The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
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VOLUME 7. NO. 47
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. SEPT. 16, 1954
PRICE TEN CENTO
Local Fund Campaigns
Net Record Amounts
Valley residents the past month
have shown their generosity by
giving more money to the Boy
Scouts of America fund drive and
the Emergency March of Dimes
than was anticipated by the most
optomistic committee member.
To date the local Boy Scout
drive has netted $567.30, more
than has been collected during a
Scout drive any other time, al
though the figure in 1951 was
close.
A total of $3,485.13 has been
contributed to the local Emergen
cy March of Dimes with still
additional sums to come in, Ed
Smith stated this week. The
splendid response to the two lo
cal campaigns was pointed out by
Smith at the Chamber of Com
merce meeting this week.
Contributions reported this
week included $103.24 from col
lection bottles placed in Bert’s
Drug Store, Bettys’, Frontier Bar
and the Palmer Bar. Also $252
from Palmer Constructors em
ployees, $120.19 from the follow
ing Trading Post employes, W. O.
Sharp, Harriett Bell, Lillian Hen
Chamber Hears
More on Proposed
Local Radio Program
Vic Hochee, of radio station
KFQD was in attendance at the
September 15 meeting of the Ma
tanuska Valley Chamber of Com
merce and spok '•? ose attend- ’
ing on the proofed radio pro
gram being planned by the sta
tion to feature various aspects of
life and work in the Matanuska
Valley area. Approximately 16
local merchants have signed for
the program. Twenty-four will be
necessary he said.
Originally planned as a Pal
mer Hour program, Hochee point
ed out that several merchants
outside Palmer, but in the Valley
area, have indicated a willingness
to participate in. the program and
had suggested the title be chang
ed to the more expanding title of
the Valley Hour, or a similar title.
In the absence of Chamber
President Richard Jones, Jim
Hurley acted as chairman of the
meeting. Hurley reminded mem
bers of the All-Alaska Chamber
of Commerce meeting to be held
m Anchorage November 11, 12,
and 13.
William T. Zahradnicek, super
intendent of schools, told Cham
ber .members that this year’s en
rollment figure of 836 tops pre
vious enrollments by about 50.
Although the new Palmer High
* School was to have been complet
ed in November, it will not be
ready for occupancy before Jan
uary or February, he speculated,
depending upon how fast they
are able to procede.
Hurley reminded members of
the forthcoming school board and
city council vacancies that are to
be filled by the voters on October
5 and urged anyone planning to
run for office to get their peti
tions circulating.
Don Kantola of Moore Business
Forms from Anchorage was
luncheon guest of Clayton Es
slinger.
DEMOCRATS TO MEET
TOMORROW NIGHT
Members of the Palmer Demo
cratic club will hold a meeting
Friday evening, September 17 at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ber
tran Curry in the AHA housing
area. Plans for the coming visit
of Del. E. L. Bartlett and other
Democratic candidates will be
made.
dershot, Irene Benson, Phillip
Lazenby, Iva France and Mary
Carson, all who contributed a full
day’s pay. Others contributing
were Mr. and Mrs. George Whet
stone, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Wim
mer, Mr. and Mrs. James Hulbert,
Goat Creek Garage, Matanuska
Valley Farmers Cooperating As
sociation, additional Bureau of
Reclamation office employes,
Thelma Land, and Florence San
dell.
Contributions are still being ac
cepted for the emergency fund,
Smith pointed out. They may be
mailed to him, care of Ketchikan
Spruce or left at the Matanuska
Valley Bank with Richard Jones.
New ACS Building
Being Constructed
On Glenn Highway
Construction of the Alaska
Communication System repeater
station was started last week in
the North Palmer area, near the
Alaska Road Commission gar
ages.
The 28-foot by 53 foot, four inch
one story building is being con
structed by Northern Roofing of
Anchorage. The foundation is
poured cement, with steel rein
forced concrete slab floor. The
steel frame will be covered with
asbestos sheeting and the roof
will be of sheet metal, with a hot
tar finish. The structure is ex
pected to be completed sometime
in November.
APW FUNDS MADE
100% AVAILABLE
The present fiscal year will be
the biggest in the history of the
Alaska Public Works program,
Governor B. Frank Heintzleman
announced this week. After a con
ference in Juneau with James
Huston, director of APW, the
governor said that the agency
plans to let contracts in, the
amount of $22,177,689 before next
June 30. This total will represent
100 percent of funds available
this year for public works pro
jects. It will be the first year
since 1950 that more than two
thirds of available funds have
actually been obligated.
The tremendous total available
for projects this year includes $9,
451,030 from this years appropria
tion by Congress and a backlog
of $12,726,659 from previous ap
pi'opriations. Of this total it is ex
pected that contracts in amount
of $13,054,000 will be let by De
cember 31, 1954.
Governor Heintzleman com
mended Huston for his work in
pushing APW projects to the con
tract stage during the few months
he has been in office.
“This money has been made
available by Congress for our
various Alaska projects,” the
Governor said, “but the money
itself is of no benefit to the ter
ritory until it is actually put to
use, building the projects our
communities require and putting
people to work.”
