Vol. 1, No. 87
Palmer, Alaska, August 13, 1948
Ten Cents
Last Rites
Pay Honor
To Dreghorn
Many friends and neighbors of
the late “Scotty” Lawrence Dreg
horn gathered at St. Michael’s
Catholic Church yesterday morn
ing to pay final honors to the for
mer colonist. Mr. Dreghorn pass
ed away at his home last Monday
morning after a long illness.
He was a member of the orig
inal colonist group which came
to the Valley in 1935. For a num
ber of years he was employed at
the Trading Post and later at
Kennedy Hardware in Anchor
age. He also owned a farm in the
Butte area.
In addition to his widow, Mr.
Dreghorn is survived by seven
children: Larry, Gordon, Wil
liam, Mary, Stewart, Grace and
Marie. Mary, who is now Out
side, was unable to be present at
her father’s funeral.
Mr. Dreghorn was interred in
the Palmer cemetery. Pallbearers
at the Thursday service were: Joe
Lentz, Paul Nelson, Don Parks,
Pat Hemmer, I. M. Sandvik and
A1 King.
Secretary And Party
Tour Valley By Bus
Assistant secretary William E.
Warne of the Department of the !
Interior headed a party of 24 vis- I
iting officials who toured the
Valley yesterday. The group,
made up of Army and Depart
ment of the Interior personnel,
we’re driven through the Valley
aboard an Ed Christensen school
bus.
C. W. Peters was the Valley
host for the group. The party
ended its trip at Wasilla, where
they boarded the train for Curry
and Mt. McKinley. The visitors
lunched at Wasilla before they
entrained.
Mr. Warne was travelling a
day behind his announced itiner
ary, for he was due in the Valley
on Wednesday.
Sportsmen Plan Alaskan Game and Fish Dinner
Plans for a game and fish din
ner, tentatively scheduled for
Saturday, Oct. 2, were threshed
out at last Monday’s meeting of
'^e directors of the Matanuska
Valley Sportsmen. A central
committee made up of Bruce
Graham, Dr. F. R. Sims, Ralph
Goodrich, Clare Stock, Leo Lu
cas and Walter Cooper was ap
pointed to make final arrange
ments for the dinner and for the
evening’s entertainment.
^Sportsmen directors also voted
to place before the club a plan
- for the erection of outdoor fire
places at favorite picnic spots,
and to place stoves in shelter
cabins used by hunters. In each
instance, signs would inform the
camper that he was able to make
use of the equipment through
the courtesy of the club. It was
telt that proper care would be
given to the equipment if this
were done.
Directors decided, in line with
thft plan, to get in touch with
Alaska Road Commission heads
to see if turn-off crossings might
not be dozed near picnic spots,
so that cars need not be parked
along the highways.
Co-Op Can’t Act
On Hospital Plan
Without Letter
Final action on the Matanuska
Valley Farmers Co-operating As
sociation offer to rehabilitate
sewer, steam and water lines of
the present Valley Hospital plant
is awaiting definite word from
the hospital board, Carl Rasmus
sen of the MVFCA said this
week. Mr. Rasmussen said his
organization was prepared to
take action to rehabilitate the
lines, in accordance with pro
posals submitted several weeks
ago, as soon as a letter of ac
ceptance to those proposals is
received.
Late last month the Co-op made
its offer to the hospital board. 11
addition to its offer with regard
to the utilities at the hospital, the
Co-op’s proposal stipulated that
the present building must be uti
lized for hospital purposes only
for a period of at least five years.
The hospital board objected to
the final proposal, which limits
the building’s use to hospital pur
poses only. In a joint meeting
with members of the MVFCA
executive committee, a compro
mise agreement was worked out!
whereby the hospital guarantees
a five-year purchase of steam
from the Co-op. In addition, it
was agreed that the Co-op would
be given the opportunity to buy
the building back at the original
purchase price of $7500, if the
board ever decides to sell.
Board members had under
stood the compromise agreement
would be carried back to the full
Co-op board for approval. How
ever Mr. Rasmussen said no
further action could be taken by
die Co-op until the hospital board
makes a written proposal, which
will embody the compromise
agreement.
Appears Before Board
United States Commissioner
Walter E. Huntley was in An
chorage Wednesday, where he
appeared at the public hearing
held there by the Alaska Devel
opment Board.
