' ' ALASKA H
/ LIBRARY
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VOLUME 10, NUMBER 25 PALMER, ALASKA THURSDAY. APRIL 11. 1957 PRICE TEH CENTS
V
POSTAL SERVICE
MAY BE CURTAILED
POSTMASTER SAYS
Curtailment of several services
in U. S. Post Offices have been
announced by the Postmaster
General, Notice was received this
week by Postmistress Beatrice
Huntley in a postal bulletin.
The Postmaster General’s state
ment said, “Because of factors be
yound the control of the Depart
ment, sufficient funds are not
available to provide normal ser
vices during the final quarter of
the fiscal year ending June 30,
1957.
The following general curtail
ments will be made effective as
stated, unless funds become avail
able:
Commencing April 13 post of
• fices will be closed to the public
on all Saturdays and Sundays.
Effective April 13 all city, vill
age, and rural delivery service
will be discontinued on Satur
days.
No third class mail, except cer
tain medical items, will be ac
cepted effective April 29.
Window service at post offices,
except fourth class offices, will
be limited to 8% hours per day
beginning April 15.
The issuance of money orders
will be suspended at all offices
of the first and second class ,ef-„
fective April 29. This will effect
the Palmer (Post Office, which is
second class.
Mrs. Huntley said this week
that as far as can be determined
the new regulations will go into
effect in the Palmer Post Office
on those dates designated. Only
if other directives are received
will there be any changes in the
new regulations.
MORE ALASKA ROADS
UNDER RESTRICTIONS
Two additional road restric
tions were announced this week
by officials of the Bureau of Pub
lic Roads.
Effective April 8 road restric
tions limiting gross axle loads to
50 percent of normal and speeds
to 35 miles per hour went into
effect on the Glenn Highway1
from Mile 118 to Glenallen Junc
tion and on the Richardson high
way from Valdez to Junction Inn.
Alsp, effective tomorrow, April
12, the same restriction will be
in effect on the Glenn highway
from Junction Inn to the Little
Tok River and on the Richardson
highway from Junction Inn to
Paxson.
( COMFORTABLE \
1 warnIg I
' The public is notified;!
;! that the fire telephone jj
jj (PI-4444) is for the pur- i|,
jj pose of reporting fires, jj
;! NO CALLS may be jj
j j made to this number :j
""i
Anchorage Chamber
Backs Local Mental
Health Committee
The Anchorage Chamber of
Commerce, through its board of
directors, this week voted to sup
port the Matanuska Valley Men
tal Health Hospital steering com
mittee’s request to Dr. Charles
Hayman that a meeting be held
before the final decision is made
for the location of a mental health
hospital in Alaska.
Four members of the steering
committee, James Hurley, Rich
ard Jones, Ed Smith and Marvin
Slaughter attended the Anchor
age Chamber’s meeting this past
Monday. The committee’s reqeust
asks that Dr. Hayman, acting
commissioner of health, meet
with the steering committee be
fore final plans are made. It is
the hope of the committee that
they will be able to show the ad
vantages in locating such a hos
pital away from large urban
areas, such as Anchorage or Fair
banks.
The letter sent to Dr. Hayman
was in part as follows: “ . . . the
people of the Matanuska Valley
are concerned over the apparent
lack of consideration given by the
Alaska Department of Health to
the location of the Alaska Mental
Health Hospital in other than ur
ban areas ...” The letter contain
ed several reasons why the com
mittee feels such consideration
must be given to the chosen site.
In requesting the meeting Dr. C.
C. Bailey, chairman of the steer
ing committee, wrote Dr. Hay
man, “. . . we believe that your
department, as a unit of our ter
ritorial governemnt, owes this
community, as well as other peo
ple of Alaska, an explanation as
to why the foregoing advantages
should not be sufficient to estab
lish the hospital outside of urban
' Anchorage or Fairbanks.”
