Thought of the Week:
The number of people in a
community is not nearly as
important as the type of peo
ple in the community.
ALASKA HI
3OX 2051
ALI
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
T * /
(- f i
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\ S K A
Wasilla Community Hall
VFW BINGO — 8:30 P.M.
V.F.D. DANCE — 10:30 P.M
SATURDAY. JULY 28
VOLUME 14. NUMBER 44
PALMER. ALASKA, THURSDAY. JULY 26, 1982
TEN PAGES
r RICE 15 CENTS
Reporters—
N&tebaak
Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Prig
gars will be honored on their
25th wedding anniversary Sun
day. Their daughters Sandra
and Carla will serve tea from
3 to 6 p.m. at the Driggars
home. Friends of the family
are invited to attend the open
house.
Friends here have received
word of t h e coming wedding
of Janice Arline Bailey, daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Ferber
Bailey, to Dennis Kirk Pear
son. The wedding will be Aug.
19 at Holy Family Church in
Glendale, Calif. The Baileys
were among the original colon
ists in Palmer.
Mr. and Mrs. Hal McNeese
arrived last weekend to visit at
the home of Mr. and Mrs.
George McNeese on Hyer road
for a couple weeks. They will
also visit with other relatives
including new little grand
niece, Dawn Marie, who ar
rived at the Jim McNeese
home just last week.
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Priest
stopped in Palmer briefly last
week on their way home to
Washington. They have spent
the past several weeks in Ho
mer. “Pappy,” a resident of
Palmer several years ago, said
he and Barbara will attend the
wedding of his son George in
Seattle before continuing home
to Yakima.
Mrs. Carl O’Brien is in Pal
mer for the summer. Mr. O’
Brien plans to take his vaca
tion from the Co-op creamery
in September so that he may
go back with Ann when she re
turns to Los Angeles for the
winter. He is counting on tak
ing in the World Series this
year.
Gerald McNally and chil
dren returned Friday from
Pennsylvania.
* * *
Michael A. Carson, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold R. Car
son, and a graduate of Wasil
la high school, has won one
of the annual American Juris
prudence awards for having
the best paper on “Agency
Law” in his class in the Will
amette University’s College of
Law, Salem, Oregon.
♦ * *
Leona Dach, formerly a
nurse at Valley Presbyterian
hospital, was here this week
visiting Mrs. Harriet Bell and
Mrs. Cornell Zimmerman at
Matanuska Valley lodge. Miss
Dach is now a nurse at Swed
ish hospital in Seattle.
Word of the death of Carl
Erickson has been received by
friends here. Mrs. Erickson is
residing at 4534 Maryland
Ave., San Diego, Calif.
* * *
Mrs. Paul Campbell left Fri
day for Upper Michigan where
she will attend a famly re
union. She will return in two
weeks.
ELWOOD KILLIAN
HURT REPAIRING
MINE DRAGLINE
Elwood Killian was injured
Thursday in an accident at the
Mrak Coal Co. mine at Eska
Taken to Valley Presbyteriar
hospital for emergency care
and treatment of head anc
shoulder injuries, he was latei
sent to Providence hospital ir
Anchorage for a few days re
view by an ear specialist. He
was released the first of this
week and is recovering undei
care of a local physician.
Killian was repairing equip
ment at the mine when the ac
cident occurred. The boom or
the dragline had broken. Ac
cording to reports, while Kill
ian was working on the ma
chine, the “comealong” let g<
and swung around to hit hin
on the side of the head. It ther
swung back to hit him on th<
opposite shoulder.
Panorama ol Economic Potential
01 Valley Seen By ARA Chiefs
Area Redevelopment Admin
istration officials saw the Ma
tanuska Valley in broad per
spective and minute detail last
Thursday when they were con
ducted on a tour of present and
potential economic develop
ments here. The tour was ar
ranged by local members of the
Area Development committee
and other business leaders for
the benefit of Mrs. Cecelia P.
