valley Frontiersman
VOL. II.
PALMER, ALASKA JULY 28, 1949
No. 34
Dr. Kenneth Ham Returns To Valley
Palmer Gets
$60,000 Federal
Airport Fund
Airport funds in the amount
of $60,125 for Palmer were an
nounced this week as a part of
CAA’s 1950 airport air program.
These funds were approved for
Palmer several years ago, but
until the recent legislature pass
ed enabling legislation permit
ting cities to use the Federal
aid, the funds were frozen.
Little is known of the imme
diate effect of the appropriation
on the Palmer airport. Roland
Snodgrass of the Palmer Airport
Association said he had received
no official announcement of the
fund allocation at press-time.
There is little doubt that the
money will be received, but until
official notice reaches the local
Association, no action can be
taken.
Mr. Snodgrass was to check
with Victor Rivers, project engi
neer, later this week and he said
he hoped to be able to announce
definite plans by next week.
It is believed that the appro
priation depends upon a 25 per
cent matching fund in the com
munity, but Mr. Snodgrass was
unable to state for certain
whether the fund must be
matched, or whether funds be
ing spent at the port in recent
months could be considered a
part of the matching fund.
Other Alaskan cities to re
ceive aid for airports this year
include Dillingham, Seldovia and
Seward. Anchorage and Fair
banks both were deleted, since
those cities are receiving special
appropriations for projects now
under wray.
FAIR MANAGER
TO MARRY
Fair manager Charles Dillon
left Anchorage by plane this
morning to make a quick flight
home to Delta, Colo., where he
will be married on Aug. 7. The
future Mrs. Dillon is Miss Jeanne
Abbott, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. James E. Abbott of Delta.
She has just completed her third
year of work at Western State
College at Gunnison, Colo.
The Dillons expect to be back
in the Valley on Aug. 11, when
they will take up residence in a
new home on Bailey Hill. Mr.
Dillon resumes his classroom
duties in Palmer School imme
diately after the close of the
coming Matanuska Valley fair.
Anthony Opens
Flying Service
A new flying service spread its
wings in Palmer this week.
Known as Gil Anthony’s Air
Service, the Gil Anthony-piloted
Bellanca Cruisair is destined to
become a familiar figure in the
skies between Anchorage and
Palmer.
Mr. Anthony expects to spe
cialize in frequent air trips be
tween Palmer and Anchorage.
He has announced a new and
very attractive rate schedule,
and hopes to be making several
flights daily between the two
cities.
The flying service is headquar
tered in A1 King’s Garage, but
trip information also is available
at the Co-op Fountain or the
Matanuska Hotel.
Legion Starts
Work On Building
Bids have been let for the
basement construction of the
American Legion building, it
was announced this week by Dr.
F. R. Sims, commander of the
Valley post. The firm of easier
and Loyer will build the base
ment, on which wrork is to be
completed by Oct. 1.
The Legion plans a 40x60
basement with a 10-foot ceiling
and 8-inch walls of poured con
crete. The contractors will roof
the basement and the Legion
will use it as a meeting hall this
winter.
Future plans call for the erec
tion of a two-story building,
when the structure is complete.
It is the hope of local Legion
naires to add a second story to
the building next year.
Grange Plans
August 14th
Flower Show
There will be a Valley-wide
flower show, sponsored by the
Northland Pioneer Grange, to be
held at the Grange Hall on Aug.
14, it was announced this week
by chairman Maud Hosier. Mrs.
Hosier invites exhibits from
every flower-grower in the Val
ley.
There will be display classes
for both cut flowers and potted
plants, in a wide variety of
events, she said. Prizes will be
given for the best all-around
flower display and for best in
dividual winners.
The flower show will be held
at the Grange Hall, and will
commence at 1 p. m. All exhibi
tors planning to display potted
plants should have them at the
Grange Hall some time Satur
day. Cut flower entry deadline
is 11:30 a. m. Sunday.
Ladies of the Grange will hold
their bazaar at the Grange Hall
during the flower show, and will
serve tea for flower show visi
tors.
Those who play to display
flowers at the show, and who
wish more detailed information,
should get in touch immediately
with Mrs. Hosier. Mrs. Hosier’s
co-committee m e m b e rs, Mrs.
Emma King and Mrs. Karla
Duff, also will be happy to an
swer questions concerning the
show.
Rev. and Mrs. Sanford Davis
of Palmer this week announced
that they had adopted as their
son a two-year-old native child.
The boy has lived in the Davis
Children’s Home since his birth.
ANCHORAGE TALENT ENTERS
FAIR CONTEST
Two new amateur talent en
tries were signed up this week
for the fair’s talent contest in
September, manager Charles
Dillon announced today. The
entrants are Carol Martens of
Anchorage, sponsored by the
Anchorage Shopping Guide, and
Ted Jamieson, also of Anchor
age, sponsored by the Soropti
mist Club of Anchorage.
Both of the new contestants
are winners of the annual talent
scholarship award offered by the
Soroptimists. Miss Martens is a
soprano and Ted Jamieson is a
violinist.
Miss Martens has been study
ing music for several years. Her
present instructor is Katherine
Chenowith of Anchorage. Aside
from her interest in a musical
career, the singer takes an ac
tive interest in sports.
In addition to his violinist
abilities, Ted is also a very fine
vocalist. He has been studying
violin for the past year under
the tutelage of Mrs. Ruth Hurst
of Anchorage, and he gave up a
planned trip Outside with his
parents in order to spend the
summer in practice to prepare
himself for the coming Septem
ber contest.
Both contestants were pre
sented on the fair’s radio pro
gram over station KFQD last
Saturday, when they were inter
viewed by Mr. Dillon.
FORMER LOCAL
DOCTOR NAMED
TO CLINIC STAFF
Dr. Kenneth Ham, formerly as
sociated with Dr. R. E. Garrett
of Palmer, has been named one
of the two physicians affiliated
with the Doctors’ Clinic, to open
here next Monday. Dr. Ham
practiced in Palmer from the
first of the year to mid-June, go
ing then to Valdez where he has
been practicing for the past two
months.
Not one. but two doctors, will
serve the Valley through the
Doctors’ Clinic, it was disclosed
by Robert Walker of the An
chorage Doctors Clinic, of which
the local office will be a branch.
Dr. Vernon A. Cates was named
as the second Clinic physician.
Both doctors are general prac
titioners, Mr. Walker said. Their
Palmer offices will be located up
stairs in the Koslosky Building.
Office hours will be announced
in the near future, but the Clinic
will be officially opened to the
public next Monday.
Dr. Ham is expected to arrive
here momentarily. Dr. Cates
came to the Valley yesterday to
meet with staff members of the
Valley Hospital. Dr. Cates’ fam
ily will remain in Anchorage for
a few months, but he plans even
tually to live in the Valley.
Sportsmen To Get
First Aid Drill
Dr. R. E. Garrett, assisted by
nurses from the Valley Hospital,
will present a first aid demon
stration as the program for next
week’s regular meeting of the
Matanuska Valley Sportsmen.
The demonstration is scheduled
at this time in order to instruct
members with first aid princi
ples before the opening of the
approaching hunting season. The
meeting is scheduled for next
Wednesday evening at 8 o’clock.
It will be held at the rifle range
beneath the Rec Hall. Interested
guests are invited to attend.
STATEHOOD DELATED
Statehood bills for Alaska and
Hawaii will not be presented for
action at this session of Con
gress, it was declared this week
by Chairman Peterson of the
House Public Lands Committee.
Mr. Peterson said he feared the
bills might fare poorly if they
were pressed now, when the
House is rushing to adjourn.