PUBLIC MEETING FOR
TELEPHONE DISCUSSION
Grange Hall — March 5
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
TRY A raeHHER8MAlf
CLASSIFIED AD for «M
item you may bin for —lo.
rent or loo—.
VOLUME 6, NUMBER 25
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. MARCH 12. 1953
WEtfCE TEN CENTS
PROPOSE PROPERTY TOR MR CITS
COMMUNITY GROUP
FORMS; TO PROMOTE
RTA SYSTEM
A good representation from the
city and surrounding communi
ties were present at the meeting
held by the telephone committee
of Northland Pioneer Grange No.
1, March 5.
Chairman Lew Hanks opened
the meeting with a brief resume
of work the Grange committee
had done in the past in investiga
ting the possibility of rural tele
phone coverage, especially cov
erage not now reached by the
present telephone system.
“It is our hope at this time, in
calling this community-wide
meeting, to learn whether there
is enough interest to take definite
steps toward financing such a
proposal”, Hanks stated. “This
proposed RTA would not pre
clude any other method of financ
ing, should some other feasible
method appear,” he emphasized.
We do not have the money now,
he went on, but if we get an ap
plication into Washington now,
we will have our foot in the door,
he added.
The acquisition of the existing
system would be of great im
portance, it was pointed out by
Hanks and Don Smith, REA re
presentative who was also pres
ent at the meeting. If this was not
possible, the chances of rural cov
erage alone would be very weak,
they pointed out.
“Organizing an. RTA is very
similar to the formation of the
MEA,” Smith pointed out. The
RTA loan would cover the entire
area and would serve all the
people in all the area, he said. Be
fore such a thing could be re
alized, however, he pointed out,
there would have to be area-wide
planning done. The 400-450 prop
osed patrons would have to be
contacted and this will mean a
lot of work by the committee,
Smith said.
The process of financing is
somewhat on coopertive princi
ples, he explained. The system
would be privately owned by the
people and controlled by the
people. “However, nothing can be
done in Washington until the ap
plication is sent in. They have no
funds at the present time and we
are not sure there will be funds,
but if the application is in Wash
ington and they money available
the chances of it being granted
appear to be good,” Smith assert
ed.
It was brought out at the
meeting that the existing tele
phone system has not been a
Continued on page 8
NEW TAXI BUSINESS
□PENS IN PALMER.
A new taxi business opened
in Palmer this morning. .
Located at the Matanuska Ho
tel, the business will be known as
the Valley Taxi Service. George
A. Fletcher, owner and operator,
announced he would offer 24
hour service in and out of town.
Two taxis, Dodge and Plymouth
sedans, will be employed in the
business, he said.
Fletcher has been in the ter
ritory the past four years, mak
ing his home in Anchorage where
he worked with the Ft. Richard
son Cab Company. He recently
moved to the Valley.
EASTER SEALS TO BE
MAILED NEXT WEEK
The annual Easter Seal
campaign will start with the
mailing of seals throughout
the Valley next week ,it was
announced today. The Chee
chako Homemakers’ Club of
Palmer are local sponsors of
the Alaska Crippled Chil
drens’ Association, who are
spearheading the drive in the
Territory. Mrs. Margot Hop
pin of Anchorage heads the
group.
Payments for the seals may
be mailed to Anchorage in the
self-addressed envelope re
cived by each donor, along
with the seals. Money receiv
ed from this annual campaign
aids the ACCA in their ex
tensive program of aid to
children.
Franchise Election
Asked by MEA Board
Representing the Matanuska
Electric Association at a meet
ing with the City Council and
Mayor on March 9 were Cy
Brewer, MEA manager and Di
rectors George Small, Bruce
Graham, Earl Combs and A. L.
Smith.
Discussions centered around
placement of poles; joint use of
the city ordinance governing the
poles owned by MEA and an
election for an MEA franchise.
The new city ordinance states
poles can not be set on any street.
