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FOR ENTIRE WEEK
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The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLET
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PRICE TEN CENVS
VOLUME 9, NUMBER 38
PALMER, ALASKA. THURSDAY, JULY 12, 1956
HIGH CROP YIELD FOR VALLEY PREDICTED
?UEEN CONTESTANTS
0 GET LARGER
BENEFITS THIS YEAR
All young girls who are inter
ested in entering the 1956 Ma
tanuska Valley Fair queen con
test are requested to contact
Fair Manager A1 Hagen as soon
as possible. A number of changes
have been made this year—all
to benefit the girls who will be
participating.
Depending upon the number
of tickets sold, each contestant
will have an opportunity of
building up her bank account.
As in the past, 10 percent of
ticket sales will be paid each
qualified contestant. In addition
this year, each qualified contest
ant will get 15 percent of all
ticket sales over 500. Upon
qualifying (selling 250 tickets)
each queen contestant will re
ceive a bonus of $25 and $50 will
be paid to the contestant at that
time towards her pictures and
posters. This means that • upon
qualifying, each contestant will
have earned $100. Then up to
500 tickets sold the 10 percent
will be paid. All tickets sold over
500 will earn the contestant 15
percent of those sales.
rne queen wm receive an ad
ditional $250 as top money.
Contestants must not be
younger than 15 years of age,
nor older than 25 years. Proof of
age is required. She must be
single (never married), and must
have been a resident of Alaska
at least six months.
All publicity will be channeled
through the office of the Fair
Manager. Arrangements for pub
lic appearances will be made
for television and radio pro
grams.
A number * of entertainment
phasesftof the 1956 Fair have
been announced, among which
are planned a bicycle race on
the track at the fairgrounds; a
husband calling contest; kiddy
rides; children’s costume parade;
riding events; coronation ball;
fireworks; participation of the
Spokebenders, Alaska Bowmen,
Frigid Flyers, Copper River
Indians, as well as a number of
additional events.
Saturday will be family, or
kid’s day, when all children ten
years or younger will be admit
ted to the grounds free of
charge.
A number of organizations*
have already indicated they plan
exhibits at the fair, including
the Univeristy of Alaska, Bureau
of Indian Affairs, and others.
Fair Manager Hagen pointed
out that there is less than two
months time left before the
Fair. All organizations, individu
als, and concerns planning to
have any type concession, are
asked to make arrangements as
soon as possible to avoid disap
pointment in position on the
midway or in the exhibition
buildings.
Robert Partridge has been
named secretary of the Associa
tion, filling the position former
ly occupied by A1 Hagen who re
cently resigned from the Board
of Directors to take over duties
as fair manager.
Republican Women
Plan Open Meeting
The Women’s Republican Club
of the Matanuska Valley is
sponsoring an open meeting for
all interested persons Monday
evening, July 16 at 8 p.m. in the
Matanuska Electric Association
meeting room.
Mrs. Robert Reeve and Miss
Dorothy Prior, both of Anchor
age, will be guest speakers. Mrs.
Reeve’s topic will be “Why Be
A Republican”.
FLOWERS FOR ALL
OCCASIONS
Telegraph Delivery Service
MAUD'S FLOWER SHOP
Theatre Bldg. Phone 3S01
SPAGHETTI DINNER
ST. MICHAELS CHURCH
BASEMENT
Adults $1.50 Children 75c
JULY 21 — 5 to 7 P.M.
ALL YOU CAN EAT
.<
RAILROAD CLOSES
NO. PALMER CROSSING :
The railroad crossing dt>- \
posite from the North Palmer
store was blocked off to all '• \
: traffic this week by the Al- ;
; aska Railroad. According to ■
A. L. Hilburn, road master, 1
;! the crossing was blocked be- \
cause several individuals ;
; have put claims against the
railroad for damage done to
i their cars while going over i;
; the crossing. At this particu- ;!
; lar crossing the spur line is
; about eight inches lower than
the main line which creates a !;
■ : drop. City officials said to- i
: day they plan to contact rail- ;
; road officials to determine
; what possible arrangements
can be made to have the cross- !