Galey, chairman of the North
west division, and Harold W.
Williams, deputy administra
tor for ARA, Washington D. C.,
i who were accompanied here
j by Tom Bichsel, ARA repre
sentative in Alaska.
The tour began at 9 a.m.
when the group was picked up
| and flown from Anchorage to
I Wasilla. James Hurley con
| ducted a tour of the Alaska
\ Hardwood mill. After flying to
| Palmer, they were conducted
by Dr. Allan Mick on an inspec
j tion of agricultural points of in
| terest which included the Har
! Ian Hamilton dairy farm and
More Queen Candidates Are Sought
By Business and Fraternal Sponsors
Business and fraternal or
ganizations of the Matanuska e
Valley area are seeking eligi- ^
ble young women to sponsor as r
candidates in the 1962 Alaska
State Fair queen contest, Billy t
R. Miller, fair manager, said (
this week. t
Already working on their *
qualifying ticket sales are j
Linda Cope, sponsored by
MVFCA; Colleen Kendall, ;
whose sponsor is Bert’s Drug,
Inc., of Anchorage; Terry Nie
mann, MEA’s candidate; and '
Joyce Patterson, who has two
[ sponsors, Kitty’s Koffee Mill ■
| of Palmer and Gus Scheele’s !
! Excavating of Wasilla. Several
i other girls are expected to sign
up soon, Miller said.
Home Use Fishing
Along Knik Arm
Opens Wednesday
Subsistence or home-use
fishermen are advised that
the Aug. 11 net fishery open
ing of the northwest shore of
Knik arm printed in the Com
mercial Fishing Regulations
was a misprint. Dan McGinnis
of the Alaska Fish and Game
contacted the headquarters of
fice and was notified yesterday
that subsistence fishery opens
Aug. 1 at 6 a.m. and closes 6
a.m. Sept. 23.
The correction was broadcast
through Anchorage newspap
ers and radio several months
ago, but many local fishermen
had apparently not heard the
previous announcement. The
Fish and Game Dept, express
ed regret for any inconvenience
caused the public.
Setnets only may be used,
and must be 90 feet or less in
length, more than 500 yards
from the terminus of any sal
mon stream, identified with
the name and address of the
owner, and operated in con
formity with the commercial
open periods in the northern
district. Open periods are
broadcast daily over KENI’s
Fisherman's Corner, 9:15 p.m.
A busy but fun-filled and
xciting month awaits the girls
vho enter the contest, the
nanager pointed out. On
’hursday. Aug. 16, at 7:30 p.m.,
he candidates will be honor
iuests at a banquet given by
he Matanuska Valley Cham
ier of Commerce at the Elks
tall. Open to the public, the
lanquet will feature baked
teak served with Matanuska
/alley vegetables.
Reservations may be made at
he Frontier cafe or by calling
tfrs. Marie Van Auken at PI
i-4911. The cost will be $3.50
aer person.
On Saturday and Sunday,
\ugust 18 and 19, the girls will
attend the Seward Salmon
Derby, where they have been
assured of a royal welcome by
Derby officials.
Several TV appearances are
aeing arranged for the contest
ants. On both August 20 and 28
at 4 p.m., the girls will be
guests on the Marcia H i b e r
program, KENI-TV Channel 2,
and have been invited to ap
aear on Evan White’s “Town
ropics”, KTVA. Channel 11. at
3:45 p.m. on the same days.
Vorma Goodman of "Hostess
House” (KTVA, Channel 11)
ivill also interview the girls at
a time to be announced later.
The Anchorage Chamber of
Commerce will entertain the
gueen candidates at a lunch
;on at the Westward hotel on
Monday, August 27, at 12 noon.
Other public appearances are
aeing planned for the girls, as
tvell as several private teas.
Young women may discover
and develop latent talent by
aarticipating in the contest,
Miller emphasized, adding that
contestants in other years have
felt that the training in poise
and carriage makes the time
spent very worthwhile as well
as enjoyable.
