The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
VOLUME 10, NUMBER 39
PALMER, ALASKA THURSDAY. JULY 18. 1957
PRICE TEN CENTS
STREET PAVING DELAYED UNTIL SPRING
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PLANS DISCUSSED
AT CHAMBER MEETING
James Hurley member of a
committee named by the Palmer
Board of Education to study the
feasibility of a Community Col
lege, or similar type of schooling,
for the Palmer area, told Cham
ber of Commerce members this
week that a survey is planned to
determine the amount of interest
in such a program.
In order to offer the public
such a program, Hurley pointed
out that many phases must first
be worked out. Financing on the
local level he said didn’t seem to
he to great a problem. He said
that the committee feels that a
sufficient tuition could be charg
ed to cover out-of-pocket expen
ses. The school district may be
able to “squeeze out” a little, he
added. He pointed out that the
University of Alaska will have
to be approached to participate
in the program if there is to be
a Community College here.
William Zahradnicek superin
tendent of schools pointed out
that attention has been given to
this problem for many years. He
pointed out that he would not
lorsee any problem in getting
qualified instructors. He added
that vocational funds are avail
able for agriculture and home ec
courses. He said that another
agriculture and another home ec
instructor was being added to
the high school this year and that
they could be worked into such
a program.
Clyde Sherwood, economics in
structor in the Anchorage Com
(Continued on page 8)
Boy Scouts Leave
For Camp on Sunday
Palmer Boy Scouts will be go
ing to Camp Gorsuch next week.
Transportation will be furnished,
with the Scouts to leave from
Legion hall at 2:30 Sunday, July
21
The Scouts will be living at
the camp in tents and will pre
pare their own meals under the
Troop and Patrol system.
They expect to return to Pal
mer sometime next Saturday.
SPECIAL MEETING
SET FOR FAIR BOARD
There will be a special meet
ing of the Matanuska Valley Fair
board of directors at the busi
ness office Monday evening, July
22 at 8 p.m.
VASES FOR YOUR
SUMMER
ARRANGEMENTS
9 Footed rose bowls
All sizes
# New Ceramics
• Milk Glass
Telegraph Delivery Service
MAUD'S FLOWER SHOP
Theatre Bldg. Phone 3601
Telegraph Delivery Service
ATTENTION!
ALL GARMENTS
2 for the 4
price of I
ON LIKE GARMENTS
Cash and Carry
BROWN’S CLEANERS
v v A' A'. -V- .V. -V- -V. -Y- -V- -V- -V- -V
I To Feature Lake George
Ice Cubes at Elks
Palmer Elks and their ladies
will have an opportunity Sat
urday night to swish Lake
George glacier ice around in
their refreshments if plans
iow afoot materialize. All Elks
are invited to attend "le “Gla
cier Party”. Ice taken from
glaciers is usually glass-clear
and because of a lack of oxy
gen, melts very slowly.
CANCER CAMPAIGN
OPENS IN VALLEY
The 1957 Cancer Campaign
opened in Palmer this week, with
Mrs. Stewart Durrant serving as
general chairman for the third
successive year. Mrs. Cy Brewer
is again serving as unit chair
man.
Appeal letters are being mailed
throughout the valley, and col
lection cans will be placed in a
number of public places as soon
as they arrive, Mrs. Durrant said.
Because the mailing list is quite
small it is expected that hundreds
of persons in the valley will not
be contacted in this manner.
Anyone wishing to make a dona
tion may do so by mailing a
check to “Cancer, Palmer, Alas
ka”.
During the campaign in 1956
over $700 was donated to the
fund in the local area. Mrs. Bre
wer said this week that it is hop
ed that this figure will be mat
ched or surpassed, this year.
“Funds collected during this
campaiga are for a three-fold
purpose” she pointed out. The
money is 'used to save lives
through research training and
cure for cancer; to educate the
public in seeking help as soon as
possible so that the cancer may
be cured; and for direct aid to
cancer patients.
During the past year one val
ley resident needed such assist
ance and received it through the
Cancer organization. Mrs. Brew
er pointed out that there are
people living in the valley today
who are alive and well because
of early treatment received
through help from the Cancer
Association.
