VALLEY FRONTIERSMAN
Entered as second class matter on Oct. 21, 1947, at the post office a*
Palmer, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
A. J. DeJulio_Owner-Manager
Editor _____Virginia Gallant
Subscription Rates 50c a month, $5 a year
Mailed to all points in Alaska and the United States
TELEPHONE CABLE
WILL LINK MANY
ALASKAN POINTS
The Department of the Army this
week announced that construc
tion is in progress on a 370-mile
Signal Corps submarine telephone
cable system linking Skagway
and Ketchikan and other Alas
kan points.
When completed, it is expect
ed the new cable will be joined
at Ketchikan with an 800-mile
submarine cable bdlng planned by
the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company to furnish
additional communications be
tween that Alaskan point and
Port Angeles, Washington. The
Signal Corps segment of the
cable system and associated facil
ities will cost about $6,750,000,
the Army said.
The entire submarine cable
system is expected to be com
pleted by late 1956 and will pro
vide a capacity of 36 telephone
circuits. Telephone service be
tween Alaska and the U. S. is
currently handled over 14 radio
and landline circuits operated by
the Alaska Communications Sys
tem. a branch of the Army Signal
Corps. Certain of these facilities
will continue to be operated as
a supplementary system.
The ACS had its beginning
May 1900 when Congress author
ized and directed the secretary
of war to construct telegraph and
cable lines connecting military
headquarters in Alaska. The law
further provided that commer
cial business would be handled
over these military lines. In ac
cordance with this congressional
mandate, the Washington-Alaska
Military Cable and Telegraph
System was organized under the
jurisdiction of chief signal officer,
and the first telegraph line was
completed on September 15, 1900,
connecting Nome and Port Safe
ty, a distance of 24 miles.
In May 1936 the name of the
system was changed to the Alas
ka Communications System.
Today the ACS provides long
lines communications throughout
Alaska and between the territory
and the States. The system com
prises some 45 separate stations
which furnish direct telephone
and telegraph service to all mil
itary installations situated there.
The system of landlines, submar
ine cables and radio facilities
connect at various times, depend
ing on seasonal needs, with over
300 government and privately
owned radio and telephone sta
tions in the smaller towns and
canneries scattered throughout
the nearly 600,000 square miles
of territory.
u/itA*
; Reporters—
!j Notebook
Visitors at the Valley Presby
, ian Hospital are commen.mg on
the attractive flowers that are
| blooming around the hospital en
trance. The plants were sent out
earlier this year.
Two flying students of Rene
Neilsen’s soloed this past Sunday
off the Palmer Airport. They are
Pat McParland of Anchorage, and
Walt Mayr of Palmer. Both are
members of the Flying Club and
| used he club ship for their solos.
Second Lt. Stanley A. Hoff
! man, 23, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. C.
Hoffman of Palmer is serving
, with the 3rd Infantry Division in
Korea. The "Rock of the Marne
division, which saw bitter fight
ing in the Iron Triangle and at
Outpost Harry, is now training as
part of the U. S. security force
on the peninsula. Lt. Hoffman is
a platoon leader in Company A
of the division's 10th Engineer
Combat Battalion. A 1953 gradu
ate of the University of Alaska,
he arrived in Korea this April
from an assignment at Fort Lew
is, Wash.
Mrs. Sam Woolcott has return
ed to her home following a stay
in the Valley Presbyterian Hos
pital. She plans to resume her of
fice manager’s duties in Dr. C. C.
Bailey’s office in about a month
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Kucera are
er.joying th^ second of their two
week vacations, Bill from his du
ties at the Co-Op Warehouse, and
Maxine from the Matanuska Val
ley Bank.
Also vacationing this week is j
Esther Peterson who is employed
by the Agriculture Experiment
Station office. She plans a couple
of days in the Kenai area.
The quality of water, Geologi
cal Survey office, changed quar
ters this week and now occupies
| space formerly used by the Soil
Conservation office in the Wright I
Building.
Commissioner of Agriculture
Jim Wilson has been ill at his j
home a few days this week.
Mr. and Mrs. A1 Metz and fam
ily of Palmer spent a couple of
days last week touring the Sew
ard area.
Her.ry Gettinger of Fairbanks
returned to that city last Thurs
day after spending two weeks in
this area working with George
Crowther of the Department of
Agriculture on produce inspection
procedures. Gettinger will do
market advisory work for the
Department in Fairbanks.
F. A. Gray, field representative
of Blue Cross, from the Seattle
office, was in Palmer July 27 and
conferred with hospital officials.
Mr. Gray pointed out that indi
viduals may now get Blue Cross,
which is known as non-group in- '
surance. Information on this is
available at the local hospital.