STUDENTS TO “HOLD
OFFICE” ON MAY I
On Wednesday,v May 1, the en
tire Order of Elks will unite in
the .observance of Elks National
Youth Day. In Palmer the Elks
. lodge plans a full day of events
during which high school stu
dents will sit in on all offices
and positions of the city govern
ment and operation. In addition
two “territorial police officers”
will be named to serve in that
position on that day.
Youth Day is an Elk affair and
is held to honor young people for
their achievements and contribu
tions to the democratic way of
life.
The theme of this year’s Elks
National Youth Day is “Let’s
Make it American”. Guided by
that slogan, the program will be
planned to clearly demonstrate
democracy’s aims for its youth:
to encourage their individuality,
initiative and leadership ability
and to aid them in every way in
the development of their God
given talents so that they may be
better equipped to assume the re
sponsibilities of citizenship in a
free society. It will show how this
contrasts vividly with the regi
mented brain washing by which
communism seeks to fashion all
youth into factless and spiritless
pawns of the state.
Plans for the National Youth
Day program include a procla
mation by Palmer’s mayor, Char
les Wilson; organizing a student
government day giving youths an
opportunity to sit in with local
officials for the day; arranging a
public meeting and other plans
which will be announced as the
program progresses.
FOR FAST RESULTS TRY A
FRONTIERSMAN CLASSIFIED
Area Churches Plan
Pre-Easter Programs
Churches throughout the valley
area are planning several pro
grams and services in observance
of the holy week. Palm Sunday
services will be held on April 14,
special pre-Easter services are be
ing planned and the film, “King
of Kings” will be shown on the
afternoon of Good Friday.
The Palmer Board of Educa
tion has declared a school holiday
on Good Friday so that students
may attend church services.
The public is invited to attend
any of the many services being
planned in the following valley
churches.
Sutton Community
Pre-Easter services are being
planned at the Sutton Commun
ity Church April 17, 18, and 19.
The Rev. James E. Austin field
representative, Church of God,
will be the speaker. Special music
will be included in the services,
with Mrs. Esther Cantley as pian
ist. Rev. Austin will offer the j
special Easter messages. Services
will be held each evening, start
ing at 7:30. On Saturday morn
ing, April 20, the traditional
Easter egg hunt will get under
way at 11 a.m. for all children of
the Sutton community. Those
participating are asked to take
three hard-boiled colored eggs.
There will be prizes in various
catagories. On Easter Sunday
members of the church are invit
ed to participate in the union Sun
rise Services which will be held
at the Church of God in Palmer
at 6:30 a.m. The Rev. A. B. Com
pton will offer “Life” as his ser
mon topic at the Easter morning
services at 11 a.m. in the Sutton
Community Church. Special mus
ic will be presented.
. Church of Christ
Regular services will be held
at the Church of Christ in Palmer
on Palm Sunday, with the Rev.
J. H. Davis bringing the mes
sage. Services start at 11 a.m.
Bible school will start at 9:45
a.m. under the supervision of
Francis Henry, and the youth
program will start at 6:00 p.m.,
(Continued on Page 8)
TERRITORIAL POLICE
TIGHTENING UP ON
CAR REGISTRATIONS
Senate Resolution No. 6, pass
ed by the Territorial Legislature
on IMIarch 23, directs the Depart
ment of Territorial Police to in
crease their efforts to secure com
pliance with the Territorial law
requiring the registration in Al
aska of all vehicles owned and
operated by residents of the terri
tory.
A “Resident” is defined in Al
aska law as any person who is
gainfully employed within the
Territory of Alaska or any per
son who resides in Alaska for a
period of 90 days, whether or not
gainfully employed. These per
sons are required to secure Alas
ka vehicle registration and licen
se plates for their automobiles.
The only persons exempted
from this requirement are mem
bers of the U. S. Armed Services
who are in active duty in Alaska.
Dependents of military person
nel are not exempt from this re
quirment if the vehicle is regis
tered and titled in their name.
Superintenctent A. P. Brandt
has announced that all officers
of the Territorial Police have
been directed to issue citiations
to persons who evade their re
sponsibility to secure Alaska li
cense plates.