FATHER, SON BANQUET
WILL BE FRIDAY
The Father and Son Banquet,
arranged by the women of the
United Protestant church, will
be Friday evening, July 27, 6:30
p.m., at the church. A short
program is also planned.
the Max Sherrod truck gard
ening farm.
After lunch at the Frontier
cafe. Stewart A. Durrant show
ed the group through the Mat
anuska Valley Farmers Cooper
ative facilities.
They were then flown to
Jonesville and inspected the
strip mine operation at Evan
Jones Coal Co. and Mrak Coal
Co., both from the air and on
the ground. Mr. Williams ex
pressed great interest in devel
opment of power by a mine
mouth plant, and in assistance
to establish possible reserves of
coking coal.
On the return trip to Anch
orage the group were shown
the Lake George area and the
recreational area west of Pal
mer.
Transportation by air was j
furnished by the Matanuska |
Valley Electric Assn, plane as |
the party had only a limited i
time to see the large area. Ma-'
son LaZelle, piloting the flights,
said that remarks by members
of the group indicated the tour
had succeded in giving the of
ficials as broad a picture as
possible of the potential for de
velopment of the Matanuska
valley area.
Salmon Quit
Early Run, Lake
Fishing Fair
Very few red salmon have
1 been taken in Cottonwood
| creek during the past week.
I Dan McGinnis, State Fish and
| Game, reports. The small ini
! tial run has stopped, at least
i temporarily .he said, and silver
I salmon have not yet begun to
enter the stream.
McGinnis also dispelled ru
mors of nets across the creek
mouth. “Rumors that the De
partment of Fish and Game
have had nets in the mouth of
Cottonwood creek are false,"
he stated. “Protection officers
have checked the stream for
illegal nets and none were
found. In addition, persons car
rying this rumor were ques
tioned. None would or could
identify the persons respon
sible.”
“Anyone having valid infor
mation concerning nets in this
stream please contact the De
partment of Fish and Game in
Palmer,” McGinnis requested.
No silver salmon are report
ed from Wasilla creek as yet.
Alexander creek and the
lower Susitna river in the vi
cinity of the FAA station are
reportedly very hot for silvers.
These points are accessible by
air only.
Echo, Wasilla and Cotton
wood lakes are producing slow
to fair fishing for rainbow,
McGinnis reported.
STATE FAIR INC.
PLANS 3 GLASSES
OF PARADE AWARDS
Plans are rapidly being for
mulated for the 1962 Alaska
State Fair Inc. parade to be
held Sept. 1, and businesses,
organizations and individuals
who plan to enter floats are
asked to contact Ed Smith, pa
rade marshal.
Three classes have been
planned for floats this year:
commercial, fraternal - organi
zational, and individual, with
prize money of $75 for first, $50
for second and $25 for third
place going to the winner in
each of the three classes.
Along with the floats, bands
add much to a parade and con
firmation has been received
from Major Robert H. Reed,
USAF Deputy Director of In
formation at Elmendorf. that
the 752nd Air Force Band and
Drill Team will be participa
ting in the parade. Tentative
plans call for the Army Band,
Palmer High School and the
Wasilla High School bands to
also join the parade.
Fair Display Space
Almost Sold Out
The majority of display in
the buildings and concession
space on the Midway has been
sold. Alaska State Fair Inc. an
nounced today. Anyone desir
ing space for this year’s fair
should contact the fair office
at the earliest possible date.
Manager Bill Miller said.
Extensive fill work is being
done on the grounds and the
Midway has been given a fresh
.•oat of paint in gay colors. Con
siderable work is also being
done on the booths.
Repair work is underway on
the quarter-mile here racing
track and track railing. Lee
Caudill will be chairman of the j
racing events this year.
Plans call for enlarging the
horse show ring Mr. Robert
Webb will be chairman of the
horse show events this year.
