PARC MEMBERSHIP
MEETING
SCHOOL CAFETERIA
JULY If — 8:00 p.m.
4
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
%
try a frontiersman
CLASSIFIED AD for lhat
iiem you may have for sale,
rent or lease.
VOLUME 7, NUMBER 39
PALMER. ALASKA, THURSDAY, JULY 22, 1954
PRICE TEN CENTS
Contractor Ending
Water Line Work
Final clean-up work is being
done this week by contractor
George Lilly and sub-contractors,
who installed the Palmer water
system last fall. Members of the
city water committee said this
week the work is expected to be
completed by the end of the week.
Some of the work being done
includes a leak on Wasilla street,
hydrant repair on Johns and Me
Donal sreets, the location of a
six-inch valve on Sterling street,
service from main to service con
nection at the Hal Chance house,
stop and waste valves drilled un
satisfactorily taken care of, rocks
removed from streets, gravel for
settling of ditches put on streets
and other valve work and odd
jobs.
Oral agreement has been given
the city by the contractor for re
imbursement to the city for
money already spent by the city
on repairs and necessary work
that could not wait for his ar
rival, including the relocation of
survey stakes removed during the
water line installation in two sec
tions of the city, house damage
done by blasting, and various val
ve and generator work.
Prizes Valued
Over $1,600 to Be
Awarded at Fair
Over $1,600 in prizes will be
awarded this year through the
queen contest. First, and most
popular award, will be the poke
of gold, valued at $300. Other
prizes to be awarded are a 10
cubic foot Gibson deep freeze;
Homelite chain saw, Model 17;
Johnson Seahorse 5L? h.p. out
board motor with five-gallon
Mile Master tank; R. C. A. Victor
21-inch television set; Winches
ter rifle No. 308, Model 70, Bolsey
B2 35mm camera, and a $75 cred
it slip.
All Valley girls who are inter
ested in entering the 1954 Matan
uska Valley .Fair Queen contest
are urged to contact Dorothy Sax
ton. or Betty Rice, both members
of Theta Chapter, Beta Sigma Phi,
which has again this year offered
their services to the Fair As
sociation in the queen contest.
The rules and regulations re
main the same this year as last,
Fair officials announced. Any
single Valley girl, 15 years or old
er, who has been a resident of
the Valley since July 1, is elig
ible to enter the contest. Entrants
may register with Mrs. Saxton at
her office in the Theatre building,
or with Mrs. Rice at her home
in the AHA housing area.
All organizations and business
firms of the Valley are invited
to participate in the queen con
test by sponsoring a contestant.
The first organization to lend
their name to the annual event
is the Matanuska Valley Chamber
who have offered their assistancet
in the contest. Any girl who does
not have a sponsor is urged to
contact either Mrs. Saxton or
Mrs. Rice. Any sponsor who does
not have a candidate is also ask
ed to contact them.
In the court of public opinion
a man usually decides in his fav
or.
GOVERNOR INVITED
TO OPEN 1954 FAIR
Governor B. Frank Heintzle
man has been extended an in
vitation to officially open the
1954 Matanuska Valley Fair,
' association officials announc
ed today.
The three-day fair opens in
Palmer September 4 and con
tinues through September 6.
The final day and evening will
be climaxed with the award
ing of a poke of gold and a
gigantic display of fireworks.
Child Welfare
To Be Discussed
At Conference
Henry A. Harmon, director of
1 the Department of Public Wel
! fare, has announced that the sec
ond Child Welfare Conference
will be held in the city of Anch
orage August 3, 4, and 5. The
; meeting will be held in the base
1 ment of the First Presbyterian
Church, located on F and Fifth
j Street.
Mrs. Thelma Garrett, Child
! Welfare Supervisor, will be in
charge of the conference. Attend
ing the conference will be repre
i sentatives from the various child
caring institutions throughout the
Territory, as well as members of
the Child Welfare staff of the
Department of Public Welfare.
Other government and private
agencies interested in the care of
j children will also be present and
will take part in the program be
ing arranged.
i The agenda for the conference
| will consist of a review of the
initial conference held in Palmer
i in October, 1952 at which time
the minimum standards for in
stitutions were set up. Other sub
jects to be discussed are legal
custody of children, adoption, in
surance plans for institutions, be
havior and emotional problems,
custodial care and discipline.
