THE FRONTIERSMAN
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
TRY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD for that
item you may have for sale,
rent or lease.
VOLUME 9, NUMBER 15
PALMER. ALASKA THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 2. 1956
PRICE TEN CENTS
New Egg Regulations
Effective March 1
New Territorial egg regulations
will go into effect March 1,
throughout Alaska, according to
James Wilson, Territorial Com
missioner of Agriculture.
The regulations will require
that eggs imported to the Terri
tory be inspected prior to ship
ment and that all eggs sold in
the Territory shall be graded and
labeled to show the grade, size,
and name of packer or produc
er.
Wilson pointed out that the
regulations have come about be
cause the Department of Agricul
ture has found such a variation
in the quality of eggs being of
fered to the public.
“From meetings and hearings
that have been held with produc
ers and suppliers, here and in the
States, we have found that most
o fthem are most seriously inter
ested in improving the egg in
dustry and are definitely behind
the regulation program,” Wilson
stated.
Egg producers will receive cop
ies of the new regulations. Cop
ies are also available at the De
partment of Agriculture office in
the Wright building.
LEGION BUILDING
FSRE DAMAGES
NEARLY REPAIRED
Repairs on the American Le
gion building are rapidly being
completed, Ray Lancaster, post
commander, said this week.
“Structural work, is 99 percept
complete,’ ’he said, “with con
tractors winding up their work
on the outside of the building”.
The painters are nearly done, and
electrician is through, with the
exception of installing five light
fixtures.
The Sou Conservation Service
office was moved back to the
Legion building this week as
was the office of Extension Ser
vice. The Legion post and auxil
iary unit are back in their club
rooms and Girl Scout Troop 71,
sponsored by the auxiliary, will
meet at Legion Ball next Tues
day a* 3:30 p.m.
Lancaster said this week that
a little interior finishing work re
mains to be done, including work
in the kitchen which during the
repair period has been used as a
storage room.
The kitchen will be cleaned up
very soon and Legion hall will
again be made available to other
organizations for meetings,
through arrangements similar to'
those in effect prior to the Janu
ary fire which gutted the build
ing.
Open Week Days
7 A.M. — 7:30 P.M.
Sundays
2 P.M. — 7:30 P.M.
We Will Cater for
Dinners & Banquets
PHONE 3091
Don't Forget!
Friday night is
FAMILY NIGHT at the
Co-Op Cafe
CLAUDIA WILSON, MGR.
Fire Destroys Palmer
: Highway Roadhouse
Fire, of undetermined origin, ;
\ destroyed the Hide-A-Way ;
! roadhouse, located at approxi- ;
I mately Mile 39 Vi on the Pal- ;
;'mer Highway, this morning.;
'• "Lucky” Miller and his wife ;
i who have been operating the ;
; ’ roadhouse were believed to ;
have been away from the es- ;
; tablishment at the time of the ;
fire. No details on the fire were ;
available this noon.
HOSPITAL DEFICIT
UP, REPORT SHOWS
In 1955 the Valley Presbyterian
Hospital accrued a cash operat
ing deficit of $5,006, according to
an annual report issued by the
Board of Directors this week.
Although services sold and
other income amounted to $121,
114.66 for the year, total ex
penses were $122,563.81. Cash
collections, after writing off $4,
510.75 in bad debts, lagged by
$3,557 for the year.
Accounts payable increased by
$3,458 during 1955. The largest
of the unpaid accbunts is with
the Matanuska Valley Farmers
Cooperating Association, which
the hospital owes more than $5,
000. The Matanuska Electric As
sociation, the City of Palmer,
Evan Jones Coal Mines, Pippel
Insurance, and Koslosky’s Depart
ment Store are also listed as cred
itors.
The Board points out tnat ac
counts receivable more than cov
er these overdue debts. They
again emphasize that greater use
of the hospital facilities and
prompt payment of bills will help
reduce over-extended credit in
the community.
Bonded indebtedness, pay
ments on the mortgage held by
the Board of National Missions
of the Presbyterian Church, and
depreciation are not considered
in the above comparison.
Patient Load Off
Average monthly patient loads
(Continued on page 8)
ZONING DISCUSSION SET
FOR NEXT THURSDAY
City residents are reminded of
the public hearing which will be
held next Thursday, February 9,
at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall. The
meeting is being called by the
‘City Planning Commission to
present proposed zoning regula
tions within the city limits.