Those who plan to participate
in these two events are urged
to contact the chairman at an
early date.
Dr. J. Ronald Brown
Here from Cordova
j Dr. J. Ronald Brown arrived
in Palmer Wednesday from
Cordova where he has had a
general medical practice for;
the past two years. Dr. Brown
will take over Dr. Vincent
i Hume’s office and practice
1 while Dr. Hume is on a six
weeks’ vacation.
Dr. Brown is a graduate of;
the University of Utah. He j
practiced in California for nine1
years and was in Hawaii be-j
fore coming to Alaska.
Accompanied by his daugh
ter and two sons, Dr. Brown
is presently residing at the
Pioneer Apartments.
Sears Roebuck Sales Office
Will Occupy New Building
An attractive new store and
office building being con
structed by Lloyd Severns near
Palmer’s main intersection
i will house a new Sears Roe
buck Co. branch sales office to
be established here early this
fall.
Construction on the Wasil
la street addition to the Sev
erns building was started over
a month ago. Mr. Severns said
this week he hopes to have the
main floor finished for Sears
occupancy by the first of Sep
tember. Sears will occupy
about two-thirds of the street
floor.
The building, 50 by 80 feet,
will have office space on the
second floor and a full base
ment. Some of the office space
has already been spoken for.
Severns said.
Aluminum and glass en
trance doors and thermopane
windows will grace the paint
ed concrete block building.
Laminated exposed beams, na
tural wood ceilings and floors,
plaster walls, good ventilation
and lighting are planned for
the interior.
Harold Eilers, area supervi
sor for Sears-Roebuck and Co.,
said yesterday the increasing
Palmer business at the Anchor
age and Seattle Sears outlets
has made obvious the need for
a full catalogue sales office in
Palmer. He anticipates the new
office will need five or six
employees.
The store will provide the
usual catalogue ordering ser
vice, telephone shopping, a
credit department, appliance
repair service. It will also carry
a nice display of merchandise
—large and small appliances,
television sets, radios, auto
tires and batteries, etc.
CITY HALL MUSI
BE ENLARGED
Out of nine applications for
the new city manager position,
the Palmer City Council sel
ected that of Winston Gil
christ, Phoenix, Ariz., former
ly City Manager of Glendale.
Ariz. He has been asked to i
come to Palmer for an inter
view with the Council.
The Gilchrist application and
references indicated he admir
ably met the Council's adver- ;
tised requirements for a “back
ground in public works or civil
engineering." Salary for the
Palmer manager has been ten
tatively set by the Council at
“$9,000 to $11,000, depending
on qualifications."
The question of office space
and equipment for the city
manager's office led to the ap
pointment of a committee of
the council to investigate alter
ations and additions to City
Hall. One proposal advanced by
Councilman Maze was to build
an addition on the 20 feet of
ground west of the present
building, with a coal stoker
heating system for the whole
city hall to be installed in the
basement of the addition and
the police department to be
moved to the main floor of the
addition. The city manager's
office could then occupy the
present police headquarters.
Another proposal was the
construction of a second story
on the present building, with
the Public Library to occupy
part of the additional space. As
the councilmen jokingly re
marked, this would also take
care of the problem of repair
of the present roof—a problem
again unsolved during this
meeting. Councilmen Blom.
Watts and Maze were named
to the committee to investigate
construction costs.
Another major decision be
fore the City Council at the
regular meeting Tuesday eve
ning was the 4-3 vote to reject
all bids for a new front end
loader. Council decided to in
vestigate further the cost of
reparing the present loading
machine.
The question of a communi
cations system for the fire and
police emergency vehicles was
decided in favor of mobile dial
telephone equipment as being
more private and subject to
less interference than radio
equipment.
The Council also decided to
get a separate office phone for
the police department which
has heretofore shared the one
phone with the city clerk.
