FULL MOVIE SIZE COLORED SLIDES
AT THE
VALLEY THEATRE
-»->•
*<«. <«« •<<<<<<<
TUESDAY, AU6UST 25 - 8:00 P.M.
HOSPITAL OENEFIT
Admission: Adults 50c - Children 25c
►»-»■>->-»■>■>» > > ■> > >->■> >■»
«>/WWW\/WWWWWSA^^WSA^A/WW^
Free Meat Cutting
Demonstration Tonight
Grange Hall
8:00 pan.
the Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
TRY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD for
ilem you may hare for
rent or lease.
lhal
VOLUME 6, NUMBER 48
PALMER, ALASKA. THURSDAY. AUGUST 20. 1953
PRICE TEN CENTO
BENEFIT SHOW
TO FEATURE
KATMAI ERUPTION
Valley residents will have an
opportunity to see pictures of the
violent eruption in 1912 of Mt.
Katmai, when the Kiwanis Club
of Palmer presents a showing at
8:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening,
August 25 in the Valiev Theatre.
Admission will be 50 cents for
adults and 25 cents for children.
Ail proceeds will go toward the
hospital fund. The free use of the
Valley Theatre is being donated
by Alfred V. Hagen.
M. D. Snodgrass of Palmer,
chairman of the committee and
commentator for the showng, was
living in Kodiak at the time of
the eruption, missing the actual
event while in the States.
As Mr. Snodgrass put it this
week, the year 1912 came in with
warm weather at Kodiak—ice on
the lakes was melted and green
lawns were showing everywhere
by February. By mid-April cows
were pasturing half way up the
1,1000-foot mountain west of Ko
diak.
On May 5, 1912 he and Mrs.
Snodgrass sailed for the States
on mission MORE GALOWAY
CATTLE FOR ALASKA. Follow
ing the purchases, they entrain
ed for Seattle and learned from a
newspaper’s startling headlines
that Mt. Katmai had erupted,
-covering Kodiak with 20 feet of
volcanic ash.
First reports of the eruption,
he said, came from the Captain j
of the “S. S. Dora” who witness
ed the spectacle from Kuperan
off Straits, about 50 miles from
the mountain. Distinct blasts
from Katmai could be heard and
the rising column of smoke and
ask seen for an estimated dis
tance of 25 miles. Within an hour,
the Captain reported, an ash
cloud overtook the s‘eamer, leav
ing her in total darkness.
The people of Kodiak heard
the explosions two hours before
the black cloud came over the
mountain, ccompsnied by flash
es of lightning, residents expect
ed a storm and were startled
to see volcanic ash falling instead
of rain. Within the hour, total
darkness had enveloped the vil
lage, letting up on the morning of
the 7th. During this time some
five inches of ash had fallen and
the radio station struck by light
ning and burned.
B two o’clock that afternoon
complete darkness again shut in
and fine yellow ash began falling,
accompanied by some sulphurous
fumes. Avalanches of ash from
the mountain side could be heard,
seen at arms length and natives
A lighted lantern could not be
and some of the white population
became terrified.
On morning of the eighth, with
no daylight, people of Kodiak be
gan to assert themselves and mea
sures for their safety were taken.
Later that day the fall decreased
(Continued on page 8)
Co-Op Gets Ammonium
Nitrate Dealership
Exclusive dealership for am
monium nitrate for the ter
ritory has been acquired by the
Matanuska Valley Farmers Co
operating Association, Fred
Zieke, general manager an
nounced last week, following
his return from a Stateside
trip.
In making the announce
ment Zieke said it appeared
that the shipping ban will be
lifted by the U. S. Coast Guard
and that if so, it is encourag
ing in that it will reduce high
shipping costs created by the
extra loading now required.
MARY MOORE FIRST
TO QUALIFY IN
FAIR QUEEN CONTEST
Mary Louise Moore, Matanuska
Valley Queen candidate, was the
first of nine registered contest- j
ants to qualify for the queen race.
Qualifying at 5:30 Saturday eve
ning, Mary Louise turned in
stubs and money for 250 tickets.
She is being sponsored by the
Matanuska Airmens’ Association.
The ninth queen contestant is ;
Donna Harris, 17-year-old daugh-1
ter of Mr. and Mrs. John D.
Harris of Eska who is being
i sponsored by the Jonesville
Miners.