FIRE CHIEF WARNS
OF FIRE DANGERS
Volunteer firemen were called
out on Teusday of this week but
were not needed when they ar
rived at their destination. Per
sons burning grass were unable
to keep it under control and a
small fire had started around
the barn.
Fire Cheif Joseph Gallant this
week warned home owners, in
and out of the city, of the dangers
in burning off dry grass. “It may
look like a small job that you
can handle yourself”, Chief Gal
lant said, “but circumstances have
a way of changing the picture.
(Continued on page 5)
----- ---
Members of the Palmer City
Council held a regular meeting
on April 9. Present were Mayor
Charles W. Wilson, and Council
men Alfred Hagen, William Zah
radnicek, Ray Lancaster, Char
les Logsdon and Jan Koslosky.
Councilman Robert Peterson was
absent. This was the first regular
meeting of the Palmer City
Council that has been held this
year. All other meetings have
been special meetings, usually be
cause a quorum was not avail
able for regular meetings.
* * *
Council members approved the
transfer of the liquor license at
the Sourdough Bar from Glen
and Catherine Burnett to Billy
and Ruby Miller and Bob Barton.
* * *
William Wakeland, tax asses
sor-collector, presented a list of
tax roll changes which were ap
proved by the Council.
* * *
Council members voted to pur
chase two lots next to the city
building from the A.R.R.C. The
purchase price is $750 each lot.
* * *
The water well that is causing
trouble at the reservoir will be
tested to determine present con
dition and necessary repairs.
* * *
Inadequate garbage collection
in the city was discussed at
length and the possibility of the
city taking over the service was
proposed. At the present time the
city has a contract with an indi
vidual. However numerous com
plaints about inadequate service
brought about the discussion dur
ing which Council members stat
ed the contract must either be liv
ed up to or terminated.
* * *
Mayor Wilson state that any
one having old car wrecks they
wish to dispose of may have them
hauled away from their property
free of charge by a group of
residents of the Butte area who
are using them along the river
bank to prevent erosion.
* * *
City officials voted to partici
pate in the National Youth Day
program being planned by the
P^mer Elks for May 1. Students
of the Palmer High School will
sit in with all city officials on that
date and help “run” the city.
* * *
Bills approved for payment in
cluded $1,027-86 from the general
fund and $658.64 from the water
fund.
* * *
The City of Palmer budget for
the 1956-57 fiscal year was ap
proved as presented by the bud
get committee. Anticipated rev
enue amounts to $105,318.41 of
which $63,000 is expected from
city sales tax. The next largest
source of income is $15,000 from
(Continued on Page 8)
Palmer Girl Wins
Territorial
Essay Contest
Karen Splettstoezer, sophomore
at Palmer High School, and
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roman
Splettstoezer of Palmer, has been
named Territorial winner in the
annual American Legion AuxiH
iary. Americanism essay contest:
Mrs. Ann Demming, local Auxil
iary Americanism chairman, was
notified of the contest winner by
Mrs. Dagmar Davis of Cordova,
Department chairman, Americafi
ism committee.
Robin Nieman, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Bernard Nieman placed
first in the contest in Palmer and
Miss Splettstoezer second. Both
entries were submitted to the
Department contest from which
Miss Splettstoezer emerged the
winner.
Bill Hamlin, son of Mr. and
Mrs. James Hamlin, placed first
in the junior group of essay writ
ers and Claus Jade, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Bernard Jade of Palmer
placed second.
Local awards will be made to
the four winners in exercises
next month, Mrs. Demming said.
Band and Chorus
Spring Concert
Tomorrow Night
Students of the Palmer High
School chorus and band will pre
sent their annual combined spring
concert in the gym at Central
School tomorrow night, starting
at 8 p m. This entire concert will
be presented to the public free
of charge and all parents and
friends are especially invited to
attend.
Numbers to be presented by the
groups include those that will be
played at the Western Alaska
Spring Festival which will be
held in Anchorage April 26 and
27.