A $1045 bid by Dodge Elec
tric Co. for wiring of the metal
building used for the city gar
age and warehouse was accept
ed. The bid of Valley Concrete
Co. to pour the slab floor for
the building at $27 per cubic
yard of ready-mixed concrete
was also accepted.
The bid of Kirk Sales and
Service to supply the 500-gal
lon gasoline storage tank and
a farm-type pump at the metal
building for $319.50 was eccept
ed.
Mrs. Lucy Mick, one of the
original committee which drew
up the city zoning ordinance,
was a visitor at the Council
meeting. She reminded the
Council that potential con
struction is hindered or defeat
ed by lack of a city zoning or
dinance and inquired if action
is expected soon. The Council,
Mayor Miller replied, is await
ing one additional report and
final action is expected in the
near future.
Jim Thornlow submitted to
the Council an application for
employment as fill-in man in
several city departments.
Councilmen Pazaruski and Gei
witz were appointed a commit
tee to investigate the feasibil
ity of establishing such a posi
tion.
The Council approved con
tracting with the City of An
chorage for housing city pris
oners at $7 per diem at the An
chorage jail.
Trap Shoot Assn.
Installs Electric
Trap at Range
The Matanuska Valley Trap
Shoot Assn, has completed in
j stallation of the new. electric
trap at the range west of Pal
mer on the Wasilla road. The
Association plans to hold a
trap shoot every Sunday, 1
p.m.
About a dozen members at
tended the first shoot last Sun
day. The M. V. Trap Shoot
Assn, was formed last spring
I and now numbers about 35
members with membership
j still open. The board will meet
Thursday, 8 p.m. at the Elks
hall.
Officers of the club are Dr.
Vincent Hume, president; John
Weldon, vice president; and
Carol Christiansen, secretary
treasurer.
Board members are Charles
Robinson. Larry Kincaid. Rich
ard Demming, Leroy Johnson,
and Koslosky.s Howard P.
Campbell, and Harold Dunn.
25 Candidates Speak at Bi-Partisan
Political Rally Here Wednesday
The Bi - partisan political j
rally under the auspices of the i
League of Women Voters was !
well attended by election can
didates. only fairly well at
tended by local voters. The
five-minute addresses of the
25 candidates were presented I
to an audience of about 150 in
cluding the candidates, their
families and friends from An
chorage.
The rally was held Wednes
day evening in the Palmer
Central School gymnasium.
Mrs. Noel Woods, president of
the League, presided. With no
questions from the floor in the
question and answer period
and no heated discussions, the
meeting adjourned about 10:30.
Candidates present included:
Thomas L. Carter, Jalmar
Kerttula. Earl Combs, David
Boyer, Jo Josephson. Louise W.
Long, R L. (Bob) Veach. Earl
Hildstrand, N. J. (Nick) Beg
ich—-all Democrats. Speaking
for candidates not present
were Democrats John Alcantra
for Governor William A. Egan,
George Sundborg f o r Senator
Ernest Gruening. Rufus Dill,
chairman of the Bi-Partisan
committee from Anchorage, de
livered a message from George
Byer, Democratic candidate for
governor.
Republican candidates in
cluded Verne Martin, Ted Ste
vens, Howard Pollock, James
Frey, Keith Miller, Henry S.
Pratt. Mike Stepovich, R. A.
(Bob) Ross, W. Ralph Foster,
Eugene Reid, Robert (Bob)
Stratton, Jr,, Jack T. Gilliland,
and John Coghill.
As the rally was a good pres
entation of election issues and
candidates' platforms, voters
who did not attend missed a
real opportunity to become ac
quainted with 13 Republican
and 12 Democratic candidates.
A complete summary of their
remarks will be given in next
week’s issue of The Frontiers
man.
REPUBLICAN RRIiliR
JULY 29-8 P.M.
MOOSE HALL
TAP Dctn
PUNCH
CHIPS - DIPS
rKIblNUb—KtrUDUL.AINo
and Disgruntled Democrats
YOU ALL COME
JIM FREY. CANDIDATE