Donna has been a valley resi
dent since July 29, 1947 and is a
j student in the Palmer High
School, entering her senior year
this fall. She is a brown-eyed
brunette, five feet six and one
I half inches tall, and enjoys swim
ming and basketball. Her hobby
i is sewing She is a member of
the Pep Club, Girls’ Basketball
and Chorus.
The contest is now closed to
any further entrants. In addition
to Mary Louise and Donna, girls
in the contest are Colleen Hume,
i Knik Drive In candidate; Leona
Lucas, Palmer Elks Lodge can
didate; Evie Melin, Koslosky’s j
: store candidate: June Weiss, also j
a Knik Drive In candidate; Pat
Carson who is being sponsored by
the Wasilla Grange; Grace Mc
Giboney who is being sponsored
by the Matanuska Hotel and the
Shamrock Lounge and Betty L.
! Blqnck Matanuska Valley Co-Op
Candidate.
Candidates report that their
sales are going along very well.
Nineteen valuable gifts, topped
by the $300 poke-of-gold, will be
awarded to purchasers on the
final night of the Fair. Rules and
regulations in the selection by the
Queen will be similar to those
used in the Rose Bowl gueen
contest. The Queen will be select
ed and crowned the evening of
September 5 during the Corona
tion Ball to be held in the Pal- i
mer School auditorium.
Juggler Engaged For
Fair Appearances
Starting September 5, at the
Coronation Ball, Val Setz, Am
erica’s top juggling comedian,
will appear at the Valley Fair for
a three-day stand.
The juggling artist has captur
ed fame by playing in clubs and
theaters all over the United Stat
es, Canada, So. America, Mexico
and has appeared in movies for
Paramount, MGM, and Fox. His
most recent film appearance was
in the 20th Century-Fox produc
tion “Powder River” starring
Corene Colvet and Rory Calhoun.
He is at present appearing night
ly at the Idle Hour Country club
in Anchorage.
In addition to his appearance at
the Coronation Ball, Setz will ap
pear at matinees Sunday and
Monda, September 6 and 7 and
evening .performances on the
same dates. These shows will be
presented on the fairgrounds and
viewed from the grandstand now
in construction.
Livestock Exhibits Urged
Manager Kirsch Valley Fair
manager said this week the as
sociation hopes to make the 1953
Fair a banner year in farm pro-!
duce livestock showings.
Attractive prizes in all classes
have been scheduled for winners.
7 hose who plan to make livestock
showings are asked to contact the
fair manager or Pat Hemmer,
livestock superintendent. Feed
and caretakers will be supplied
by the fair board for all livestock.
(Continued on page 3)
<.4 44444444 4 4 44444 444444 4 4 4
NEW WATER LINES
TO BE FLUSHED AND STERILIZED
Clorination of part of the City of Palmer water
system will start this week.
In order to clorinate the lines, it will be necessary
to shut off the Co-Op water supply system in the West
Palmer area.
Ray Mathews, APW, inspector who will supervise
the clorination, announced this week that it is very
important that no one use this city water during the
clorination period. Very strong solutions will be used in
the process of sterilization.
No connections to the new water system can be
made until the new water lines have been sterilized.
The new system is separate at present and therefore the
sterilization of the new lines will not affect the present
Co-Op supply lines.
Following the clorination, North Palmer and Valley
street areas will be serviced by the new city water sys
tem within a few days. All water users in these areas
are requested by Ted Buzby of the City Water Depart
ment, to have their service connections dug out and lines
to thier homes made ready for connection now. Con
nections will not be made until property owners are
notified, he said.
CITY RECEIVES
FINANCIAL REPORT
In the financial report read at
the August 18 city council meet
ing ,the city’s bank balance was
given as $33,880.79 as of July 31.
Qualified, the figure would be re
duced by approximately $2,000
in outstanding checks; other com
mitments such as $2,000 payment
on ARRC water system; $2,300
for Civil Defense equipment and
$7,800 for telephone rehabilita
tion.
~ Genera; fund figures showed
a total income from city sales tax
and other revenues as $67,289.72
for the period of October 1, 1952
to July 31, 1953. Expenditures for
the same period included SI3,319.
96 for streets; $7,743.55 for police;
: S2,109.49 for fire; $14,262.89 ad
I ministration and general (this
i includes such expenditures as for
| city clerk, insurance, electrical
expense, auditing and other ad
I ministrative costs).
Since March 1, 1952, the tele
I phone system has operated at a
deficit of $9,130.96, averaging ap
proximately $536.00 per month.