The chorus is under the direc
tion of Mrs. Lois Weldon; the
band under Lee Plumbley, band
master.
Kiwanians to Tour
White Alice Site
Members of the Palmer Kiwan
is Club and their wives will be
given a conducted tour of the
White Alice project near Wasilla
this Saturday afternoon. The vis
itors will be accompanied on their
tour of the installation by Walter
J. Gutman site supervisor, and
John E. Croul, Jr., safety and
security supervisor. The site vis
itors will meet at the project at
2 p.m.
Palmer Kiwanians voted to
adopt the care of the valley hos
pital lawn this summer and will
keep it mowed and in shape dur
ing the season.
Guests at the April 8 meeting
of the club included Max Cle
ments, MTA manager, and A. C.
Wilton, agronomist at the Experi
ment Station.
Kiwanians Richard Jones, Ed
Smith, Jim Hurley, and Marvin
Slaughter attended the Anchor
age Chamber of Commerce meet
ing as members of the Mental
Hospital Steering Committee and
spoke to the group on locating the
mental health hospital in a sub
urban area.
\ GIFT ITEMS AND FINE j
\ CHINA \
> CHOICE IVORY, JADE, )|
} HEMATITE \\
j NATIVE ARTS & CRAFTS
TREASURE CHEST i;
Wasilla Rd. !;
THREE DIRECTORS
TO BE NAMED
BY MEMBERSHIP
Mem|>ers of the Matanuska
Electric Association will hold
their annual meeting Saturday
flight, April 13 at the school gym
in1 Palmer. Although the meeting
is slated to begin at 8 p.m., regis
tration will be necessary and
members are urged to arrive
early. Registration will start at
7 p.m.' and a GE “Mobile-Maid”
electric dishwasher will be
awarded as a door prize to some
member who has registered at the
meeting.
Eight area residents have been
nominated for vacancies on the *
MEA board of directors* These
dominations were made March 5
by a committee named by the
directors. Three terms of office
will expire at the annual meeting. "
Nominated were fFhil O’Neill of
Sutton, present association presi
; dent; Aaron Combs, vice-presi
dent, of Wasilla; and C. Ivan
Bran ton who was elected last
year to complete the term of of
fice vacated by Charles W. Wil
son. Also named were Vic Falk,
Jr., of Butte; Carl Steeby of Chu
giak; Martin Olsen of Wasilla;
and Barney Anderson of Palmer.
! Additional nominations may be
made from the floor by the mem
bership.
Members are reminded that
they must register in order to
vote. Those unable to attend the
meeting may appoint another
member as his proxy. That mem
ber will have the right to vote
the proxy on all matters pertin
ent to the MEA which come up at
the annual meeting. Only one
membership may be held by each
person but both a husband and
wife may jointly hold a member
ship if both have signed the mem
bership application. However
reither may vote, but not both.
Annual reports will be present
ed by MEA officers as well as by
Cy Brewer, MEA manager. Dur
ing the reports memebrs will hear
the auditor’s report regarding
I MEA finances; progress reports
| regarding the MEA system, and
others.
Directors of the Association
have urged all members to at
tend and take part in their asso
ciation business.
[SPRINGTIME IS BEAUTY- !;
TIME — May we make an !
appointment for your Easter |
hair do? j!
VALLEY BEAUTY SHOP !;
LAVONNE JOHNSON
Phone 3043
| Ballroom Dancing ij
| CLASSES ARE FORMING «| *'
| FOR JUNIORS, HIGH
| SCHOOLERS AND ADULTS !;
See News Item on Page 3
\ LOTS OF EASTER LILIES
J AND CUT FLOWERS
> for arrangements and corsages *\
MAUD'S FLOWER SHOP ij
\ Theatre Bldg. Phone 3601 J;
fTmimoFri
I ALL CLEANING
ij! 1 for the 4
l!| L price of I j
ON LIKE GARMENTS
Gash and Carry
j BROWN’S CLEANERS jj
DANCING TO THE BLUE NOTES,
SATURDAY NIGHT
APRIL 13
PALMER BAR