The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
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VOLUME 6 NUMBER 39
PALMER, ALASKA, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1953
PRICE TEN CENTS
SEATTLE FIRM BIDS
$894,000 TO BUILD
PALMER HIGH SCHOOL
WHliam B. Zahradnicek, super
intendent of Palmer schools re
ceived word this morning from
Don R. Wilson, district APW di
rector, that Alaska Public Works
had received a bid from J. B.
Warrack Co. of Seattle in the
amount of $894,000 in response to
an invitation to bid on the new
Palmer High School.
This sum, Zahradnicek said, is
a little over the original estimate
made about a year ago but is un
der the authorized one million
dollars. Estimated costs a year
ago were set at $853,000.
The APW notification did not
indicate whether or not the War
rack bid would be accepted,
CITY LAW BANS
AIL FIREWORKS
With the approach of July 4
fast appearing, Police Chief
Bouwens and members of the city
council pointed out this week that
selling, using or exploding any
fireworks is forbidden within the
city limits.
Ordinance 14: Sec. 57 (I) states:
No person shall and it shall be
unlawful to sell, use or explode
any fireworks, explosive or stench
bomb, to which fuses are attach
ed or which are ignitable by
ans of a match.
A bill that would have elimin
ated sale of fireworks throughout
the territory was introduced dur
ing the last session of legislature
but died on the calendar.
Planned exhibitions or displays
.are exceptible when permits are
obtained.
SERVICES SET FOR
MRS. EDITH M. JONES
Funeral services for Mrs. Edith
May Jones, 74, will be held to
night at 7 p.m. from the Anchor
age Funeral Chapel in Anchor
age. Rev. Albert Sayers will of
ficiate.
Mrs. Jones passed away early
Monday morning in Valley Hos
pital, following a long illness. She
is survived by three daughters,
Mrs. Helen Ferrin, Palmer; Mrs.
Eula Harris, Anchorage and Mrs.
Enid Nelson of Baltimore, Mary
land. Jack Leek of Palmer is a
surviving grandchild. Mrs. Jones
also leaves three great-grandchil
dren Michael, Cheryl and Jaqua
line Leek, of Palmer.
Burial will be in the Odd Fel
lows plot of the Anchorage Ceme
tery.
Former Alaska governor, Er
nest Gruening recently told
friends he plans to begin work on
his history of Alaska, something
he said he had always planned to
do when his governorship termin
ated.
MAKE
PAPPY HAPPY
Here's a real treat for Dad on Dad's Day. It's a good
way to make Pappy Happy. Bring him here for a
delicious Dad's Day Dinner.
We know he'll like our tasty foods, and our friendly,
prompt service. When dining out. Dad deserves the
best . . . that's why we say, “Bring him here.*'
Palmer Fountain & Cafe
KIN6(ou.DM!
Experiment Station
To Explain Forage
Work During Tour
Recent advances in forage crop
production at the Matanuska Ex
periment Station will be dis
cussed by H. J. Hodson, chief
agronomist for the University of
Alaska Agricultural Experiment
Station, on Wednesday, June 24,
during a public tour of the sta
tion.
The tour will start promptly
at 1:30 p.m. at the farm office
and will end about 4 p.m. to en
able farmers who want to attend
to get home in time for evening
chores. Assisted by R. L. Taylor
and R. J. Bula, Hodgson will ex
plain the plot work dealing with
brome grass breeding, timothy
adaptation and alfalfa and clovers.
Weed control measures will also
be discussed.
Ivan Branton, agricultural en
gineer, will discuss hay drying
results. Arthur Brundage will ex
plain pastures and feeding work.
If time permits, the tour will in
clude a visit to several recently
cleared fields at the Matanuska
farm.
While this tour is designed
particularly for farmers interest
ed in livestock and dairy feeding,
everyone is welcome, Don L».
Irvin, director, announced. An
other farm tour is scheduled for
late July when the horticultural
work wll be explained. Late in
August, an afternoon will be
devoted to recent progress in
raising cereals, Irwin said.
MAYOR APPOINTS
NEW CITY CLERK
Following the approval of city
council members, Mayor Alfred
V. Hagen appointed Mrs. Eliza
beth Barry as new clerk for the
City of Palmer, her salary to
start at $500 per month.
Mrs. Barry’s academic training
includes a legal stenography ma
jor at Central California Commer
cial College and business admin
istration majors at the Fresno
State College and University of
California (UCLA).
In addition to her city clerk
duties she will also be sworn in
as alternate city magistrate.
ROADHOUSE OWNERS
ARRESTED ON 2 CHARGES
William A. Brown and George
W. Brown, operators of Brown’s
Tourist camp at Mile 38 on the
Anchorage Highway were charged
with maintaining a bawdy house
and with gambling following a
raid by federal officers June 7.
They both entered not guilty pleas
when they appeared in U. S. Com
missioner’s office in Anchorage on
June 8.