The directors were informed
that the committee appointed to
investigate a prize to be given
away at fair-time had recom
mended the purchase of binoc
ulars. An automatic shotgun or
pistol were named as substitute
choices.
Other fair plans suggested for
the Sportsmen included the spon
sorship of a show, made up of
the outdoor-life slides and mov
ies of club members. It was point
ed out that a show of some length
could be developed, which would
interest fair-goers in the work
of the Sportsmen. Mr. Stock sug
gested that local merchants
might be interested in display
ing sporting goods in the hall
where the show would be staged.
It was decided to investigate the
availability of the gym before
planning the matter further.
Directors assigned food re
quirements for the game dinner
to all club members, before ad
journing the Monday meeting.
The club’s hunters will be re
quired to supply the following
foods for the Oct. 2 dinner.
Caribou — Bill Curtis, Dee
Johansen. Bill Smith; caribou
ANCHORAGE FAIR PLANS
VALLEY DAY ON SUNDAY
Matanuska Valley day, which
will be Sunday, Aug. 15, is to con
clude the three-day Anchorage
fair which opened at 2 o’clock
this afternoon. At that hour a
helicopter swooped low over the
fair grounds, located on the
school property at E Street be
tween Tenth and Eleventh, to
cut the ribbon threaded across
the entryway to the fair.
This formal opening will begin
a full three days of softball
games, Midway fun, industrial
and farm and garden displays.
Deadline for bringing display ex
hibits to the fair was set for noon
today, except for entries in the
flower show. Valley residents,
who have flowers they would
like to display, are invited to
compete in this event, according
to Bill King, fair manager.
Demonstrations are planned
for this afternoon and again to
morrow afternoon in the home
economics section of the show.
Miss Marilyn Johnson and Mrs.
Lydia Fohn-Hansen, both of the
Extension Service, will preside
over this portion of the fair. Miss
Johnson’s demonstration will
Not Many More Students
Register For School
Only a limited number of ad
ditional students have been en
rolled in the Palmer school dur
ing the past week of registration,
superintendent Francis Malcolm
said today. The pre-enrollment
period was opened for this week,
in order to determine the number
of students in the Palmer area
who will seek schooling here
next month.
School heads have authorized
local school officials to make
every effort to accommodate all
students. While still too early to
make a definite announcement,
Mr. Malcolm said it appeared
likely that all Palmer pupils will
be placed somewhere in the
school system this term.
liver—Roy Knapp.
Salmon, baked—Paul Akle
stad; kippered—Mrs. Bob Wal
ker and Les Ray; smoked—
Seth Cook.
Moose — John Bush, James
Carroll, Joe Loyer, W. C. Mau;
liver—Lou Henke.
Goat — Russ Felzien, Ralph
Goodrich, Tom Lepak.
Black bear—Leo Lucas, Wil
liam Roark.
Grizzly bear—Ken Western
barger, Vic Cottini.
Venison—I. M. Sandvik, Lee
Hartley, Dr. F. R. Sims.
Clams, butter—Harry Ryan,
Waller Huntley; razor, Mrs.
Walter Huntley.
Crab—Mrs. F. R. Sims, John
Gore.
Shrimp—Jan Koslosky.
Ducks — Roy Brock, Virgil
Eckert.
Geese — Chek Sandvik, Es
ther Brock, Bruce Graham.
Spruce hens — M. D. Snod
grass, Grant Kenser, Parker
Lester.
Ptarmigan — Verne Donel
son, L. C. Slock.
Grayling—Bob Walker.
Rainbow trout—Glenn But
deal with preparation of foods
for cold storage lockers. Mrs.
Fohn-Hansen will discuss uses of
Alaskan foods, stressing in par
ticular the making of jellies and
jams from Alaskan berries and
suggesting appetizing ways of
preparing fish and game.
Door prizes are to be given
away at these demonstrations.
Competitive events in the home
economics section of the fair in
clude sections on baking, cloth
ing, canning and fancy work.
Prizes are offered for winners in
each event.
Special events planned for
Matanuska Valley day include a
bait-casting tournament spon
sored by the Anchorage Sports
men’s Club. This event, to be
held at the wading pool just
across from the fair grounds, is
open to everyone.