Because of errors in many deeds
--the fact that many have never
been recorded—and because some
alleys and streets were not pro
vided for in deeds, this ordinance
in some cases would prohibit the
erection of some poles, Brewer
pointed out.
Members of the council felt
that there would have to be some
exceptions made. They have
found the same confusing while
trying to obtain easements for the
new water line and appreciate the
problem facing MEA. A solution
will be worked out and presented
at a subsequent meeting.
The estimated use of 100 poles
was asked by the council, as a
necessity to cover the existing
telephone system. The probability
of working out a feasible rental
plan whreby the city would rent
the use of the poles from MEA
at a given price per pole, per
year, was forthcoming from the
discussion.
MEA representatives asked that
the city call an election for the
granting of a franchise to the as
sociation. REA has indicated the
association should not spend a
large sum of money on electric
system without a franchise as a
protection. Mayor Hagen asked
what factors are involved in a
franchise and was told that the
REA attitude is that where the
system is on city property with
out city permission large sums of
money on improving or extend
ing should not be spent.
“If we were to be told to move
our poles from city property, it
would prove to be a very expen
sive experience,” Brewer stated.
The granting of a franchise must
go to the vote of the people, it
was pointed out. This request,
along with the other two, will be
studied by a committee of council
men and reported at a later meet
ing, it was announced.
GUFFEL DEFENDS
DILLDOARD ADS IN
SPITE OF ODJECTIONS
Billboards along the Alaska
highway have been defended
this past week by Henry Cuffel,
president of the Northern Neon
Corporation of Anchorage.
Defending the billboards locat
ed near the Knik River bridge,
Cuffel said he had the approval
of all the government agencies
concerned before erecting the
signs. “The billboards are 160
yards on the Anchorage side of
the Knik River bridge,” he said.
“They are on a five-acre tract
owned by me. It was patented
before there was any legislation
referring to billboards.”
Cuffel contends they conflict
in no way with the operations of
motorists at that point and that
the billboards do not mar the
beauty of the area.
He added that his firm has no
objection to legislation to regu
late billboards but feels the Sen
ate bill 16 proposes “to legislate
our firm out of business.”
Members of the Matanuska
Chamber of Commerce and sev
eral individuals have voiced
strong objections .to the erection
of billboards along the Alaska
highway and have indicated their
support to John Gorsuch’s Senate
Bill No. 16, if a proposed amend
ment is added that would apply
to private as well as public prop
erty. Gorsuch’s bill did not in
clude this provision.
The House Bill No. 107, mis
(Continued on page 8)
MARGARET BLOM
TELLS KIWANIS
OF CANADIAN PROGRESS
Members of the Palmer Ki
wanis club heard a very enlight
ening talk on Canada when Mrs.
Margaret Blom spoke before the
group at the regular noon meet
ing on March 9.
Starting with Canada as a na
tion, Mrs. Blum continued with
the Commonwealth and explain
ed some of the Canadian laws
that seem to puzzle visitors.
By an act of the British parlia
ment, Canada became a nation on
July 1, 1867, Mrs. Blom said in
familiarizing the group with some
of Canada’s history. At that time,
she went on, four provinces unit
ed to form a Dominion. Since
then other lands have been added
until now there are 10 provinces
and two territories, making a
total area a little larger than
United States and Alaska.
Pointing out that Canada is a
sovereign nation, Mrs. Blum ex
plained the nation is ruled by a
parliament, elected by the people
make its own treaties and trade
agreements; declares war and
makes other foreign committ
ments without legal responsibil
ity to any other nation.
Mrs. Blom followed the earlier
part of her talk with a very com
plete report of the government of
Canada; explaining the functions
of the House of Commons, senate,
cabinet and the Privy Council,
the latter which she explained
has no active part in government.
Completing her talk with sev
eral Canadian laws and customs
that tourists sometimes find puz
zling, Mrs. Blum then answered
questions from those attending
the meeting.