The contract for hauling mail
from Anchorage to Palmer has
been renewed and Morton Shaw :
3. DON’T MIX WITH NEW GROUPS
1. DON'T GET OVERTIRED
The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis
--i
MARCH OF DIMES TUNDS ARE EXHAUSTED.
GIVE TO THE EMERGENCY MARCH OF DIMES THIS MONTH I
PRESIDENT PROCLAIMS
ELEVENTH FARM SAFETY WEEK
in proclaiming tne iitn Nation
al Farm Safety Week for July
25-31. 1954, President Eisenhow
er suggested the theme he first
made popular in 1953—"Far To
Live — Live to Farm.”
The 17. S. Department of Agri
culture and the National Safety
Council, as co-sponsors of the
Week, welcome the theme from
the fOth observance because of its
success in encouraging farm resi
dents to practice safety in the
home, at work, in traffic and
elsewhere to a greater degree
than any other theme.
‘‘Now that the National Safety
Council is operating under a
charter granted by the Congress
of the United States, the Council
should be able to work more ef
fectively than ever with all or
‘‘Big Move”
Exercise Set
For Early August
Operation "Big Move”, an ex
ercise to test plans by elements
of the Alaskan Command for
moving men and material on
minimum notice, will be held
sometime during the first two
weeks in August, according to Lt.
General J. H. Atkinson, Com
mander-in-Chief, Alaskan Com
mand. The exact time of the ex
ercise will not be given, he said,
in order to give greater realism
to the problem.
"Big Move” will be the first
of a series of maneuverability
tests for army and air force unit
es in the Anchorage and Fair
banks areas. Since troops and
supply vehicles will acutally be
on the roads in large numbers
during the exercise, local and ter
ritorial police in the two com
munities were requested and
have agreed to cooperate with air
and military police to insure a
minimum of interference with es
sential civilian traffic. To pro
vide a further element of real
ism, civil defense authorities will
broadcast information and in
structions at the start of and dur
ing the exercise. This will be the
primary notice to the general
public that “Big Move” is under
way. Participating troops will be
gin their move on a warning or
der. Later in the exercise, sirens
will be sounded on the main base
areas.
ganizations interested in reduc
ing accidents on the farms in Am
erica” said Ned H. Dearborn,
president of the National Safety
Council.
"The 11th National Farm Safe
ty Week will be a good test of
this increased efficiency,” Mr.
Dearborn said.
"I urgently request all farm
; residents to make every effort
to develop safe work habits and
skills, so that they may 'Farm to
! live—and live to farm,’ ” said the
Presidential proclamation. "I also
request all persons and organiza
tions interested in farm life and
welfare to join in the campaign
i to free as many homes as possible
from the tragedies and losses
! caused by needless accidents.”
For What It’s Worth
By Grayson Murphy
Potato Harvesting
Here are some figures relating
to harvesting last year’s potato
crop. I hope they will help you
cut costs on this year’s harvest. ;
1. In 1953 the average cost for
hired labor to dig and store one
acre was $100. Several growers
had a cost of $175 per acre. On
the other side of the picture, a
number of growers kept their
costs well below $100 per acre.
In 1953 it took 7 farmers who
pick up by hand, an average of
20 more hours per acre than 14
farmers who used picker-uppers
(field sackers).
3- Jim Wilson and George
Crowther estimated as much loss
last year from digger injury as
there was from ring rot.
What can the potato grower do
about this?
The first thing is to check your
harvesting equipment now and
put it in top-notch condition be
fore harvest. Another thing to
cut down on expensive delays in
the field is to try out the machin
ery and adjust it before your har
vesting crew arrives. Dig one or
two rows and get your equipment
properly adjusted the day, or two
| days before your crew starts
work. Using experienced men on
key jobs will save you time and
; lessen the harvesting injury. Pad
j ding the equipment everywhere
; possible will cut down on injury
I and save money.
Here is another idea you may
be able to use. Several growers !
5
ON STATEHOOD .
By Bob Klein
Now if I were for Statehood—I believe I could make out a
much better argument for it than I've seen so far.
Certainly there is a much better argument for two states than
for one. And outside of making jobs for twice as many politicians
and reducing government by remote control, which we all com
plain about, There is nothing
That can be said for one state that isn’t better for two—
Juneau is almost as far away as Washington, D. C. And if we
move the capital up here, the Southeastern people will think Wash
ington, D. C. is closer to them—
Southeastern Alaska is big enough for one state—(If they want
to be a State.)
They have a different climate and different economy and a
different kind of people then we do up here
I almost said better people—but I couldn’t really believe that—
After all our type of Sourdough is superior to any web-footed
Mossback from the Panhandle.
Our Sourdoughs are more hairy-chested and furry-eared
At least we all can agree, our problems are different.