! ing re-opened to traffic.
Sunday Tour lo
Feature Area
Home Improvements
Great improvements of either
yards or house interiors will be
attending the Homemakers’ Tour
seen this Sunday by all those
which leaves the Extension Of
fice (American Legion building)
at 2 p.m. The improvements to
be seen will include the follow
ing homes:
Chester Sandvik, Wendell
Lewis, Clay Johnson, I. M. Sand
vik, Fred McKenzie, Nick Uze
lac, R. J. Heddles, and L. A.
Rideout.
To add to the value of this
tour, pictures were taken before
improvements were made, and
from these those on the tour will
have the opportunity to see what
actually was accomplished.
These families have done con
siderable work in making their
homes and surroundings more
attractive and more efficient.
The public is urged to attend.
CHAMBER SEEKIHG
FARM OBSERVANCE
Governor B. Frank Heintzle
man will be requested by the
Matanuska Valley Chamber of
Commerce to designate a special
Farm Observance period some
time during the month of Aug
ust.
H. P. Gazaway told Chamber
members this week that a con
sistant effort is being made to
promote local products, particu
larly garden items. “Few Alas
kan products are so labeled,” he
pointed out. In the markets
housewives are often heard ask
ing “Where’s the local lettuce?”
It may be right there, packaged
the same or better than pro
ducts brought in from the States
blit she doesn’t know it, Gaza
way pointed out.
Last year in trying to promote
the local products we had the
Nugget Buy theme, using a gold
colored potato as a symbol of
Alaskan products being a nug
get buy. This year Gazaway re
ported, he has budgeted Experi
ment time to work with Cham
bers of Commerce toward pro
moting a similar program. He
suggested an entire month be
set aside for this special obser
vance.
The local Chamber plans a
special meeting the latter part
of August at which time the An
chorage Chamber of Commerce
will be invited guests. The meet
ing will be held during the spe
cial Farm Observance period.
MOOSE OFFICIAL
TO VISIT HERE
THIS WEEK-END
Don R. McGraw of Sitka,
secretary-treasurer of the Alas
ka Moose Association, will be
in Palmer this Saturday to meet
and confer with officers of the
local Moose lodge and Don In
galls, president of the Alaska
Association. Plans for the Alas
ka Moose Association Confer
ence which will be held in Pal
mer October 10, 1\, .12, and 13,
will be made. All lodge mem
bers and Women of the Moose
are invited to meet with Mr.
McGraw Saturday evening.
THOUSANDS OF CARS
MAY COME TO VALLEY
IN JULY 22 CD TEST
It has been suggested that all
area resident adjust their plans
for Sunday, July 22, to conform
with Civil Defense “Operation
Alert”, planned for that date, ac
cording to Alfred Hagen, CD
director in the Greater Palmer
CD District.
Although not yet confirmed,
it is believed that the area Civil
Defense organization will be re
quested to participate in the ev
ercise in the traffic control
phase. It is anticipated that sev
eral thousand cars will be sent
into the Palmer-Wasilla areas by
the military duripg the exercise.
Anchorage, is one of 76 areas
comprising centers of population
in the States and possessions,
and industry, strategic Air
Force bases and designated by
the Department of Defense, Of
fice of Defense Mobilization and
Federal Civil Defense Adminis
tration as targets in a simulated
nuclear weapon attack exercise.
The Anchorage Region CD pub
lic participation phase of the
exercise will be confined to
Sunday, July 22.
During the exercise only de
signated emergency vehicles
will be permitted to travel on
the highways. Any of these ve
hicles not clearly marked to so
identify them as emergency ve
hicles, must have an escort, it
was announced. The exercise is
slated to get under way around
6:00 a.m. All south-bound traffic
may be stopped, (except stated
emergency vehicles) and persons
desiring to travel the highway
south on July 22 are asked to
check with Territorial Pc ce.