WVWWWSAA^W'V'A/VWWWWVS^/NA/VN^/
GREATER PALMER TO
HAVE TWO-PHASE
AIR RAID TEST
A test of the Greater Palmer
Civil Defense facilities will be
in effect Sunday, April 12, be
tween the hours of 1 p.m. and 3
p.m, local CD Director Edward
Imme announced this week.
In making the announcement,
Director Imme pointed out that
the Yellow Alert sounded to th®
public Saturday, March 7
was not a practice alert but was
the real thing. An unidentified
disturbance prompted the alert.
It is imperative that the public
know the meaning of the three
types of warning, he said.
The Yellow Alert means that
enemy attack is probable. It is
never sounded over air raid
warning systems, but made
known to the general public by
means of radio. During a Yellow
Alert business will proceed as
normal, but alert to the possibil
ity of an immediate Red Alert.
The Red Alert means that hos
tile aircraft are on the way. It
will be sounded on all existing
public warning devices.
The Warning White means that
the attack is now improbable. It
is the standard All Clear, and
sounded on existing public warn
ing devices.
Two-Phase Test
The test planned for Palmer
April 12 will be in two phases
Imme said. The first will be a
Red Alert in the Greater Palmer
and Chugiak CD districts from
1 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. During the
Red Alert, traffic will be halted
and the general public will im
mediately take cover and stay
under cover until the all clear is
sounded. The Air Force will take
part in this exercise.
Second phase will be joint ac
tion by the Anchorage and Pal
mer CD units in bringing equip
ment and Dersonnel to a stricken
area in the Chugiak district and
to assist in the removal and treat
ment of casualites from a desig
nated disaster area.
Full instructions to the public
will be issued in the Frontiers
man the week previous to the
test.
Complete directions about
what to do during air raid alerts
have been made available to the
public by Theta Chapter, Beta
Sigma Phi, who have covered
the cests of printing bulletins to
be distributed by the local CD
committees throughout the
school, churches and organiza
tions in the Palmer area.
Meeting Tonight
A Civil Defense committee
meeting will be held this evening
at 7:30 in Carpenters’ Hall. All
members are urged to attend.
CHAMBERS URGE MONEY
FOR POWER STUDY
Stressing the power shortage
in this area, five chambers of
commerce, including the Matan
uska Valley Chamber of Com
merce, recently sent a wire to
Rep. Ben F. Jensen of the House
Appropriations Subcommittee of
Interior and Insular Affairs, urg
ing that $250,000 be appropriated
for the study of the proposed
Devil’s Canyon dam site by the
Bureau of Reclamation. Other
chambers signing the telegram
were from Anchorage, Seward,
Fairbanks and Homer.
/VS/V/S/WWWSAA^A/WWWW^x'WWWNAA
I $70,861.92 Grossed In
1952 City Sales Taxes
A total of $70,861.92 or a
monthly average of $5,905.16
was collected by the City of
Palmer during 1952, in the
form of city sales tax.
• The first two months of
1953 indicate a higher average
with the combined collections
of $7,888.01 in January and
$4,561.50 in February. How
ever, January collections in
clude Christmas sales and sev
eral accounts that were in ar
rears.
Mayor A1 V. Hagen an
nounced this week that all
city ordinances have been
mimeographed and extra cop
ies are available for those who
desire them.
Inquiries about combined
purchases by persons who are
building prompted the an
nouncement that a single sale
would mean a sale consumat
ed in one place of business,
and not the purchase of the
same type item in several
places.
Anchorage Marshals
To Serve Palmer
Officers working out of the
U. S. Marshal’s office in Anch
orage will now serve the entire
unincorporated area from the
city to M le 126 on Glenn High
way, Ivan Blood, Chief Deputy
said this week.
The Department of Justice in
Washington, D. C. ordered the
closure of the deputy marshal’s
office in Palmer, effective at
5:30 p.m. March 6. Deputy U. S.