All interested persons are urg
ed to attend the meeting and
participate in the discussion per
taining to the proposed zoning.
Those planning to attend are in
vited to study the proposals
which appear on the Classified
page of this week’s issue of The
Frontiersman.
Where Else Will $1 Donation
Admit You to a Dance?
It covers refreshments, gives
you a chance on a record
player and a chance to buy
kisses.
COME TO THE
Leap Year Dance
MARCH 3 — 10 to 1
SCHOOL GYM
Sponsored by
NORTHLAND PIONEER
GRANGE
PALMER ELKS WOMEN’S TEAM
Front row, left to right: Helen Davalos, Barbara Brown,
Ann Ge-sner, Laura Steinberg, Dolly Young, and Gwen
Lowe. Back row, left to right: Bonnie Bettine, Clara Buzby,
Donna France, Kay Pippel. Barbara Locker, and Chris
Hardage.
PALMER ELKS MEN’S TEAM
Front row, left to right: Miles France, Dick Anderson, Lee
Young, Phil Gesner, Larry Weihr, and Lynn Sandvik.
Back row, left to right: Vic Loyer, John Brown, Rex
Hardage, Dick Geiwitz, Bob Lacher, and John Gore.
PALMER HAS ONE OF
LOWEST TAX RATES
IN TERRITORY
Cities in Alaska, with a popu
lation of 1,000 or over, all have
higher tax rates than Palmer.
This information was shown in
the League of Alaska Cities re
cently published third annual di
rectory.
Wrangell, a city of 1265 popu
lation, has an assessed valuation
of 52,267,651, (with ration of a/v
to market value 65%), and has a
tax rate of 20 mills for property,
20 mills for personal property,
and a two percent sales tax on
gross. By comparison, Palmer’s
two percent sales tax is on retail
sales, up to $500, Assessed valua
tion is $3,920,964 on real proper
ty and $1,375,671 on personal pro
perty. The tax rate was 10 mills
each in 1955. Palmer’s popula
tion was set at 1,000.
Other cities, who have a 10 mill
tax rate, and their population and
assessed valuation are: Port
Alexander, pop. 14: real property
valuation, $250. Re-evaluation
program not yet completed.
Eagle, pop. 1950 census, 55: asses
sed valuation, $600. King Cove,
pop. 154; real property assess
ment, $378,176—personal proper
ty, $76,570. Nenana, pop. 350 no
assessment reported.
All other cities have higher
tax -ates, ranging from 11 mills
at Juneau on real property and
(Continued on page 8)
NEARLY 70
“CLAM DIGGERS”
EXPECTED FRIDAY
Two planes, bringing at least
69 persons, will arrive in Palmer
tomorrow morning and will be
met at the Palmer Airport by a
reception committee from the lo
cal Elks lodge. Expected guests
will be the Cordova basketball
teams and fans—better known as
the “Clam Diggers”.
The annual visit to the valley
will begin at the Airport when
the committee provides a hayride
into town for the visitors. Hous
ing for the many valley guests
has been provided through
special arrangements at the Mat
anuska Hotel.
Members o fthe Cordova Moose
basketball team will meet the
Palmer Elks mens team and the
Cordova Imperial womens team
will meet the Palmer Elks wo
ens team in two double-header
games Friday and Saturday night
at Central School gymnasium.
The games promise to be *wo of
the best offered for a long time
in the non-academic type basket
ball. The public is urged to turn
out for the games and make the
city’s visitors feel welcome.
Game time has been set for 7:30
and 8:30 each evening. Regular
admissions will be charged at the
door. There’s a rumor around
that Palmer basketball fans are
not as numerous as Cordova’s.
Local team members argue that
(Continued on page 8)
March of Dimes Dance
Set For February 18
1 ^%%->%-^l>->vvvvvvvyvvvv-.
Army Recruiter
To Visit on Feb. 11
U. S. Army Recruiting Ser
geant, M/Sgt. Francis A. Klai
; ber will be in Palmer on Feb
; ruary 11 at the ACS office
; from 10 a,m. to 3 pm..
The purpose of his visit is to
; give the young men of Palmer
; and surrounding areas an op
portunity to ask any questions
! that they might have in regard
i; to the Army’s guaranteed sch
-I ooling program and the Army
I as a career.