Legionnaires Attend
Annual Convention
A number of area Legionnair
es are attending the 37th annual
American Legion Convention
being held in Anchorage this
week. Welcoming visitors from
the entire territory was Mayor
Anton Anderson of Anchorage,
and Walter Radke, commander
of the Anchorage Jack Henry
Post No. 1, chairman of the con
vention, Mrs. Farris McAllister,
president of the Auxiliary unit
in Anchorage, George Jackson
of the Anchorage Chamber of
Commerce, and William San
ders, Grand Chef de Gare.
Among those from Palmer
planning to attend are Dr. F. R.
Sims, PDC, Ray Lancaster, De
partment chaplain, E. L. Dugas,
Art Marsh, Everett Pederson,
Post Commander, and Richard
Demming, District Commander,
Western Alaska District, who is
also co-chairman for the Forty
et Eight during the convention.
George Crowthers, past presi
dent Palmer Kiwanis, reported
on his attendance at the Nation
al Kiwanis Convention during
the July 9 meeting of the local
club.
I FAIR ASSOCIATION
NEEDS TYPIST
The Matanuska Valley Fair
Association is seeking the ser- 1;
vices of a typist. At the pres- !;
ent time a typist is needed
only part time, A1 Hagen, fair
manager said. After the first ;!
of August until after fair:
time it would be full time, he
said. Anyone interested is I;
asked to contact the fair man
ager, in the theater building. ;
ARC Calls for Bids
On Matanuska Road
Grading and Braining
The Alaska Road Commission
is extending an invitation to bid
on grading and drainage of 3.74
miles of the Palmer-Matanuska
Highway. Site of construction
begins at Palmer city limits to
a point 3.74 miles in a south
westerly direction.
Bidding information may be
obtained from the ARC offices
in the Federal Building, Juneau
or from offices of the Alaska
Road Commission District Engin
eers located in Anchorage, Fair
bahks and Valdez or from the
Associated General Contractors
of America at 306 Central Build
ing, Anchorage.
Plans and specifications for
the project may be obtained
from the ARC, Box 1961, Juneau,
No deposit required but if plans
are not returned in good con
dition within 30 days after bid
opening, planholder will be bill
ed for actual cost of plans.
Sealed bids will be opened 11
a.m. July 31 in Room 319, Alaska
Road Commission offices, Fed
eral Building, Juneau.
--ilc
SPORTSMEN PLAN
FISH FRY SUNDAY
Members of the Matanuska j
Valley Sportsmen will hold their
annual fish fry this Sunday af
ternoon, July 15, at Barry’s Fin
gerlake Resort. All members,
their families and friends are
invited to attend. The fry' is ex
pected to get under way about
1:00 p.m., with Bill Bouwens,
Bill Hoskins and Bruce Graham
handling the chef’s duties.
Families are invited to take
their picnic lunches, which will
be supplimented by the fish,
koolaid, coffee, hard rolls, but
ter, and ice cream—all furnish
ed by the organization. Fish for
the fry will be furnished by club
members, and the more the bet
ter, the committee said.
Gene Kirsch is general chair
man of the eevnt. Entertainment
will depend on the weather, but
there will be boating, fishing,
horse-shoe pitching and baseball.
TRAINSHIPS TO MAKE
TRIPS EVERY 8 DAYS
The new Alaska Steamship
trainships will make trips to
Whittier-Seattle every eight
days instead of every 30 days
as misprinted in last week’s
issue of The Frontiersman.
FUNERAL SERVICES HELD TODAY FOR
JOHN BUG6E, FIRST PALMER SETTLER
Funeral services for ,John
Bugge, 84, valley pioneer who
built the first house in Palmer,
were held from St. John’s Lu
theran Church this afternoon,
July 13, at 2 p.m. The Rev. Einar
Bach conducted the services.
Pall bearers were Edward Ueek,
Harold Thuma, Dan Sullivan,
Wesley Egvet, Clarence Hoff
man, Frank Gagnon, and Wil
liam Curtis, all long-time
friends of the pioneer who died
at the valley hospital July 8 fol
lowing a lengthy illness. Inter
ment took place in the Palmer
Cemetery. Funeral arrange
ments were in charge of the
Palmer Funeral Chapel.
