named. Consideration
should be given to naming these
streets and reviewing names
shown on the map with a view to
renaming some of them.
Cut through, grade and im
prove the short street leading
from Valley Street to Colony
Street approximately 800 feet
north of Wasilla Avenue.
Determine the streets to be
graveled with gravel taken from
Valley Street.
Connect water line from Walk
er Street to Snodgrass on Park
Avenue.
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Connect water line from Rail
road Street to Walker on Coop.
Avenue.
Speed up the work of the
Planning Commission, especially
connected with zoning.
Do something to activate the
Board of Health.
Formal acceptance of City Park.
(This was done)
Work with the Coop, and
churches to get something done
on off street parking in church
areas.
Cut street through from Mat
anuska to Bailey Hill streets and
gravel.
Run water line over to the Li-,
brary Building.
Consider some major changes
in all departments of City gov
ernment.
“It is not expected that these
things can be done today or this
month” the Mayor said, “but
everyone of them needs atten
tion as soon as we can get to
them. I present them to indicate
a need for some thinking and
planning between council meet
ings and regular attendance.”
(SPRINGTIME IS BEAUTY
TIME — May we make an
appointment for your Easter
or Style Show Hair do?
VALLEY BEAUTY SHOP
LAVONNE JOHNSON
Phone 3043
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Economic Consultant
Speaks on Proposed
Survey in Valley
Ralph Browne, economic con
sultant from Anchorage, was
guest speaker at the April 17
meeting of the Matanuska Valley
Chamber of Commerce- The con
sultant was invited to speak to
the group relative to a proposed
agriculture and industrial poten
tial survey of the valley area.
Browne * pointed out to the
membership that there are sev
eral manners in which such a
survey or study may be made,
the choice would depend on the
amount of money available for
such a study and the amount of
time available for completion.
He pointed out it would be
possible to hire a research team
from the States. Also assistance
from the Alaska Development
Board could be sought although
he pointed out that only one such
survey has been done by ADB in
the past three years because of
limited funds. Another method
would be the formation of a local
group which with proper guid
ance, could be successful in gath
ering the necessary information.
He complimented the Chamber
of Commerce committee which is
working on industrial potentials
in the valley for the work they
have already accomplished. He
reminded members that there is
considerable competent talent in
the valley. “You have several fed
eral and territorial agencies here
from which you could seek help”,
he said. He suggested there are
several possibilities here but de
clind going into the subject too
far without background informa
tion. However, he did suggest that
the use of thermo power should
be investigated. He pointed out
that the ADB might be able to
assist the Chamber in such a sur
(Continued on page 8)
CO-OP STARTS BIG
PAINTING PROJECT
Preparatory work was started
in the M.V.F.C.A. housing area
this week for the major over-all
painting project which the Co
Op hopes to have completed by
the end of May. The Co-Op’s pro
ject is one of the largest yet an
nounced in the Palmer Garden
Club’s program to beautify Pal
mer. It is expected that the
houses will be of various colors
which will make the area one of
the most attractive in the city.
Dr. C. C. Bailey, -publicity
chairman for the Garden Club’s
project commitee said this week
that a steering committee has
been formed and each person will
have a specific project assigned
to them and that the commitete as
a whole will work with the Pal
mer City Council in the area
wide project to make Palmer the
most attractive city in Alaska.
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I GIFT ITEMS AND FINE
china !;
CHOICE IVORY, JADE,
HEMATITE j!
NATIVE ARTS & CRAFTS j
TREASURE CHEST
Wasilla Rd. <;
SUNRISE SERVICES
TO OPEN LOCAL
OBSERVANCE SUNDAY
Holy week services have been
conducted in many of the valley
churches this week and will con
tinue through Easter Sunday.
Tonight services will be held
at St. Michael’s Catholic Church
at 6 p.m.; at the Church of God
services will start at 7:30; and
services at the United Protestant
Church and St. John’s Lutheran
Church will begin at 8 p.m.
On Good Friday there will be
no school. Churches planning
special programs are the United
Protestant Church where the
classic film, “Kings of Kings” will
be shown first at 2 p.m. and again
at 8 p.m.; Sutton Community
Church will have a special ser
vice at 7:30 p.m. in which mem
bers of the Church of God will
participate; and a mass of the pre
sanctified will be held at St.
Michael’s Catholic Church at 6
p.m.
' At the Highway Church of God
Friday evening an Easter egg
treasure hunt will be held for all
children of the church. The party
will begin at 7:30 pm.
On Saturday the traditional
Easter egg hunt will be held at
Sutton by the Sutton Community
Church and Easter vigil services
will be held at St. Michael’s
Church at 7:30 p.m.
Easter morning services will be
held in all churches throughout
the valley, strating with union
sunrise services at the Church of
God on Matanuska Street at 6:30
a.m. and at St. John’s Lutheran
Church at 6 a.m. The union ser
vices will consist of special music
with the Church of God choir
presenting selections from “Por
tals Everlasting”, their Easter
cantata; selections from the jun
ior choir of the United Protestant
Church under the direction of
, Gloria Wilson, and a violin solo
by the Rev. Bertram Rutan.
Speakers will be representatives
from each participating church
and childrens’ home. The theme
will be “What Easter Means to
Me”. Light refreshments will be
served in the social hall follow
ing the service. There will be a
visual presentation of colored
slides on the resurrection shown
at St. Johns Church during the
sunrise service following which a
breakfast will be served in the
church social hall by men of the
church.
Worship services will be held
at the regular hours in all chur
ches except the United Protestant
Church where two services will
be held, the first at 9 a.m. and
the second at 11 a.m. and at St
Michaels Catholic Church where
(Continued on Page 8)
P ATTENTION! j
j ALL CLEANING jj
jj J for the 4
j! L price of I
ON LIKE GARMENTS
Cash and Carry
| BROWN’S CLEANERS jj
Saturday Night April 20
j| ELKS ANNUAL BUTTER CLAM FEED
Cocktail Hour-Dancing
Elks and Their Ladies Only
DANCING TOZL, BLUE NOTES, ”17' PALMER BAR