In addition to providing need
ed schools, hospitals and public
utilities, the volume of construc
tion under the APW program will
considerably boost Alaska econ
omy during the coming building
season, the Governor said.
Vic Fisher of the Anchorage
City Planning Board met with
members of the Palmer Planning
Commission on Monday of this
week. Zoning discussion was the
main topic of the evening.
City Council
Proceedings
A brief business meeting was
held Tuesday of this week by the
Palmer City Council and then
adjourned while members re
sumed the board of equalization
"meeting which had previously
been recessed due to a quorum
lack. The board was successful in
finalizing all tax assessment ap
peals.
* * *
During the business meeting a
letter from Gene Kirsch, Valley
Fair manager, was read in which
it was estimated that over 33,000
persons visited the Valley over
the Labor-day weekend. On be
half of himself and the Valley
Fair Association, Kirsch extend
ed appreciation to the City of Pal
mer for their assistance in the
success of the Fair.
Judges and clerks for the Ter- j
ritorial election to be held Oc- ,
tober 12 were appointed by Act
ing City Clerk Lenora Amerman
and approved by council mem- |
bers. Those approved will be ap
i proached for availability.
Council members approved the
start of the city’s annual audit
ard named CPA O. K. Kincaid of
Anchorage to do the work, which
is to be completed before October
Workers on the new city fire
hall are about ready to pour con
crete, members of the engineering
committee reported. In the mean
time, until the building is com
pleted to the point where vehic- !
les may be housed therein, city
fire trucks will be parked in the
Co-Op housing area, near Fire
Chief Joseph Gallant’s residence.
The fire siren will remain on the
Hagen building, the only differ
ence being in the temporary lo
cation of the trucks.
* * *
The heating system to be in
(Continued on page 6)
VALLEY TOURS
VERY POPULAR,
GUIDE TELLS KIWANIANS
Lenore Amerman of Palmer
i spoke to Palmer Kiwanis mem
bers at the club’s noontime
luncheon meeting September 13
on Arctic Travel Service tours
conducted throughout the valley
this past summer season.
Miss Amerman, who acted as
guide for the Valley phases of the
tours, told Kiwanians that ap
proximately 700 persons toured
the Valley and that with very
few exceptions, all were impress
ed with the vast agricultural po
tentialities of the area.
Many expressed surprise that
the farms given to Colonists back
in 1935 were on a loan basis, be
lieveing they had been some type
of grant. Surprise was also ex
pressed by visitors when they
learned that the farmers in Al
aska are not subsidized as in the
States. Miss Amerman pointed
out to the visitors that the farm
ers are not only non-subsidized,
but must compete with Outside
markets at increased production
costs. Cooperation on the tours
was offered by all local business
es, the Experiment Station, Soil
Conservation Service and the Ex
tension Service, giving necessary
information for the visitors.
The Arctic Travel Service had
dropped the Matanuska Valley
from their itinery at one time, but
following the success of this
year’s tour, Miss Amerman was
told that the valley will get big
ger and better tour service next
year.
GOVERNOR EXPRESSES
ENJOYMENT OF FAIR
In a letter to members of the
Matanuska Valley Fair Asso
ciation this week Governor of
Alaska B. Frank Heintzleman
expressed his thanks to the as
sociation for their hospitality
during the 1954 Fair.
Gov. Heintzleman told as
sociation members that he
wished “to congratulate you
and your associates on the
great number and the high
quality of the exhibits.
“This was my first atten
dance at a Matanuska Fair
and I was greatly impressed
b,y its excellence and also by
the huge attendance. The so
cial events were also very in
teresting.”
In closing the governor as
sured fair association mem
bers that he plans to come
again next year.
POLICE SOLVE
$>1,000 HOLDUP
IN RECORD TIME
Within a few hours of the most
daring daylight holdup in the
history of the Valley, Joseph Per
rin, 64-year-old Jonesville miner !
was taken into custody on Sep
tember 10 as a suspect and with
in a short time admitted the i
crime, was placed under arrest
and charged with armed robbery
and kidnaping. Bail was set at
$15,000.
Victim of the holdup was Mrs.
Thelma Ross, bookkeeper at Kos
losky’s Department store who had j
withdrawn over $11,000 in cash
from the local hark to have on
hand to cash checks of miners
who are being paid on that date.
As Mrs. Ross got into her car
Perrin, masked with an old pil- .
low slip, jumped up from the
rear seat where he was hiding i
and ‘forced her to drive the car
under the threat of a knife which
he held at her throat.
The peculiar actions of Mrs.
Ross as she drove off and the
presence of the man in the back
seat attracted the attention of
Jerry LaWalters who had driven
up to park in front of the bank.
Following the Ross car LaWalt
ers observed the irratic manner
in which Mrs. Ross was driving
and concluded something was
wrong. He passed his suspicions
on to Dick Geiwitz at a service
station who in turn alerted a cus
tomer, Stuart Dreghorn and Po
lice Chief Bernard Bouwens was
called.