Surviving Mr. Bugge are his
sister, Mrs. M. I. Aggey of Min
nesota who came to Palmer to
be with her brother during his
illness, a brother Gene Bugge of
Port Angeles and a nephew I. K.
Aggey.
Mr. Bugge’s house still stands
on its original site on the Was
illa road, just inside the city.
He first came into the Valley in
the early 1900’s, coming in, from
Knik where he had gone follow
ing the Nelchina gold rush. Prior
to that time he had prospected
and helped with mining claims
in the Ketchikan area where a
brother was located. Except for
a small structure near the Mat
anuska Ri*er. the Bugge house
built in 1915-16 was the first in
the valley.
Mr. Bugge pioneered through
out the early days of the Valley,
being the first to own a team of
horses and raise colts. He had
the first binder and thrashing
machines in the valley. He op
erated the first blacksmith shop
and until a few years ago, farm
ed his land. In more recent years
he leased his land for hay crops.
His home for many years was
the stopping point for trappers,
prospectors, farmers, and oth
ers who were making long trips.
The first Church of God was lo
cated on his property. He was
considered a first class machin
ist and always helped the early
day farmers with their harvests.
Mr. Bugge was a member of
the Lutheran Church, also of
the Shriners, Grange, Eastern
Star, Masons, and Internation
al Order of Odd Fellows.
Bank Erosion
Continues in
Butte Farm Area
River bank erosion is contin
uing in the Butte area, accord
ing to an observer who this week
reported that the Matanuska
River has cut into another sec
tion of the bank, eroding an area
estimated from 30-50 feet. Where
old cars and trees were cabled
into the river from the bank, it
was reported that the river is
now flowing away from the
bank. The new cut is further
down the river from the area
where these were cabled in an
effort to divert the river from
the banks. The river has been
rising the past several weeks and
is now considered quite high.
According to word received I>y
the Matanuska Valley Chamber
of Commerce no definite action
is contemplated in the immedi
ate future by Army Engineers
who have been requested to
make a review study of the riv
er bank erosion problem. Letters
indicated that the review will
be made, when and if, funds are
available.
IMPORTANT CD
MEETING JULY 19
A special Civil Defense meet
ing has been called by Ralph
Moore, Palmer district CD direc
tor, for Thursday evening, July
19 in the theatre basement at
8 p.m. All traffic control, radio
(communications), and first aid
personnel must attend this meet
ing, as well as all other area
directors and staff members of
the Greater Palmer CD organ
ization.
The meeting will be devoted
to plans for the June 22 Civil
Defense exercise. A great num
ber ct oafs, estimated in the
thousands, are expected to be in
the area on that day when the
Airforce and Army will evacuate
Anchorage area residents to
havens in the valley region. Air
force cars will be going to the
Fishhook haven area, going up
the Glen highway to the Fish
hook road and being parked
both sides of the road in the
loop areas. Army cars will be
sent through the city south of
town and will also be parked
both sides of the road in the
farm road areas. Traffic is to be
controlled both in and out of
the areas. Local radio communi
cations will be set up and oper
ated during the exercise. First
aid personnel will stand by in
case of an emergency. Palmer
headquarters for the exercise
will be at the theatre building,
under the over-all direction of
A1 Hagen, Greater Palmer dir
rector, and area directors.
FRANKLIN HAUMSCHILD
Funeral services for Franklin
Carl Haumschild, 29, who drown
ed at Wolverine Lake July 4,
were held from St. Michael’s
Catholic Church on July 11. The
Rev. Joseph Walsh of Anchorage
offered the mass. There was a
profusion of floral pieces and
spiritual bouquets, and inter
ment took place in the Palmer
Cemetery. Pall bearers, all
friends of the deceased were Al
bert Metz, Maurice Pelletier,
James Loyer, Dan Contini, Allan
Schriebl and Frank Schriebl.
Mr. Haumschild, who was em
ployed by the Matanaska Valley
Farmers Cooperating Associa
tion, was the victim of a boating
mishap on the holiday. His body
was not recovered until July 7,
when Louis Pauli, a member of
the Polar Cats, Anchorage skin
diving organization, recovered
his body.