PARC MEMBERSHIP
TO HEAR REPORTS
Letters are being mailed this
j week to all members of the Pal
mer Area Recreation Council an
nouncing the all-membership
meeting scheduled for July 29 in
the Palmer School cafeteria at
8:00 p.m.
Five reports on projects now
in progress or already completed
will be given.
The supervised playground
closes this week on July 23. The
six-week program has been un
der the supervision of Betty Jo
Riddle and has been very suc
cessful. Sixty-five children were
registered, with an average of 50
participating in the program each
day. Some of their handcraft
work will be on display during
the membership meeting July 29.
Clirriaxing the summer pro
gram will be a marshmallow roast
for the younger children the
morning of the 23rd, and a pot
luck picnic for the older age
group during the afternoon.
PUBLIC INVITED
ADLAI STEVENSON
Speaking at Mulcahy Park, Anchorage
SUNDAY, JULY 25 — 1:00 P.M.
BANQUET
IDLE HOUR COUNTRY CLUB
SUNDAY, JULY 25 — 7:00 P.M.
Limited number of tickets available
Inquire Mrs. Bertran Curry
SECRETARY McKAY
MAKES BRIEF
VISIT TO VALLEY
“During my first trip to the
i Territory of Alaska, my objec
1 tive is to see as many people as
posible and get acquainted with
; their problems”, Secretary of fhe
j Interior Douglas McKay told a
small gathering of Valley resi
dents on Tuesday of this week.
The Secretary and his party stop
ped briefly for a coffee hour at
the Elks home while making a
tour of the Valley with the Ma
tanuska Valley Chamber of Com
merce.
McKay told listeners of the
vast territory covered by the De
partment of Interior and of the
many problems, all different, they
face. He complimented Frank
Kalbaugh, Alaska Railroad gen
eral manager, on his accomplish
ments in putting the railroad on
a paying basis.
1 “The philosophy of this admin
istration is the cooperation of the
federal government with local in
| trests”, McKay stated. “However,”
he added, “we do not want to be
dictatorial in Washington. We be
lieve in local economy where
people have a voice in how they
live and how they are governed.
Those in the grass-roots must do
everything possible to help them
selves”, he said.
Accompanying McKay on the
Valley tour were his wife, Mrs.
Douglas McKay; Miss Alene Phil
lips, executive assistant; William
C. Strand, director of territories;
Larry Smyth, director of informa
tion; A. F. Ghiglione, commission
er of roads; F. E. Kalbaugh, gen
eral manager Alaska Railroad,
and Mrs. Kalbaugh; L. A. Hatchet
and E. J. White of the Anchorage
Alaska Road Commission office;
Robert Schulman, Time magazine
reporter, and Burton Glinn, Life
magazine reporter and photo
grapher.
Members of the Palmer delega
tion who accompanied the group
on the tour were Mr. and Mrs.
James Hurley, Mr. and Mrs. Jam
es Wilson, Ed Smith, and Rich
ard Jones.
FINGER LAKE CABIN
ENTERED, DAMAGED
The George Black cabin on
Finger Lake was entered some
time July 19 and several dollars
damage done, according to a re
port given to Territorial Police
this week. An expensive sleep
ing bag was taken, along with
other small items. Food was des
troyed and the cabin left in a
mess, with eggs smashed on the
walls, curtains torn down and
flour strewn over the floor. Terri
torial Police are investigating.
SECESSION SPACE
HEADY; EASILY
CONTRACTS URGED
Concession space for the com
irg Valley Fair is now being
allocated, A1 Hagen, fair board
member said this week. All or
ganizations planning to operate
concessions are urged to sign
space contracts immediately.
Blanks may be obtained from
fair board members or Gene Kir
sch, fair manager.
Space rent for concessions is
nine dollars a front foot, plus $10
for each electric heater or elec
tric plate used in the booth. This
year, for the first time, conces
sionaires will be required to make
a $10 deposit for grounds clean
up. This deposit will be returned
at the close of the fair providing
grounds around the concession
booth are free of rubbish and de
bris.
Lines are being run this week,
Hagen added, marking booth lo
cation. Those who get their ap
plications in early will have the
best choice of location, he point
ed out.
The information booth will pro
bably remain where it has been
located the past few years at the
front of the midway, across from
the administration building.
The Matanuska Valley Sports
men, who were awarded the con
tract for the dining room, are
I the only group who have signed
| their agreement form. Theta
Chapter, Beta Sigma Phi have an
nounced they will, for the fourth
year, operate their concession
booth, planning to sell chile-dogs,
hot dogs, chili, coffee, pop, choco
late milk and possibly homemade
cakes, following the menu used
in the past years.