In the meantime Perrin had
forced Mrs. Ross to drive to a
sector in North Palmer where he
bound and gagged her before tak
ing off on foot toward the city.
It was here that LaWalters found
Mrs. Ross who had worked the
gag and blind fold loose. Releas
ing bonds which held her hands
behind her, LaWalters then drove
her back to the department store.
During the time that Perrin
was binding Mrs. Ross his mask
slipped and she was able to rec
ognize him. She was successful in
not disclosing this fact to Perrin,
but reported it to police officials.
Around 2 p.m. Perrin was picked
up by city and territorial police
at the mine where he lived and
brought in for questioning. Al
though both Mrs. Ross and Stuart
Dreghorn, the latter who had seen
the man walking along the road,
identified him as the holdup man,
he vehemently denied any con
nection with the crime. He con
tinued to press his innocence
until that evening at which time
the money was located in the
basement of Palmer Automotive
where Perrin had clothing stored.
He had visited the garage earlier
in the day and asked garage owri
er A1 King if he could remove
(Continued on page 4
City Office Petitions
To Be Filed by Sept. 25
Although rumors are beginning
to fly around the city about who
plans to run for a seat on the city
council, to date no one has come
right out and stated they plan to
run for office. Today was the ear
liest date on which a candidate
could file his petition. Accord
ing to Acting City Clerk Lenore
Amerman, no one has brought a
petition in for registering. Peti- j
|
Taxpayers Reminded
Must Register for
Oct. Sewer Election
Taxpayers who plan to vote in !
the election to be held October
5 upon the proposition of acquir- j
ing. constructing, and purchasing
a sewer system for the City of
Palmer, are reminded that regis
tration books will be closed at 5
p.m. October 1.
Taxpayers whose names appear
on the last tax assessment roll
or record who plan to vote on the
sewer issue must register prior to
the above date by signing their
name in the registration book be
ing maintained in the office of
the city clerk in the Wright build
ing. To date Lenore Amerman,
acting city clerk, reports that only
20 persons have registered.
Advance registration is requir
ed only for the sewer proposal.
Those planning to vote in the
city election for city council
members need register only on
the date of voting.
In addition to being a taxpayer
in the City of Palmer, the person
registering must also be a quali
fied elector of the city. A quali
fied elector, according to city or
dinance, must have held resi
dence in the city for a period of
at least one year prior to voting,
must be at least 21 years of age
and be able to read and write the
English language.
In addition to the city elections
(Continued on page 8)
tions may not be submitted to
the office of the city clerk after
September 25. Each petition mQst
bear the bona fide signature of
25 qualified electors of the city
of Palmer.
According to city ordinance, a
qualified elector must have been
a resident within the city limits
for at least one year. Any qual
ified elector of the city may be
nominated for elective office by
petition.
Anyone planning to circulate a
petition may obtain information
from the city clerk’s office or fol
lowing text:
“We, the undersigned twenty
five electors of the City of Pal
mer, Alaska, hereby nominate
and sponsor ___
(Full name of nominee) _
whose residence is ..
(Street or lot and block..
for the office of (Name
of office) to be voted for
at the election to be held on the
fifth day of October, 1954: and
we individually certify that our
names presently appear on the
rolls of registered voters, that
we are qualified to vote for a
candidate for an elective munici
pal office, and that we have not
signed an> other nominating pe
tition for the particular office
this candidate seeks, except in
case of councilmen, where we un
derstand we can sign as many pe
titions as (here are vacancies for
the position if councilmen.
Following* his statement space
should be a -'d for the name,
street, a,id .nber or lot and
blcfek, address from which last
registered, if different, and date
of signing. Enough space should
be allowed for a minimum of 25
signatures before completing the
text with the following, (to be
signed by the candidate)
Acceptance of Nomination
I herehy accept the nomination
for and agree to
serve if elected, followed by the
signature of the candidate. In the
(Continued on page 8)
NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS TO REGISTER
FOR ELECTION OF OCTOBER 5, 1954
Volers who axe taxpayers of the City of Palmer
and whose names appear on the last tax assessment
roll or record, who wish to vote in the election to be
held on October 5, 1954, upon the proposition of
acquiring, constructing, and purchasing a sewer
system for the City of Palmer are required to register
in advance.
Registration books for such purpose will be main
tained at the office of the City Clerk located in the
Neal Wright Building from September 2. 1954 until 5
o'clock P.M. on October 1, 1954. Such taxpayers wish
ing to vote in said election upon said proposition must
personally register their names in such books within
the time above-staled. Accordingly all City taxpayers
are urged to register promptly in order to qualify
themselves to vote upon said proposition.
Advance registration of voters is required only for
the sewer proposition as above-staled. For all other
propositions to be voted upon in said election, includ
ing the election of City Councilmen, registration will
be done at the polls at the time of voting and no
advance registration is required therefor.
LENORE AMERMAN
Acting City Clerk
HiRSKirs nvDRiiE gride euerr tues.
PALMER ELKS LODGE HOME 8:00 P.M. PRIZES, PRIZES, PRIZES - EVERYBODY WELCOME