Haumschild is survived by his
wife Rosella, two children, Su
san and Daniel, and his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Haumschild
of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
Funeral arrangements were
conducted by the Palmer Funer
al Chapel.
PALMER MAN'S SISTER
KILLED IN ACCIDENT
Ted Buzbv of Palmer received
word July 5 that his sister, Mrs.
J. E. Crowell, her son James E.
Jr., and her granddaughter Pat
ty Crowell were killed in a car
accident in Los Angeles July 4.
Her husband James E. Sr., an
other son and their daughter
Clara, were hospitalized as the
result of the accident.
LUUflL AUnlbULIUnt
PICTURE GOOD,
COMMISSIONER SAYS
Current trends in agriculture
were reported at the July II
meeting of the Matanuska Val
ley Chamber of Commerce by
James Wilson, territorial com
missioner of agriculture.
Commissioner Wilson stated
that the milk industry here
shows a healthy trend. “In 1945
200,000 pounds of milk were pro
duced”, Wilson said. “This figure
is now up to 9 million pounds
and an 11 million pounds of milk
have been estimated for next
year’s production”, he stated.
In spite of the national decline
in agriculture economics, farm
ing in Alaska has held up well,
he pointed out. Wilson illustrat
ed his talk with charts showing
the rise of milk production and
the decline of other farm pro
ducts, which has kept the agri
culture level about the same the
past few years.
“In 1953 we had a bumper po
tato crop. In 1954 because of the
abundance of potatoes the pre
vious year, many farmers went
into other crops. More hay was
put in, and the milk production
was increased. The mid-August
frost in 1955 lowered the pota
to and cabbage harvest and egg
production was low. Wilson
stated the egg production has
not increased in the Valley area
for a number of years. “Egg pro
duction is shifting to the Anch
orage area where transportation
is not so great a problem”, he
explained. During these years
milk production in the valley has
been increasing and has off-set
the other crop losses.
We expect the picture will be
changed this year, he said. We
are hoping for a later fall sea
son, and roughly figuring, we an
ticipate about a 25 percent great
er crop yield. He pointed out
a better price structure; improv
ed army contracts and more lo
cal interest in green crops such
as radishes and lettuce. Other
crops show better interest than
in the past two years, he said.
“We hear about the million
dollar milk business and figure
it must be a “good racket”, he
said. A chart showing costs dis
proved this theory. Marketing of
milk takes 18 cents from each
dollar, he pointed out. Nineteen
cents goes into the processing,
leaving a balance of 63 cents for
the producer. Out of this amount
he spend.-' 23lA cents for feed;
9Vi cents electricity and
fuel; and 30Vi cents is returned
to the farmer for his investment,
out of which he must pay his
labor and expansion costs.
Wilson stated that more and
Canadian thistle is being found
in the Valley and stated it could
grow into a problem. Spraying
has been done in some sections
but may not be too effective be
cause of recent rains. Anyone
who finds the weed is requested
to notify the Department of
Agriculture of its location.
Other guests at the meeting in
cluded Don Cantolla, Moore Busi
ness Forms representative, Har
ry Neff, new ticket agent for the
Cordova Airlines, and Charles
F. Marsh, management special
ist with the Experiment Station.
THEFT OF WIRE
REPORTED IN CITY
Four spools of copper wire,
stored on the ground at«£he
rear of the Pioneer Apartments
were reported stolen during the
past week-end by D. E. Cox, fore
man for the Bonnerville Con
struction Co., whose offices are
located in the apartment build
ing. The theft was reported to
territorial police. The Bonner
ville company are contractors
for line installations for the new
Matanuska Telephone Associa
tion dial system.
ALASKA STOCK CAR
RACING
EVERY SUNDAY AT
1:30 P.M.
Bragaw and Debarr Rd.
Anchorage
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
SERVICES
Sunday School .10:30
Church Service.11:00!
| CO-OP^CLUB^OM