ALASKA HISTORICAL
LIBRARY
JUNEAU
_ * Vn&KU
FRONTIERSMA
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
VOLUME 10, NUMBER 37
PALMER. ALASKA TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1957
PRICE TEN CENTS
GOVERNOR STEPOVICH TO VISIT PALMER
RESIDENTS REMINDED
OF SPECIAL MEETING
REGARDING AWARD
Palmer residents, and other in
terested persons, are reminded of
the special meeting being held at
the Extension office tonight at
S o’clock to discuss the possibility
■of Palmer becoming eligible for
an annual award given by Look
magazine. The annual awards are
given to communities where im
provements are made in residen
tial areas and" civic and business
improvements made that effect
residential areas.
All members of the original
group which met to plan the
■“Beautify Palmer” project, are
especially urged to attend. If un
able to attend, representatives of
organizations are urged to send
an alternate to the meeting.
ALASKA OIL VENTURE
EXPLAINED AT MEETING
A number of valley residents,
interested in the proposal being
offered by the Koslosky Develop
ment Company, attended a meet
ing held at Elks hall last night
and heard of the plans being
made by the company.
The Koslosky Development
Company is a cooperative oil and
gas leasing venture in Alaska.
Seventy-eight leases will be un
itized on land selected by William
T. Foran, geologist. Plans of the
company were presented by Har
old Koslosky and Herb Hilscher
. of Anchorage. Jan Koslosky of
Palmer acted as meeting chair
man.
It was reported that about 50
percent of the leases have been
taken up by interested persons,
and^ that the offer to the public
could be wound ’/p within a few
weeks. The geologist may be con
tacted at his office in The Hub,
Anchorage.
LEGION PICNIC
SET FOR SUNDAY
All members of Tha American
Legion Auxiliary are reminded
of their annual picnic which this
year will be held at Duff’s Lake,
starting at 2 p.m. on July 7.
Games for the children, as well as
adults, are being planned, with
Bill Sharrell, Mike Leach, Ron
Mclntire, and Don Malson in
charge of events for the men and
children and Dick Demming and
Ed Smith in charge of the wo
mens’ events.
Each family is asked to take
their own jnipnic lunch. Pop, cof
fee. and ice cream will "he fur
nished.
All Legionnaires and their fam
ilies are invited to attend. Signs
will be erected on the Finger
Lake road indicating the road to
Duff’s Lake.
WHAT A CAST!
Some fisherman (or woman)
has a mighty powerful cast, as
evidenced by a fishing lure which
was entangled in the telephone
lines near Green Acres. Max
Clements, MTA manager, said he
has recovered many odd items
from telephone lines but this was
his first fishing lure.
I ATTENTION!
| ALL CLEANING j
I; 1 for the 4
i; L price of I :
ON LIKE GARMENTS
Gash and Carry
! BROWN’S CLEANERS!
- ---- -----
Public Invited to
Chapel Dedication
Wednesday, July 10
The public is cordially invited
to attend the dedication services
to be held at the newly-complet
S. Dil worth Young
ed chapel of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, on
Wednesday, July 10, at 8 p.m.
The dedicatory prayer will be
offered by S. Dilworth Young of
Salt Lake City Utah, one of the
general authorities of the church.
Also attending with President
Young will be President Douglas
H. Driggs of the Northwestern
States Mission, Portland, Oregon.
The Palmer chapel has been
erected and furnished at an ap
proximate cost of $100,000. The
building contains a chapel, seven
classrooms, a kitchen, and a rec
reation room which is complete
with stage and other facilities.
Ground was broken for the erec
tion of the structure on June 15,
1955, with the actual construc
tion beginning on August 8 of
that same year.
The chapel, recreation hall and
other rooms have been equipped
with a sound system so that over
flow crowds may be accommo
dated at large gatherings.