Tax Penally, Interest
Explained by Assessor
An article and advertisement
that appeared in the June 20 is
sue of The Frontiersman pointed
out new, reduced maximum pen
alty and interest rates on delin
quent taxes, William Wakeland,
tax assessor-collector pointed out
tod^y. This new regulation was
adopted by the Territorial Legis
lation and the information came
from a rough draft of the bill,
which was all taxing authorities
had to go on, Wakeland said.
Recently, Wakeland said, Mrs.
Lucille Mick, secretary of the
League of Alaskan Cities, told
the assessor she had ferreted out
all amendments made late in the
session and discovered the maxi
mum penalty was put back to 15
percent, and maximum interest
back to 12 percent per annum.
Her report was substantiated,
he added, when two days later
a finished copy of the Bill reach
ed the assessor’s office. The law
now states the same maximums
that were printed on the 1957
School District and City tax bills.
One change, not appearing on
the tax bill, he added is that the
whole bill falls delinquent on
August 2 if the first half is not
paid on time. Penalty and interest
will then be charged on both
halves.
Action, Not Words,
Urged in Beautify
Palmer Campaign
“Let’s stop talking about clean
ing up [Palmer and get at it”, was
what members of the Palmer
Garden Club steering committee
said this week in their campaign
to beautify the Palmer area.
“Whatever we put our minds
to do, we can do. Let’s put our
minds on making our streets, al
leys, parkways, and lawns as free
of litter as our living room rugs
. . . and keep them that way”,
they said.
According to Dr. C. C- Bailey,
publicity chairman, it was sug
gested by the group that people
of each neighborhood do their
own cleaning up and that civic
organizations business associa
tions, churches, the garden club,
P-TA, and all neighborhood
groups that are interested in
making their surroundings clean
er and more attractive, join the
committee in a united attack on
dirt and disorder.
“This will be as we have said,
a continuing campaign”, they
said. “By working together we
can transform Palmer from a city
where trash accummulates in' the
gutters and papers blow across
town, to one where from any i
street one may look in any di
rection without seeing any sign
of litter”, they added.
Again the committee asked that
a member of the steering commit
tee or Palmer Garden Club be
contacted regarding all improve
ments macfe in the city during
the past year. All improvements,
large or small, will be included
in the report being sent for the
Look magazine national award
contest for improvements made
during the past year. This infor
mation must be ready to mail by
August 1.
Two More Girls
Enter Queen Contest
Two more valley girls have
registered for the Matanuska Val
ley Fair 1957 queen contest, ac
cording to Howard McCallister,
fair promotion manager. They are
Enola Scheibl and Audey Parks,
both of Palmer. Dorothy Loyer,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe
Loyer, who signed up last week,
was the first to register in this
year’s contest.
Miss Scheibl is the 18-year-old
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gust
Scheibl of Lazy Mountain area.
She was educated in the Palmer
schools and graduated from high
school with the class of 1957. j
Born in the valley March 29, 1939, -
Enola is the daughter of original
colonists who came here in 1935
and until a few years ago operat
ed a large farm. She is five feet,
two inches tall, weighs 125
pounds, has brown eyes and
short light brown hair. Her favor
ite hobbies are collecting stuffed
toy animals and souvenirs. She is
employed by Bert’s Drug Store.
Blue-eyed Audrey Parks also
is the daughter of original colon
ists and was born in the valley
July 14, 1941. She is now a mem
ber of the sophomore class in the
Palmer high school. Audrey is the
daughter of Don Parks of the
Butte area and is employed at
home assisting in the operation
of the family’s farm. She is five
feet, one inch tall and weighs 110
pounds. She wears her light
brown hair in a medium length
style. Her hobbies include horse
back riding, which she lists as
her favorite, swimming and skat
ing. Miss Parks is being sponsor
ed in the contest by the Matan
uska Valley Farmers Cooperat
ing Association.