U of A Plans Display
Word was received this week
by the fair board from the Univer
i sity of Alaska that the college’s
I Department of Mines will have
i a display at the Fair in which
various phases of their work will
be illustrated. Dean qf Mines,
Earl H. Beistline, is expected to
be in attendance and will bring
a Geiger counter for demonstra
tion. Other college departments
may also send displays, it was in
dicated.
Receives $2,000
Members of the board said this
week the Fair Association re
ceived vouchers in the amount of
$2,000 from the Territory, as fne
association’s share of assistant
funds voted by legislature for ter
ritorial fairs. Last year the local
fair association received $2,145.
The money will be used in vari
ous ways to promote and develop
the 1954 Fair.
New Building Begins
Survey work was scheduled to
(Continued on page 8)
City Council Notes
During the July 20 regular
meeting of the City Council,
members voted to join the Pacific
Coast Building Officials Confer
ence, and thereby have the bene
fit of services offered to members
by the organization, which in
cludes technical advise and rec
ommendations on building plans
submitted to them for inspection.
Council members were particu
larly anxious that safety factors
in public buildings be observed
by anyone constructing a public
building. Plans for such build
ings are submitted to the City
Council for approval before a
building permit is issued.
Ground work for the City fire
hall, to be constructed on Wasilla
Road, has been started, memb
ers of the budget and finance
committee reported. Original
plans have changed to include a
basement, where jail space will
be provided, they reported. Steel
poles will be used to carry the
floor above and a flat-type roof
will be used.
Council members suggested to
Fire Chief Joseph Gallant that he
canvass the city for volunteer
firemen. The need to build up the
number of active volunteer fire
men in the city was pointed out
by members of the Fire Under
writers who visited the city last
week and inspected fire fighting
facilities. Although no official re
port has been made to the Coun
cil, representatives who did the
inspecting told councilmen that
the hydrant system in the city
is tops. Business men in the city
will be approached for coopera
tion in permitting employes to
participate in the fire department.
Volunteers will be required to be
a least 21 years of age, and will
be required to attend a set num
ber of training meetings per year.
When the new fire hall is com
pleted, the meetings will be held
in the basement and all volun
teers will be given the opportun
ty of getting better acquainted
with the city equipment. At least
15 regular volunteers were recom
mended by the Underwriters re
presentatives. An official report
from the Underwriters will be
sent to the City as soon as com
pleted.
City Attorney John Shaw re
ported to City Council members
on his recent meeting with mem
bers of the Co-Op board of di
rectors to discuss the city’s pro
posed pui’chase of the Co-Op out
fall system. Upon request of the
Co-Op board members of the city
water and sewer committee will
meet with the board on Thursday,
July 29, to further the discussion.
A statement for payment of
$100 rent and services for the
month of June for the Health Cen
ter quarters in the Valley Presby
terian Hospital was tabled for fur
ther discussion, and will be act
ed upon at the next regular meet
ing to be held in the city clerk’s
office Tuesday evening, July 27.
Crop Plantings Down;
Good Yields Seen
I CITY POSTPONES
SPECIAL ELECTION
Members of the City Council
agreed Tuesday night to post
pone the special election which
was to be held in Palmer July
31 to decide whether or not
the City of Palmer should in
cur indebtedness in a sum not
to exceed $200,000, for the pur
pose of acquiring a sewage col
lection and disposal system
and to decide whether or not
the City should incur addition
al indebtedness in a sum not
to exceed $30,000 for the pur
chase and improvement of the
Matanuska Valley Farmers
Cooperating Association out
fall sewer system.
The postponement was made
necessary by incompleted ne
gotiations for the purchase of
the outfall system. Notice will
be given by the City prior to
the next selected date of a
special, election.
Stevenson Slated
To Arrive In
Anchorage Saturday
Final arrangements for Adlai
Stevenson’s visit to Anchorage
were to be completed yesterday
by members of the Democratic
groups of that city. Stevenson and
his party are expected to arrive
in Anchorage from McKinley
Park at 11:00 a.m. Saturday mor
ning. All Valley residents are in
vited to meet Stevenson and
Delegate to Congress E. L. Bart
lett who is accompanying Steven
son. An automobile caravan is
planned from the airport down
Fourth Avenue. Members of the
Anchorage Democratic Club plan
a small luncheon for the group at
1:00 p.m. Saturday and a recep
' tion Saturday evening.