FIRE HITS WHITTIER
The waterfront at Whittier
was destroyed in a spectacular
fire June 17. Millions of dol
lars in damage has been an
nounced by the military. Some
military equipment was saved
but the one-half mile dock was
burned. Cause of the fire was
not announced.
CHAMBER HEARS OF
HW TRADE MEETIHG
Members of the Matanuska Val
ley Chamber of Commerce voted
during the regular meeting held
June 17, to hold meetings on the
first Wednesday of the month
until further notice, omitting the
third Monday meetings.
Hugh A. Johnson, Experiment
Station economist, spoke to the
group on his recent attendance
at the Pacific Northwest Trade
Association meeting. Few other
Alaskans were present, Johnson
reported. Governor B. Frank
Heintzleman gave the keynote
address to the group, who repre
sented trade areas throughout the
northwest.
Members of the Seattle Cham
ber of Commerce told the group
they think they have a binding
promise that ships will remain
in operation for Alaska service
regardless of west coast ship
strikes. Johnson said many were
not too impressed with this opti
mism and felt that shipping stri
kes will have adverse effects on
Alaska economy. However, he
pointed out, the people of Seattle
are now more aware of the pos
sibility of losing their Alaska
markets through shipping strikes
I and will probably take more
prompt action than in past years,
Alaska commerce and business
must settle down to practical
thinking. Johnson said.
Cooperation between Stateside
and Northwest businesses will
require practical thinking, he
said. It can’t be done with bene
volence and wishful thinking.
Facts are necessary, he empha
sized. There is a great deal of
disinformation floating around.
People are amazed to hear what
;n’t so about Alaska, Johnson
concluded and again stressed the
need for Alaska business to set
tle down to practical thinking._
GLENN HIGHWAY SCENE
OF TWO ACCIDENTS
WITHIN ONE HOUR
Damage amounting to between
$3,500 and $4,000 was done to an
11-ton boom owned by Arctic
Plumbing and Heating, when a
1953 Dodge sedan, driven by Jerry
L. Hawes of Anchorage failed to
make the turn at the bottom of
Bailey Hill June 12 and crashed
into the piece of heavy equip
ment parked in the yard at Mar
tin’s Westside Service. The sedan
was completely demolished by
the impact. Both Hawes and his
passenger Earl E. Anderson suf
fered personal injuries.
Only a short time before the ac
cident, a car driven by Fort H.
Roark of Anchorage went out of
control on the Glenn Highway at
Mile 41. Roark and his wife, Inez,
were both injured in the accident
that destroyed their vehicle.
An ambulance from the 5005th
AF Hospital took the four acci
dent victims to the base hospital
following first aid treatment at
Valley Hospital. Hawes was later
charged with reckless driving.
TERRITORY HIRES EXAMINER
A former Missouri state and
federal bank examiner has been
retained to check Alaska’s terri
torial banks, Auditor Neil Moore
announced recently. Moore said
routine examination of all banks
now is proceeding.
The examiner’s report will be
submitted to the Territorial Bank
ing Board.
Practice Problem
Planned by CD
Group During Alert
Civil Defense workers in the
Matanuska Valley will partici
pate in the huge western area
training exercise planned for ear
ly Saturday morning, June 20.
The local organization announc
ed this week that a problem will
be assumed in Palmer. All Civil
Defense workers will be alerted
for the problem, with the ex
ception of the Medical Unit, by
the sounding of a red alert on
the siren at 5:20 a.m. During the
red alert the public will partici
pate to the extent of no travel
of any type during that time. All
claer signals are expected to be
sounded within 155 minutes at
which time traffic will proceed
as usual.
CD Director Edward Imme said
this week he would like to em
phasize that Palmer CD officials
are anxious to avoid any undue
interference with people on their
way to work. The total time, he
added, during which traffic will
be halted should not exceed fif
teen minutes. When the all clear
is sounded, traffic will be per
mitted to move but motorists are
asked to drive with caution be
cause CD emergency vehicles
will be moving about to complete
the maneuver.
Although Anchorage will parti
cipate only with a “routine com
munications check,” Palmer of
ficials felt that the early morning
hour would not disrupt persons
enroute to their work.
The problem to be worked out
in Palmer will start with the as
sumption that the city has been
bombed, by bomber or jet planes
which will fly over the area
shortly after the red alert has
been sounded. Members of the
fire, police, communication, cour
rier, transportation units and all
staff members will participate.
Extra police guards will be set
up at strategic points throughout
the city to guard against possible
sabotage.
The entire exercise is expected
to be completed in Palmer by
6 a.m., Director Imme announced.
In addition to Alaska, other
areas participating are Washing
ton, Oregon, California, Idaho,
Montana, Utah, Nevada, Arizona,
British Columbia, Alberta and Ha
waii.
FAIR BOOK NEARLY
READY FOR PRINTER
Premium book for the 1952
Matanuska Valley Fair will be
ready for the printers sometime
this month, Alba Brooks, fail
board president announced this
week.