Tickets sales were started this
(Continued on page 5)
V V V V V V V V v v v -V
GOOD WEATHER
MAY PRODUCE
HIGH SPUD YIELDS
The 1957 potato crop is 10 days
earlier than normal, according to
a report in the July issue of the
Alaska Market News. Given good
weather the balance of the sea
son heavy yields are anticipated,
said James Wilson, territorial
commissioner of agriculture.
Since April 15 potato stock in
storage have been selling at the
rate of 163 tons a week, accord
ing to the News. Stocks in stor
age in all areas on July 1 totalled
1000 tons, showing a drop of 1630
tons since the April date.
“At this rate”, Wilson reported,
‘ all the ’56 crop of potatoes
should be marketed on or before
September 1”.
“Cavalcade” Theme
Chosen for 1957
Flower Show
Members of the Palmer Garden
Club will sponsor their annual
flower show on August 4 at the
high school cafeteria, it was an
nounced this week. Flowers will
be on exhibit from 1:00 to 5:00
p.m. Persons planning to enter
displays are requested to get
them in between 9 and 11 a.m.
so that judging can be completed
between 11:30 a.m. and noon on
that date.
The theme for the 1957 show
will be “Cavalcade” and interest
ing titles provided for the various
sections indicate a very interest
that may be chosen for arrange
ting flower show. Among themes
ments in this group are “Colum
bus Sails”, in which the exhibitor
must use water lilies, ox eyes,
marsh marigolds, etc. or any
water-growing flowers, with
branches and water a part of the
picture.
Indian pottery or containers
and bright hued flowers, such
as asters, anemones, dahlias, etc.,
with foliage included, are to be
used in “Mound Builders”. “Land
ing at Plymouth Rock” may be
“'epicted by an arrangement of
driftwood, grasses, grass flowers,
and wild flowers, any color.
“Boston Tea Party” offers a
chance for arrangements in small,
large or unusual blue containers.
The “13 Colonies” are to be rep
resented by spring flowers, anti
que containers with 13 different
colors or assorted flowers, pan
sies, etc.
The “Midnight Ride of Paul
Revere” will be indicated in an
(Continued on page 8)
Valuable Equipment
Acquired by City
Surplus property acquired by
the City of Palmer the past few
months represents a sizeable fig
ure totalling $£>4,045.69 acquisi
tion cost to the government. Pur
chasing the equipment through
C-D surplus Palmer spent only
$4583.47, including freight, to ac
quire the following pieces of
equipment:
G.M.C. 6x6 truck, motors and
Dumps, pipe transite, Chevrolet
1%-ton truck, tools, drills, etc.,
Briggs and Stratton motor, engin
eer transite, Silent Glow heater,
conveyer 50-ft.x30-inch, Wauke
shaw motor, Ford industrial en
gine, Crysler industrial engine,
Chevrolet sedan, Cat D-8, Hobart
welder, asphalt kettle, trailer, of
fice safe, crane, back hoe, tank
car heater, road brush, loader
Barber Green, and miscellaneous
items.
All equipment not already in
working condition will be put in
good repair and utilized in the
various city departments.
'A '/ v v
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BRIDGE REPAIRS
TO CLOSE HIGHWAY
The Glenn highway, at the
Gulkana birdge, will be clos
ed intermittenly for two-hour
periods for the next three
weeks, according to M. C. Zim
merman, district engineer with
the Bureau of Public Roads.
The closures are necessary to
perform minor reconstruction,
he said.
LAKE GEORGE ON
ANNUAL TRIP TO SEA
The ice-locked waters of Lake
George were released sometime
late last Friday according to the
tail water indicator located at the
Eklutna Power project. Waters of
the Knik river have been rising
steadily since that time with the
crest anticipated by Marvin
Slaughter of the U-S.G.S. office
today or tomorrow.
Slaughter reported the famous
self-dumping lake located about
20 miles from Palmer, started its
annual grandiose performance
from 10 days to two weeks ear
lier than in the years the Survey
office has kept records of the
spectacle. In fact, Slaughter said,
it is „a month earlier than some
years. He said he believed the
early date was caused by the
lengthy spell of hot weather
which melted the glacier and
caused heavier run-offs of moun
tain streams than in past years.