Creamery Starts
New Milk Shipments
Commencing this past Sunday,
the creamery department of the
Matanuska Valley Farmers Co
operating Association started
daily shipments of 18,000 to 20,000
pound of recombined milk to Big
Dela, Ladd and Eilsen Air Force
Bases in the Fairbanks area.
Shipments are picked up each
evening at the creamery by
freight trucks and average 12,000
haf pints and 2,500 quarts of the
recombined milk. Fred Zieke, Co
Op general manager said this
week the contract will run for six
months.
Attempt to Recover
Globemaster Abandoned
The Alaskan Air Command has
announced an unsuccessful at
tempt by the 10th Air Rescue to
recover the wreckage of a C-124
lost on November 22, 1952 on Mt.
Gannett.
The recovery attempt was
started over two weeks ago, with
the operation based at the Pal
mer Airport.
Due to a three-foot snow fall
of the search party, it was unable
immediaely prior to the arrival
to operate succesfully, it was an
nounced. Furher attempts at re
covery have been abandoned at
this time. Fifty-two persons per
ished in the pane crash while on
a flight to Elmendorf Air Force
Base from McCord field in Wash
ington.
Mayor Appoints Two
To New Planning Bd.
City business at the council
meeting held August 18 included
the appointment by Mayor Al
fred Hagen of Charles Wilson
and Ralph Moore to the school
district planning board. Both are
members of the city planning
board and will represent the city
on the recently created school
district board. Other members
are Richard Demming and the
school district assessor who were
appointed by the school board.
Board members will appoint their
1 own chairman.
Following a recommendation
of the planning board, council
members authorized Steve
Ward to construct an eighl-L
foot wide sidewalk in front of
his building. The board also re
commended that this be a uni
form size for sidewalks to be
installed in the future. A draw
ing of recommended corners
for sidewalks was also submit
ted.
A letter of acceptance, pending
contract signing, was authorized
j to be sent to ATEX Telephone
! company following the announce
ment that the new switchboard
has been tested and found in
A-l condition.
Ray Mathew, APW inspector,
told the mayor and council
members that in consumption
tests made over a period of sev
eral days, water users in the
West Palmer area alone were
using 100 gallons of water per
minute during the hours of
midnight to 6:00 a.m. This
amount was increased by only
55 gallons during the balance
of the day, averaging 155 gal
lons a minute. He said he
brought this to the attention of
the city now, pointing out that
some control over water wast
age now going on in the city
will need l!o be exercised.
Questioned by the counci as to
how this control could be put
in effect, Mathews said that
meters are the only cure. The
tests were made in the WestL
Palmer area where the city
supply has been supplementing
that of the Co-Op during the
water shortage and did not in
clude water users in the Co
Op area or East Palmer.
Although no local bids were
received for the housing of the
city fire and police departments,
Alaska Metal Buildings of Fair
banks have indicated they would
, like to enter a bid if the city
| would offer the opportunity. They
are distributors for Butler huts.
1952 Co-Op Gross
Near $31 Million Mark
TANANA FAIR HOSTS
1952 VALLEY QUEEN ..
Mrs. Raymond DePriest, the
former Rose Mary Vickaryous
and 1952 Matanuska Valley
Queen, left Palmer Wednes
day morning enroute to Fair
banks where she will be the
guest of the Tanana Valley
Fair during their four-day
celebration.
According to word received
this week from Ken Wade,
Tanana Fair manager, Mrs.
DePriest will be shown the
sights of Fairbanks, will assist
with the coronation ceremon
ies and entertained during her
stay in the far-north city.
The 1953 Tanana Valley
Queen and her Princess will
in turn be guests of the Mat
anuska Valley Fair on Sep
tember 5, 6 and 7 and will par
ticipate in the local corona
tion ceremonies on September
5.
TERRITORY POLICE
TRANSFER SEPT. I
| Transfer jf 12 members of the
territorial police to new stations,
1 including two members from the
Palmer area, was announced this
week by A. P. Brandt, superin
tendent of the Territorial Police
Department.
Effective September 1, Ser
geant Stanley P. Laird of Pal
mer will transfer to the An
chorage station and Herbert D.
Hoff, also of Palmer goes to
Juneau,
Palmer, along with other sta- j
tions where two men were for
merly stationed, will now have
but one patrolman in the area.
Officer Frank Cornelius, former
ly with the Anchorage station
will be transfered to Palmer, j
However, the radio communica-1
tion station located in Palmer j
will be removed.