On Sunday afternoon the lead
ing Democrat is scheduled to
make his main address at Mul
cahy Park at 1:00 p.m. Ther^ will
be no charge made for admission
to the park and the general pub
lic is invited. That evening Ste
venson will be honored at a ban
quet to be held at the Idle Hour
Country Club- Del. Bartlett will
speak at the banquet.
Although the party’s itinerery
has not shown a visit to the Val
ley, invitations have been extend
ed by the Palmer Democratic club
and the Matanuska Valley Cham
ber of Commerce to Stevenson
and Bartlett.
_
REAL ESTATE OFFICE
TO OPEN ON FRIDAY
The Valley Real Estate, recent
ly purchased by A. L. Smith and
Dick Benson, both of Palmer, of
ficially opens in their new loca
tion in the Withey building on
Valley Street Friday, July 23.
The men plan to handle all type
real estate sales and services, in
cluding rental service.
In addition to real estate busi
ness, the A. L. Smith Furniture
and Salvage business will also oc
cupy the building. Retail sales of
used furniture, home appliances,
and army surplus will be conduct
ed. Smith said this week the com
pany plans to extend their sur
plus sales very soon to include
surplus clothing.
In the Matanuska Valley-Anch
orage area, potato yields are pre
dicted at six and three quarters
j tons per acre, for a total of 4,455
tons, according to the Alaska De
partment of Agriculture.
In the Matanuska Valley 575
acres of potatoes are planted. This
is but 76 percent of last years
acreage. The Anchorage area is
down 73 percent of last year’s
figure, with a total of 85 acres
planted.
Though smaller than it’s 1953
drop, the 1954 expected yield
should exceed that of 1952 con
siderably, department officials
stated. With the reduced acreage
planted this year it is important
that all growers use every means
available to reduce mechanical in
jury, they added. Also, growers
should do everything possible to
improve their storage facilities.
A major proportion of last year’s
losses was caused by ring rot fol
lowed closely by inadequate stor
age. Use of these improved prac
tices would greatly increase next
i year’s marketable crop, they ad
ded.
The Tanana Valley has 475
acres of potatoes planted, which
is 85 percent of last year’s planted
| acreage.
Other crops planted indicate
that Anchorage growers plan
about the same amount of lettuce
this year, while the Valley, with
60 acres of lettuce has about 116'
percent of last year’s crop planted.
Cabbage planting in the Anchor
age area is down to 85 percent of
last year’s, while in the Valley
the 27 planted acres remains the
same. Carrots in the Anchorage
area jumped to 200 percent of
last year but only three acres are
planted, while the Valley has 30
acres in, 86 percent of last year.
Crops in general are slightly
later than last year, but ahead of
average, the Department stated.
The earlier planting dates have
been offset by cooler weather in
all areas and droughty conditions
on the Kenai Peninsula. As a re
sult of last year’s ring rot losses,
potato growers exercised more
caution in selecting seed. This
should improve the storing qual
ities of this year’s crop, they pre
dicted. Additional refrigerated
storage space will be availabletfor
the 1954 crop.
PREPARING TRACK
FOR FIRST RODEO
The grounds and track at the
Matanuska Valley Fairgrounds is
being prepared this week for the
Arctic Trails Riding Club rodeo
to be presented July 31 and Aug
ust 1. Catch pens and shoots are
being assembled by club mem
bers, as well as pole corrals and
other necessary equipment.
The two-day rodeo is expected
to draw a sizable crowd of spec
tators and plans for the shows in
i elude not only entertainment, but
| comfort for those attending. Spec
i tators will be seated in the grand
! stand as long as there is room.
| The shoots and pens are being
, set up directly opposite from the
i grandstand for easy viewing,
i Various races and staged events
are being planned for the two
and one half hour shows. No eve
ning show will be given on either
date.
Sally Moore will offer yodeling
(Continued on page 8)
^vvvwwvvvvvvwvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvw
Notice to Voters
&
By action of the Common Council of the City
of Palmer, the special election scheduled for
July 31,1954 concerning the construction of
a sewer system for the City of Palmer has
been postponed and no election will be held
on July 31,1954 as previously advertised.
E. BARRY, CHy Clerk
Elks Picnic - Sunday, Aug. 1 JS
ELKS AND INVITED GUESTS ^