RARE ELECTRIC
STORMS HIT VALLEY
Electric storms, very rare in the
valley, did little damage during
the past few days, according to
Cy Brewer of the Matanuska El
ectric Association. Some residents
of the Alpine area, where the
i lightening seemed to be the most
severe, were without power for
a short time when a sectionalizer
was hit. Brewer said about six
fuses were blown by the lighten
ing strike. Max Clements, man
ager of the Matanuska Telephone
Association, reported the auto
matic equipment, operated by
power, cut over onto battery op
peration, so that telephones were
not affected.
Brewer remarked that the
slight fluctuations noted in the
power during the storms show
the improvement of using the
breaker system as against the fuse
system formerly used by MEA.
“Were we still on fuses, every
one of those ‘bumps’ would have
meant a power failure”, he point
ed out.
The MEA manager said that no
serious damage was done during
the storms but that apparently
it could. He said that lightening
arrestors will be installed on the
larger transformers as well as at
the sub-station. He suggested that
residents especially of the Alpine
rea, might be thinking of ground
ing their television lead-in wires
and radio antennas, if located
outside the house.
”?memTe
CHAIN saw
BROOK’S EQUIPMENT
Springer Loop,
Phone PI-2195
EVERY YEAR
FOR LIFE
I Just come in today, have a
| free demonatration of the
[ HomeSite EZ-6 or 6-22
chain aawa and register.
Yoti may win the grand
prise of a chain aaw of your
choice every year for life or
one of these new 6-horse
power Power Twins being
f;iven away by the Hcme
ite District Office.
Don ’t delay Come in today.
I---I
I CITY OFFICE TO
CLOSE JULY 4, 5
The office of the Palmer ;j
City Clerk will be closed on ;>
Thursday July 4 and again on \
Friday July 5. It will be open
again for business on Mon-><;
day, July 8. !;
’57 THUNDERBIRD
TO BE FAIR PRIZE
A 1957 Ford Thunderbird will
be the big prize in the queen con
test this year, it was announced
by Howard McCallister, Fair pro
motion manager. Arrangements
to secure the car are being made
through Hartley Motors, Inc., of
Palmer. Other valuable prizes
will be added to the list as soon
as determined, he said. The queen
contest is slated to get under way
July 10, and the prizes will be
awarded to lucky queen support
ers the final night of the fair.
All valley girls, between the
ages of 15 and 26 years, are in
vited to enter the queen contest.
Girls must not have been mar
ried, must have lived in the ter
ritory for at least six months and
must reside in one df the valley
areas: Palmer, Wasilla, Sutton, or
Chugiak.
Contestants will receive 10 per
cent of all ticket sales made on
their first 500 tickets; in addition,
15 percent will be paid on all
tickets sold above that amount
and a $25 bonus will be paid as
well as $50 toward picture and
poster expenses. Other valuable
awards are being worked out for
each candidate who qualifies for
final judging.
M. D. Snodgrass, fair agricul
ture manager, said this week that
even the weather is working in
our favor. Grain crops are grow
ing an inch a day and daily
showers around us give promise
on a bountiful crop, he pointed
out.
The fairgrounds are taking on
great activities, he said, and re
ported the management feels sure
that with the loyal help of all
the former exhibitors and the
newcomers to this area the 1957
Matanuska Valley Fair will far
surpass any farm show ever at
tempted in Alaska.
Space for livestock will be
doubled this year, he said. Prize
calves, colts, pigs, sheep and goats
.vill be shown; prize winner cal
ves shown last year will be on
hand and special prizes in the
junior classes will attract a larger
class of competition than ever, he
speculated.
;■ A mare and foal will be a new
feature; single entries of colts
under «ix months will be a big
class, he said. These colts must
be halter broken and shown by
their owners. Showmanship will
be awarded in these classes, Man
ager Snodgrass said. “Have your
horses, colts and calves well used
to halters”, he suggested to the
junior exhibitors.