PALMER TO PLAY
IN OPENING GAME
The Palmer and Fairbanks
Hign School basketball teams
will open the Western Alaska
Tournament on March 5, accord
ing to position drawn last Satur
day. Seward and Kodiak City
will play in the seccnd game, and
Anchorage drew a bye.
Playing in the city of Seward
last week end, the Palmer Moose
took a game, and lost a game.
Friday night the local hoopsters
came out on the winning end of
the score, but Saturday the Sea
hawks got their sea legs and won
their first game of the season,
53-49.
Palmer Moose meet the Fair
banks Malemutes on the Palmer
court next Friday and Saturday,
February 10 and 11*. The Male
mutes are top men on the Con
ference totem pole this year, hav
ing split their two-game series
with Anchorage last week-end. j
SPORTSMEN NAME
NEW DIRECTORS
FOR COMING SEASON
Seven members of the Matan
uska Valley Sportsmen were
elected to the Board of Directors
during the organizations Febru
ary 1 meeting. Elected to serve
for the coming year were: Gene
Kirsch, Noel Woods, Ed Bellring
er, John Bush, R. B. Graham,
Virgil Eckert, and Maud Hosier.
A meeting of the Board will be
held February 6, at which time of
ficers for the coming year will be
named from the Board of Direc
tors.
Following the business session,
members viewed an exceptional
film on wildlife in Mt. McKinley
Park, Eagle River, and local areas
which is owned by William Huff
man of Chugiak. Another film,
enjoyed by the membership, was
one taken in 1942 of the Matan
uska Valley colony.
The Palmer Elks lodge an
nounced this week they will
sponsor the annual March of
Dimes dance on Saturday, Febru
ary 18. Completed plans for the
popular annual event will be an
nounced soon.
In Wasilla the entire commun
ity has joined the Veterans of
Foreign Wars Auxiliary in an
evening of fun to help raise
money for the current March of
Dimes campaign. A spaghetti din
ner, followed by an evening of
Alaska’s favorite game is plan
ned for Saturday evening, Feb
ruary 4. Dinner will be served
from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The public
is invited to attend.
Contributions to the loeal Mar
ch of Dimes campaign is lagging
far behind those of 1955, it was
announced this week. Only
around $100 in cash has been
turned in to date. Several organ
izations have not yet been heard
from and only a few individuals
have sent in donations.
Latest contributions have come
from the following: The Young
Mother’s Homemakers’ club, $46.
30. This amount was raised by
the valley’s newest, and young
est, homemakers’ club during a
bake sale held at Koslosky’s last
Saturday. Other contributions
have come from Mr. and Mrs. C.
T. Bartow, Dr. and Mrs. C. Dear
born, V. Louise Kellogg, Mr. and
'Mrs. M. J. Rodriguez, Mr. and
Mrs. Frank Rush, and the Sut
tonette Homemakers’ club, $25;
American Legion Auxiliary, $10;
a broken collection box at the
pupils at Swanson and Central
Schools contributed $45.41. In ad
dition to this last amount, over
500 pennies were turned in to
School Superintendent William
Zahradnicek by first-grader Tam
ara Grover, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Roland Grover of Palmer.
The little girl donated the con
tents of her piggy-bank for the
March of Dimes campaign.
With the campaign time run
ning, out, Ed Smith, campaign
chairman, and Faith Krause, as
sistant chairman, joined in urg
ing residents and organizations of
the community to complete plans
for fund raising activities, and
to do all that is possible to help
make the 1956 campaign a big
success.
VALENTINE SPECIAL
> $15 Helen Curtis or
Durart Permanent
\ $12.50
VALLEY BEAUTY SHOP
Pbone 3301
i LAVONNE JOHNSON
Why not enter Plymouth’s lucky motor
| number contest? Just brmg the motor
number or serial number to your car in
i to Alaska Automobile Co. in basement
: under Automotive Paris Store. Who knows
you may win a stack of money or a trip
around the world.
BASKETBALL,
Cordova Imperials vs Elks Rocketts
DOUBLE HEADERS
7:30 - 8:30 P.M.
Central School Gym
Fri. & Sat. Feb. 3 4
Cordova Hamdiggers vs Elks Hay Shakers