Anchorage Sportsmen have is
sued a special invitation to mem
bers of the local club, the Mat
anuska Valley Sportsmen, to
compete in the tournament. It
opens at 2 o’clock Sunday. Prizes
will be awarded in four divisions:
“ (Continued on back page)
Valley Folks Visit
Leonard Bergan Family
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Bergan
and family, former residents of
the Valley now living at Moni
tor, Ore., visited with relatives
in Dunn County, North Dakota
recently. They were fortunate in
meeting Tom Moffitt and Merle
Anderson there; they had missed
seeing the Alaskan wanderers on
the coast.
During the Bergan’s visit, a
picnic was held at Lake Ilo so
that they and Mr. Moffitt might
meet all their friends and rela
tives.
Mr Moffitt writes that one of
his most enjoyable experiences
of the trip was his visit with Mr.
Anderson’s aged grandparents
who are capably operating a 15
cow dairy in Minnesota.
nett, Jack and Rosina Tost.
Porcupine—Walter Cooper.
Cranberries — Donna Car
roll, Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Frid
ley, John Zimowske.
Blueberries—Mr. and Mrs.
William Hoskins, Vivian Good
rich and George Small. *
Raspberries—Alva Saxton.
Rabbits — W. McGibonay,
Dick Hannen, Dan Fleming.
Sheep — Richard Demming,
Claude Carroll; sheep liver—
Ira Meekin.
Dinner rolls—S. F. Crosby,
Bert McCool.
Condiments—Russ and Rus
ty Dow.
Coffee. 10 gallons — Tex
Gudbub.
Ling cod—Harry Rice. Jack
Maze.
Cups—Dale Graham.
Tomatoes—Maud Hosier.
Pickles—Mr. and Mrs. Bob
Johns.
Cream—Bill Lentz.
Napkins—Betty Mears.
Butler — Harry Mackey,
John Reed.
Potato salad—Richard Mo
han, Don Parks, Viola Dan
iels.
ARRC Asks
Foreclosure
On Co-op Loan
Members of the Alaska Rural
R e h a b i 1 itation Corporation’s
board of directors last Monday
unanimously voted to recom
mend to the Farmer’s Home Ad
ministration that the loan to the
Matanuska Valley Farmer’s Co
operating Association be called
immediately. The Co-op bor
rowed $292,000 from the former
organization at the time of its
establishment, signing demand
notes. At present, about $225,
000 remains outstanding.
The Corporation action was
taken because of the breach of
the loan agreement between the
MVFCA, FAJ and the ARRC, ac
cording to C. W. Peters, Corpora
tion manager.
It was emphasized that the cor
poration’s action was not an at
tempt to undermine co-operative
effort. “We’re not trying to kill
the Co-op,’’ Mr. Peters stated.
“We just want it to break from
the deadlock which has throttled
it recently.”
Specific points of digression
on the part of the Co-Op were
listed as follows:
(a) Under the agreement, the
Co-op was pledged to submit
any reports required by the
government, in the form ap
proved by the government.
These reports have not been
made.
(b) The loan agreement pro
vides that the Co-op preserve
and maintain present provi
sions, as outlined in the by
laws, with regard to member
ship eligibility, administration
and participation of members
in the affairs, management and
benefits of the group, unless
written permission for changes
is obtained from the govern
ment. Mr. Peters said changes
in the existing by-laws we^
made repeatedly without the
(Continued on Back Page;
Sugar—Jake Paulk.
Bread, three Pullman loaves
— Merle Pudicombe, Allan
Scheibl.
Mackinaw trout—Lawrence
Schmidt.
Bald eagle — Roland Snod
grass.
Jelly—Nina Stock.
Strawberries—Mr. and Mrs.
L. Z. Scott, Mr. and Mrs. Har
old Winegarner.
Set up tables—Paul String
field and Claude Scranton.
It is planned to serve most
of the meats cold, so that there
will not be too much last-minute
cooking involved. Each hunting
assignment, unless otherwise
stated, calls for a roast of the
meat requested.
Further plans for the dinner
will be developed at a special
board meeting to be held later
this month. It was tentatively
decided to postpone the next
membership meeting, which falls
on the first day of moose season,
but no definite decision was an
nounced.