Another new feature will be
the swine division where pen
managment and hurdle handling
will be demonstrated if enough
interest is shown. Canvas cover
ing over pole frames will be used
for a considerable portion of the
livAst.nek pvhihit
In pointing out how the Ma
tanuska Valley Fair has grown
since its early days Manager
Snodgrass, life-time member of
the fair association, recalled the
first Matanuska Valley livestock
show was held in 1936 under tar
paulins over pole frames on the
block south of the present hos
pital site. “Those fairs demon
started what Alaskans could do
under adverse and trying condi
| ions”, he said. “We made games
| and races were held on the school
playground . . . the gym was a
lively center, day and night . . .
there was a lot of home talent
shown.”
Anyone with idegs regarding
the agriculture exhibits at the fair
is invited to contact Mr. Snod
grass at the fair office.
The Navy Department has an
nounced the promotion June 16
of Wiliam W. Ratliff son of Mr.
and Mrs. John Ratliff of Palmer
to electrician’s mate third class,
USN, while serving aboard the
military sea transport service ship
USS General A. E. Anderson. The
promotion followed successful
completion of a Navy-wide petty
officer examination conducted
last February.
Mission Slated
At St. Michael’s
July 14-July 21
The Rev. William Lockman,
C.SS.R., will conduct a mission
in St. Michael’s Catholic Church
Rev. William Lockman, C.SS.R.
Redempiorisl Priesl from Seal
tie will conduct the week-long
mission to be held at St. Mi
chael's Church in Palmer starl
ing July 14.
►in Palmer beginning Sunday,
July 14, and closing the follow
ing Sunday, July 21, Rev. James
P. Snead, pastor, announces.
Rev. Lockman, a Rdempt'orist
Priest, will conduct the services
and preach the sermons. Mission
devotions, consisting of Rosary,
sermon and Benediction, will be
gin at 7:30 o’clock each evening.
Daily rnasses will be offered
by Rfcv. Lockman at 7:30 a.m.
throughout the mission. A short
sermon will be given at that time.
The mission is being held for
all ages; children, teen-agers, and
adults and all persons are cordial
ly invited to attend the services.
ARR to Construct
Terminal at Portage
Plans for the construction of a
two-story terminal building at
Portage were announced by the
Alaska Railroad, with a call for
bids to be opened July 17.
The structure will be of con
crete blocks and wood framing.
Apartments for the agent and
section foreman will be provided
on the first floor and two apart
ments for operators and quarters
for section men and snow fleet
crew on the second floor.
The first floor also will include
a passenger waiting room, agent’s
office, baggage and freight room,
restaurant and bar, and quarters
for the restaurant concessionaire.
The new terminal is to replace
all existing facilities at Portage
Its completion is expected to be
about the middle of December.
LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS
ON GOOSE BAY FIRES
Fire fighters from the Palmer
Fire Guard station were out on
fires in the Goose Bay area this
week. Three fires were started
in that area by lightening strikes.
Two are out and it is believed
that the crew is still on the third.
Forester Cautious
Forester Michael Leach this
week requested Fourth of July
picnicers, campers, and fishermen
be very cautious with the use
of matches, smoking materials,
and especially campfires. In spite
of the rain which has fallen, the
woods are still in a somewhat
dry condition and neglected
campfires or carelessly dropped
match or cigarette could set off
a large fire, he pointed out.
CLASS FORMING FOR
FIRST-AID COURSE
Anyone interested in taking a
standard American Red Cross
first aid course in the immediate
future is asked to contact John
Gore at Tost’s Service. If an ade
quate number of persons indicate
their interest Police Chief Ber
nard Bouwens has announced he
will conduct a class. The standard
course requires 12 class-room
hours of instruction and includes
instruction in first-aid for the
home, street, at work or play.
LIMITED TIME
...LIMITED NEWS
Because of the early publi
cation date of The Frontiers
man this week it may well be
that some of the news of the
valley has had to be left out
. . . we are sorry and will try
to include all the “doin’s” of
our town in next week’s issue.
MTA PUNNING
FIRST ANNUAL
MEMBERSHIP MEET
The first annual membership
meeting of the Matanuska Tele
phone Association wrill be held on
Saturday, August 3, according to
an announcement made by the
board of directors this week.
One of the most important
items of business to come before
the memerbship will be the elec
tion of five directors. Terms of
the present directors will expire
at the annual meeting.