Now if I were to plan an ideal state for Alaska I’d draw a 50
mile circle around Anchorage and build the capitol at Chugiak.
will continue to carry first-class
mail between these points, Post
mistress Beatrice Huntley said
this week. Parcel post continues
to come to Palmer via the Alaska
Railroad.
Mrs. Richard Jones and child
ren returned to Palmer this past
week-end from a summer vaca
tion spent in Washington.
Mr. and Mrs. “Sweeney” Ross
returned to Palmer, via the Al
aska Highway, from a trip spent
Stateside. They brought back a
new Ranchwagon.
BECOMES PROBLEM
The man who insists on telling
you all his troubles eventually
becomes one of yours.
Many people advise others to
save money—but very few give
advice on how to do it.
NORTHERN
NEON
:_ corp.
SIGNS
Trucks, Cars Lettered
Manufacturers of
Neon Signs, Marquees,
Store Fronts and Tube
Lighting
540 Barrow-Dial 43734
ANCHORAGE. ALASKA
Moore’s Garage
GENERAL AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR
CRANKSHAFT GRINDING
REBORE SERVICE
Phone I3Y2I
Palmer, Alaska
Rodeo—
(Continued from page 1)
riding, both with and without
bridles ar.d saddles —calf roping,
in which speed and ability are
needed to win—bareback bull
riding—pony express race—bar
rel race and a musical barrel race.
Rules for the latter race are sim
ilar to the old parlor game,
‘'musical chairs”. Barrels replace
the chairs in this case, and all ac
tion takes place while the riders
are on horseback.
Four broncs were purchased by
the Riding Club this summer and
will be used in the bronc riding
events, bringing to a total of 20
horses which will be used during
the rodeo, along with several head
of cattle. There will be a wild
cow milking contest and many
other specialty acts and events.
Intersecting fun and frolic'will
be a rodeo clown whose duties1
not only include entertaining the
audiences, but who must divert
the attention of animals who have
thrown their riders long enough
for the rider to reach safety.
The entrance fee for partici
pants will be $5.00. Prizes of $35
for first and $25 for second place
will be awarded riders, with the
rodeo champion taking the pot
of entry fees.
Local junior members of the
club who will participate in
events are: Sally Reed, Tootsie
Burnett, Roseann Branton, Sandy
and Susie King, Ernest Bcicourt,
Dean Parks and Jeanne Grover.
are thinking about it. Instead of
hiring labor by the hour; do it
on a piecework basis, for example
so much per 100 pounds of pota- 1
toes put in storage.
The labor outlook is in your
favor this fall. More inquiries
about jobs have been made. You
should be able to pick your crews
carefully and be able to replace
inefficient workers.
OFFICE EQUIPMENT
ACCOUNTING FORMS
OFFICE SUPPLIES
Everything
for the Office
Expert Office
Machine Repairs
COMMERCIAL
STATIONERS
Reed Bldg„ Opp. Federal Bldg.
Dial 30515—Anchorage. Alaska
I
ETIQUETTE
By Bob Klem
Nectar is my morning coffee
I relax and life is bliss
I inhale the rich aroma
Satisfied, I softly hiss.
Peaceful skies and mountain mea
dows
Sooth my eyes, and I am proud
'Till Jessie with her pert de
meanor
Meek observes I drink out loud.
Gone now is my pride and stature
Gone the fields with green,
Fastlv growing is my dander
Near exploding is my spleen.
Slowly then, the green returning
To the fields, where all was red
I returned the tarnished splendor
To my partner’s lovely head.
“Oh!! Beloved wife and com
rade!
Phooey! to your cultured boast J
Can't you hear the awful racket
You make with your buttered
toast!
Former Palmer Man
Visits in England
Thomas Day, who was with the
U. S. Department of Agriculture
in Palmer before going to Iran to
take up a post with the United
Nations, has recently been vaca
tioning in Britain. He visited the
historic Tower of London, where
he saw the crown jewels, used last
year at the coronation of Queen
Elizabeth II.
HAPPENS EVERY DAY
Allowances have to be made
for some college students, and
most parents do—weekly.
No man has ever been known
to travel far on a lame excuse.
The man who puts on too much
speed ahead may meet reverses.
EXPERT
GREASE JOB
quick service
AT
FRED'S
SERVICE
Hours NOW
8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
BERT’S DRUG STORE
Your pharmacisi is the vital go-between, linking
the doctor to your good health. Use our modern
prescription and drug need facilities to keep in good
health.
3 Registered Pharmacists on Duty
i
A Good Spot For Your Favorite Cocktail
or Mixed Drinks
Dining room and snack bar in conjunction
Have You Tried Rosie’s Pastry and Pie?
Njhey are out of this world!
Alpine Inn
Mile 61 — Glenn Highway
Phone l-J-31