Normal readings at the Knik
river bridge show a flow of about
six to seven feet. By Sunday mor
ning the river had gone up five
feet; by Monday seven. At the
present time the river is within
a few feet of the Knik bridge and
was measured this morning at
21.2 feet. The river usually rises
to 22 or 23 feet beneath the
bridge at the crest, Slaughter said.
BANK OFFICIALS
RE-ELECTED AT
ANNUAL MEETING
No change was made in the di
rectors or officers of the Ma
tanuska Valley Bank during the
stockholders’ and directors’ an
nual meetings held in Palmer
July 9.
Directors of the bank and the
office which they hold, are as
follows: Robert A. Baker, presi
dent; Harry J. Hill, vice presi
dent; James J. Hurley, vice presi-'
dent; Richard M. Jones, cashier,
manager; Keith Lesh, secretary;
and Ken C. Britt and Asa L.
iMartin, M. D., directors. Kyle I.
Turner holds the office of assist
ant cashier.
president Baker expresses his
and the other directors apprecia
tion of the support of the valley
people in helping make possible
the rapid growth which the bank
has enjoyed since its purchase in
1952.
During the meeting a contri
bution to the valley hospital was
approved.
Dinner and entertainment was
enjoyed at Elks hall, following
the meeting. The dinner was pre
pared by the Frontier Cafe.
DECISION MADE
FOLLOWING MEETING
OF CITY AND D.P.R.
Mayor Charles Wilson said this
week that street paving planned
by the City of Palmer and the
Bureau of Public Roads, has been
postpond until next spring, by
mutual agreement.
He pointed out that a number
of reasons entered into the de
cision. City and B.P.R. officials
met here last Thursday to discuss
the paving problem, and follow
ing lengthy discussions it was de
cided that all preparatory work »
will go ahead and that contrac
tors will be invited to bid on the
job this fall, with work to start
as early as possible in the spring.
“This will allow the contractors
time to look over the proposed
work before the freeze-up and be
in a better position to make a
good bid”, Mayor Wilson pointed
out.
Reasons brought out for the de
lay included length of time re
quired to advertise for bids; time
allowed a contractor to prepare
for the work; and the lateness of
the present construction season.
It was pointed out that many of
the contractors are tied up for
the balance of the season.
There still are mechanics of
the contract agreement between
the City and Bureau of Public
Roads that must be worked ouf,
Mayor Wilson said.
The mayor pointed out that
both the City and Bureau felt
there is yet time to call for bids
and permit the contractor to
start the road work, “but that
would mean that our streets will
be torn up from now until spring,
find we don’t want that”, he said.
The delay in the actual start
of construction will mean a far
better job than if we tried to
push the project through this
year, Wilson said.
Before the paving is completed
the City will have to make
changes in its parking regulations
and other requirements being
asked by the Bureau, he added.
Fire at Willow
Burns 10 Acres
The rain today has the fire
situation in the Willow ,area well
in hand. Forester Michael Leach
of the Palmer Fire Guard Station
said today.
A stand-by crew of three men
were on the fire until yesterday,
Leach said. Nineteen men were
put on the fire Thursday; seven
from Palmer, nine from the rail
road section crew and three from
Willow. Approximately 10 acres
were burned over, Leach said.
Smoke, which has hung over
the valley very densely this week
has drifted in from huge fires
at McGrath and Iliamna, Leach
said. It appears to be lifting to
day.
COMFORTABLE
Steam Heated Rooms
Hyland Hotel
2 blocks from Post Office
*#******tt**tt****-X-****#*
^*****************************^-***************-3HE
Caterpillar Work
See BILL NELSON for D-8 "Cat'' work, special
izing in land clearing and road building. We
also have giant breaker disc, scarifier and
angle blade.
WILL DO GOOD WORK AT REASONABLE RATES
Phone FR-3423
n a a n a a a a a
SMORGASBORD, ENTERTAINMENT, SATURDAY, IDLY 20
ART MARSH BEMEFiT BUILDING LOT TO BE AWARDED LEGION HALL - 8 P.M.