Tenure of office for directors
elected August 3 will provide for
staggered terms, with this first
election to name the director re
ceiving the largest number of
votes to a three-year term; the
next two highest will receive
two year terms and the next two
will receive one-year terms. At
'each subsequent annual election,
two directors will be elected,
the candidites receiving the
greatest number of votes shall
receive a three-year term and the
scond highest to receive a two
year term. Any vacancies not fill
ed at the time of the annual elec
tion shall be filled by the candi
date receiving the third highest
number of votes.
iNouces nave oeen posted in
Palmer, Sutton, Wasilla, and
Chugiak areas announcing the
nomination of the following per
sons: R. J. Heddles, Virgil Eck
ert, Robert Warner, George Crow
ther, and Eugene Reid, all of.'
Palmer; John Shaw and Harold
Dinkle of Wasilla; Einer Huseby
and Earl Ray of Chugiak; and
Harvey Hiber and Rudy Yerbich
of Sutton. Additional nomination
may be made from the floor at
the annual meeting, or may be
made by petition, as set forth in
the association’s by-laws.
Directors of the association
whose terms expire at the annual
meeting are; Lew Hanks of Pal
mer, president; A1 Withey, Pal
mer, vice-president; Phil O’Neill,
Sutton, secretary-treasurer; Eu
gene Reid of Palmer, and James
McDowell of Chugiak.
The place and time of meeting
will be announced as soon as fin
al plans have been completed.
GOLDDUSTERS PLAN
SUMMER PICNIC
The Golddusters Homemakers
club will hold a pot-luck picnic
on July 17 for all members and
their children. The outing will be
held at the Kopperude river site
and all members are invited to
attend.
DRIVE SAFELY
AND HAVE A HAPPY
FOURTH OF JULY
MAUD'S FLOWER SHOP
Theatre Bldg. Phone 3601
Telegraph Delivery Service
PUBLIC INVITED
TO BARBEQUE
at McKinley home
Alaskan-borr Mike Stepovich,
recently inaugurated as Governor
of Alaska, will be visiting in the
Matanuska Valley area on Satur
day, July 6 and every resident of
the entire valley is invited to at
tend a barbeque to be held in his
honor at the Dr. Lee McKinley
home, Butte area, starting at 7
p.ni.
Governor Stepovich is planning
his visit to the valley to get ac~
"quainted with the residents, their
problems, and the valley itself.
He will be taken on an aerial
tour of the valley by Dr. McKin
ley, as well as a ground tour
which will include visits to vari
ous sections of the valley to pro
vide the governor with a first
hand picture of the area.
All Explorer Scouts, Boy
Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts,
and 4-H members are invited to
wear their uniforms to the bar
beque in honor of the governor.
Those 4-H youngsters who may
not have uniforms are asked to
wear a clover-leaf to designate
themselves as members of the
4-H program. •
Governor Stepovich will arrive
in Anchorage at 11:30 a.m. July
5. Directly following his arrival
a parade will be held in his hon
or. At 7 p.m. he will attend the
annual Press Club banquet where
he will be the featured speaker.
Saturday morning he will meet
with the Divisional Committee
and a round of golf is scheduled
for that afternoon followed by the
barbeque at McKinley’s in the
evening. His tentative schedule
calls for his attendance at the
dedication of the Alaska Crip
pled Childrens building in Anch
orage Sunday afternoon.
WASILLA V.F.W.
TO CELEBRATE
FOURTH OF JULY
Valley residents are invited to
celebrate the Fourth of July at
Wasilla where the Veterans of
Foreign Wars and the V.F.W.
Auxiliary, will stage their annual
celebration in observance of In
dependence Day.
The, program will begin at 11
a.m. with a parade and special
speaker. Various planned events
will get under way at 11:30 a.m.,
with special contests for the
youngsters and special events for
adults. The annual Fourth of
July baiseball game will be play
ed and Alaska’s favorite game
will offer a number of valuable
prizes. The public is invited to
attend.
£**********************
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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
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