Other transfers are Officer
Floyd G, Patterson, of Anchor
age, to Fairbanks; Officer Gor
don Nelson, also of Anchorage
to Glenallen.
From Glenallen, two officers,
Bert Kellogg and Officer Edwin !
! Martin, will be stationed in An
chorage. Officer A1 Gossett of
Tok Junction goes to Fairbanks
and Sergeant Walt Sinn, also of
Tok, moves to Anchorage.
Sergeant John Monagle of
Juneau transfers to Fairbanks
as does Sergeant George Puck
ett of Seward; Officer Phil
Ames of Soldotna goes to An
chorage and Officer Eldo Flory
of Fairbanks has been assigned
to Tok Junction.
Sergeant E. L. Mayfield, sta
tioned in Anchorage for the past
three years, has been promoted
to lieutenant and head of the ter
ritory police in the Third Divi
sion. This appointment is retro
act ve to August 1.
DIVISION OF FORESTRY
OPENS KNIK RIVER AREA
The 26,500-acre area near the
Knik River, closed six weeks ago
due to fire danger, was opened to
normal use August 15 by Roger
R. Robinson, regional forester
with the Division of Forestry.
In making the announcement,
Robinson noted that the fire dang
er in his area has been moderated
by rainfall.
Equity Rate Announced
As 17% Fer Members
Grossing nearly three and one
half million dollars this past year,
the Matanuska Valley Farmers
Cooperating Association will is
sue certificates of equity for cash
patronage and for production in
the amount of $203,252.85 to ap
proximatey 400 members. These
figures were disclosed at the an
nual meeting held by the associa
tion Saturday, August 15.
The association employes ap
proximately 85 full-and part-time
employees and paid $396,000.00
in wages during the year. $15,763.
will be paid this year on certifi
cates issued 10 years ago.
Their construction program in
cludes the completion of the new
$75,000 creamery and egg room
addition. Next year’s project will
be the construction of a new
power house to replace that lost
in a fire a week ago Sunday.
The following year the associa
tion plans a new Anchorage dairy.
Pay $410,184 for Milk
During their past fiscal year
the Association purchased 3,465,
803 pounds of milk from valley
farmers. For this amount, they
paid $410,184.34, equivalent to
$12.70 per hundred weight for
four percent milk. Farmers also
receiving certificates of equity
for an additional $2.16 per cwt.
for a total of $13.86 per cwt.
In addition 53,871 dozen eggs
were purchased from poultrv
farmers for $52*577.00. These pro
ducers also received 17 percent in
certificates. Potato growers were
paid $207,392.20 for 36,427 100
pound sacks, with an approximate
average of $5.70 per sack. Other
vegetables purchases were 50
tons of cabbage, valued at $6,
835.00; 46 tons of lettuce at $11,
408.00; 35 tons of celery at $9,373;
58 tons of carrots at $9,193 and
other miscellaneous vegetables,
including beets, onions and broc
coli.
Four farmers grossed over
$10,000 on potatoes, plus their 17
percent in certificates of equity.
Board Members
Rex Kibbe and Clifton Grover
were re-elected to the board of
directors and will serve with
hold-over members and newly
elected members, Pat Murphy,
Jack Newcomb and Ralph Brad
ley.
At their first board meeting
John Nash was elected president;
(Continued on page 8)
WASILLA MAN KILLED
IN TRUCK ACCIDENT
John A. Hoeldt, of Wasilla, was
killed in a truck accident Sunday
night two miles south of Wasilla
when the vehicle in which he was
a passenger went into the ditch.
Hoeldt was thrown from the
truck and pinned to the ground.
Driver of the half-ton pickup
was Lester Givens of Wasilla who
escaped injury.
Born December 19, 1885 at
Owatonna, Minnesota, Hoeldt had
been farming near Wasilla for
the past 13 years.
He is survived by his widow,
Mrs. Ida Hoeldt; four sons, Larry.
Kenneth, Robert and Leslie, sill
of Wasilla; and three daughters,
Mrs. Dorothy Smith of Palmer.
Mrs. Shirley Dotson of Eureka
and Mrs. Kenneth Lynn of An
chorage.
Funeral arrangements are be
ing made by the family.
rv < <<«<«««««
WASILLA Annual UskuacI CacIiusI HAM DINNER AUGUST 22 Adults$1.50-Childrenunder 12 75c
GRANGE No. 2 AVUIUdl 1101fClI rGlIIvCll with all the trimmings 5:30-8:00 p.m. WASILLA COMMUNITY HALL
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