Dorothy M. bell, Editor
Palmer, Alaska
Published every Friday at Palmer, Alaska, for the Matanusku Valley
Farmers' Cooperating Association for the. purpose of giving news of the
Associations Work, Problems, and Accomplishmem;3,
BOX $I,OC SINGLE COPY ; 10^
SUBSCRIPTION BY MAIL #1,75
30 THE PEOPLE MAY KNOW
Wien the United States Government purchased land to provide homes
and business sites for the Mattmuskn Golcny in 1935.. a strip of load
considered suitable for an airport was included and provided for in the
original plans* The cost was ?jS7r.OO nr, acre and it was ceded to the
Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corporation to be held until needed for that
purpose.
About three years Inner tho C.C.C, surveyed the tract ana provided fu
funds and administration for the clearing of the trees and st'imps from
the land. All of this came from fund3 granted by tho TJ.U,. governmsnt,
and un^onWf'dly the understanding was that the land was being clear'd
for that purpose r-of eventually becoming an airport If .-it if. used for
any other purpose^- it will oe a violation of this agreements
Lest year, the neef ror the completion or an airport ,rox this vicin
ity was sensed by the citizens of the Matonuska Valley If maL’koija new
available ere to be reached by airplane,■» . ■ A start was made by forming
an Airport Association and studying the needs for the couple cion of the
field.
The local Grange sponsored the organization and-were supported by tha
American Legion and the Moose Lodge;, who.have a large mnjorit;^ of the
citizens of the Valley enroli.ed in their organization^. They also have
olenty of active support in this project.
Ov‘.r $1000. was raised by popular subscription, when the fact was r
ascertained that another strip of land.ad joining, was needed to make a
second runway so that an aliweather ?.nnding could be made to meet both
the Knik an^ Matanuska winds , The land was* secured in ■ short dims and
e association was now ready to do business 3ur.--wh.on the was
ked to release the land that had been set aside for that purpose the
Association struck a snags First, various objections trove voi-ed ’r; the
xecutives of the Corporation to the site and many reasons given is* to
hy it should be built elsewhere, Various aviGtibon experts were called
In to'build up the objections and prevent tho turning over of the land
in question.
So far no final conclusion-has been determined, but the fact is
uhdoubtedly, that unless the citizens Of the community contact officials
"higher up in "'ashington on'"’ elswhere, that the land will not be made
available to the citizens of this community* Letters will have to be
written to officials in Washington, our only source of appeal, and in
view cf cast experiences it.may take us a few months to get action* We
Slay fool reasonably,, however, that as soon as the facts are made avail
able to these officials that prompt action will be accorded the matter*
During the meantime all we can do is to watch the HDog in the manger*
and wonder how long this tract of lahdis to be used as a cow pasture .
instead of an airport. This delay is subjecting the farmers of the
Hatanuska Valley to the loss of.sales of their farm products, because
the only practical airfield that can be quidkly built is being denied ' x,
at the whim of certain professed friends of the poopjte f or reas ns
which we think we know about*--but are being held until the proper
time and place is found to make them known.
Carl Rasmussen