Marshal William Bouwens was
ordered to report to the Anchor
age office. The Justice depart
ment stated the office is no long
er necessary, now Palmer is an
ioncorporated city with a police
force.
U. S. Marshal Walter E. Hunt
ley said that the closure of the
Palmer office was against a rec
ommendation to the contrary,
made by Anchorage headquart
ers. He pointed out that a good
percentage of Third Division
crimes have been committed in
the large area involved.
Deputy Bouwens is at present
on annual leave. His transfer to
the Anchorage office raises the
force to seven deputies. The clos
est office to Anchorage in a
northerly direction is the Copper
Center station.
DESERTION CHARGED
AGAINST AIRMAN
Keith Eugene Brock, 37, of
Palmer was turned over to mil
itary authorities at Elmendorf
Air Base, March 10, by members
of the Federal Bureau of Investi
gation who arrested him on de
sertion charges.
Brock had been AWOL from
Camp Stoneman, California,
since July 3, 1952. He came to
the Valley shortly after that
date and had been working here,
making his home for a short time
at the Dorm and later in a small
cabin in North Palmer. He had
spent 12 years in the service and
was stationed in Alaska for a
short period during that time.
Further action in his case will
be handled by military author
ities.
round nuum dc
USED FOR CITY
IMPROVEMENTS ONLY
A proposal that serious consid
eration be given to the thought of
a property tax levy in the City of
Palmer was presented by Coun
cilman Kincaid at the regular
city council meeting held March
10.
“Capital expenditures in city
improvements are limited under
the present income,” he reminded
fellow councilmen. “The planning
committee set up a recommend
ed improvement program that in
cluded streets. This should be
done, not only to improve the
area but to help build up business
and residences in the city.”
Kincaid went on to propose
that if a tax levy should be put
on, monies realized should be
used for capital improvements
only. “There just isn’t enough
sales tax money to make these
improvements,” he pointed out.
“I think all of us have just been
putting this off,” he said. “No
one wants it but we have no
choice.”
The budget committee will
make a study of his proposal and
report at the next regular meet
ing.
Present were members of the
Matanuska Valley Health Coun
cil who asked assistance from the
City on their budget for the pre
sent year. Because of increased
requirements from the Territory,
the Health Council finds they
need an additional $600 for the
care and upkeep of the Public
Health Nurse’s car. When asked
if the school district had been
approached for assistance, the
council was told that the school
board had been approached but
no concrete answer had ever been
given. The matter was refered to
the budget committee and a
Health Council representative
was asked to return to the March
24 meeting for a decision.
Rev. Edward Imme, director of
Civil Defense in the Palmer area
presented three problems to the
council for assistance. First, Imme
said, he had been notified that
20 medical field units have been
assigned to Alaska. A letter
guaranteeing warm storage space
for such a vehicle will be neces
sary before Palmer can be assured
of a unit. Space required would
be 400 cubic feet of warm, dry
storage. Another letter would be
necessary informing the Civil
Defense what voltage and fre
quency would be available for a
2 hp air raid warning system that
has been assigned to the Palmer
area. The city would be asked to
pay the cost of installing and op
erating this siren.
The third request came as a
surprise to the council and Mayor.
The Civil Defense organization
requested Director Imme to find
out what amount of money would
be required to put the existing
telephone system in good order.
A ready answer of “roughly $18,
000” was given Imme. He asked
that the city expedite the instal
lation of a telephone in the Car
penters’ Hall, where local CD
headquarters are located, and an
other in his home.
NEW WING OCCUPIED
* The new wing recently added
to the Valley Hospital was oc
cupied for the first time on
March 7.
ST. PATRICK'S DAY DANCE
FLOOR SHOW BY ANCHORAGE DANCERS - SEMI FORMAL - GOOD MUSIC
MARCH 14, 1953
9 P.M. - Midnight
SCHOOL AUDITORIUM