Many changes will be found
in this year’s issue, he said. Pre
mium awards in many depart
ments have been increased, a
new department (frozen foods)
has been created and thousands
of dollars will be awarded to
winners.
The annual Queen Contest will
be conducted, with Valley girls
eligible for competition. Valuable
awards are being chosen for the
contest. Definite rules and plans
will be announced as soon as
completed, Brooks said.
A meeting of fair board mem
bers will be held June 22 in the
Co-Op club room. All members
are urged to attend.
OLD TIMER VISITS
Visiting in Palmer and other
points in the Territory is Andy
Trent, one of the Valley’s earlier
homesteaders. Today he plans tc
leave for Fairbanks where he will
observe the midnight sun on June
21. He plans to go over to Circle
City if possible while in the far
north. .
$97,000 City Water
Pipe Rejected by APW
RESERVOIR COMPLETE;
WATER LINE WORK
SCHEDULED TO START
Artie Plumbing and Heating
workers are completing the seed
ing of the Palmer reservoir this
week.
George Lilly, contractor, said
this week that Kentucky blue
grass is being planted in the en
tire reservoir area, which was
recently graded off. The emer
gency generator has been install
ed and with the exception of
painting the pipes, work on the
reservoir itself is complete.
“Palmer will have as modern
a water system as any community
in Alaska and many States,” he
said.
Work on the water lines will
start within a short time. The con
tractor said this week he plans
to use a double shift and work
five back hoes, expecting to com
plete the work by this August
date.
Polio Contributions
Hit 34 Cents Per
National Capitii
Eighty million Americans con
ributed 51,500,000 to the fight
against infantile paralysis in the
1953 March of Dimes, it was an
nounced last week by Basil O,
Connor, president of the National
, Foundation for Infantile Paraly
j sis.
This total, based on reports from
3,069 volunteers campaign chair
men, represents a new record, be
ing 24% higher than the previous
i record total raised in 1952, O’Con
1 nor said. Last year 271/2 cents per
| capita was contributed for the en
tire nation. The 1953 per capita
is 34 cents. Both figures are based
on the 1950 census.
“Despite larger public contri
butions each year, the National
Foundation has ended the past
four years with outstanding bills,
mainly to hospitals, of from three
and one-half to seven million dol
lars. Thus, for this period of time,
each succeeding March of Dimes
has been, in effect, mortgaged
for such an amount before any
new cases were reported in the
new year.
“But each year, thanks to our
tireless volunteers and to an
awakened public, the bills have
been paid, research has gone for
ward unhampered by financial
limitations, and every polio pa
tient who needed help was given
assistance for medical care.”
Elks Defeat Moose
In Softball Game
Members of the Palmer Elks
club defeated their rival ball
players, the Palmer Moose Lodge,
when they participated in a soft
ball game Sunday afternoon, June
14. Final score was 18 to 16, with
Ray McCartney (Elks) the hero
of the game, with a home run
with bases loaded.
Those playing for the Elks team
were: Wayne Ebbe, A1 Metz, Bob
Pippel, Jim Hurley, Stewart, Wil
son Woods, Ray McCarney, Bill
Robertson, Larry Vasanoja, Don
DeLand, Johnny Reed and Lee
Hubbell.
Moose team members were
Phil McRae, Jack Leek, Ralph
Moore, Lew Hanks, Pruitt, Lowe,
Briggs and Anderson. L. P. Ror
rison and William Kalleigh took
on the precarious work of um
piring the game.
The losing team stood treat for
the Elks at Moose Hall following
the game.
TO BE REPLACED
BY 10 GA. STEEL
Members of the city council and
Mayor A1 V. Hagen were inform
ed at the regular council meeting
June 16 that the wood stave
waterpipe, scheduled for use in
the city water system, has been
rejected in its present condition
by the Alaska Public Works.
Over $97,000 in wrood stave
pipe will be replaced, at no cost
to the government or the City
of Palmer by 10 guage steel pipe.
This substitution will actually
give the city a better water sys
tem than the original contract
called for, Ray Mathews, APW in
spector told the group.
Manufacturers of the wood pipe
sent representatives to the Valley
to rehead the pipes, when they
were informed they had not pass
ed inspection. However, to re
habilitate the wood pipe at this
time would work a hardship on
the contractor, Artie Plumbing
and Heating, and tor this reason,
and to enable the completion of
the water line on time, the con
tractor elected to put in the steel
pipe. APW gave tentative appro
val to the substitution and mem
bers of the common council went
on record as being in accord with
the APW approval so long as it
is at no additional cost to the city
or government.
The first shipment of steel pipe
was started June 12 in Seattle.
Inspectors will run a 50 pound
test on 1200 feet of 10 inch wood
stave pipe installed this past Fall
on Valley street. If this pipe, that
passed a 20 pound test last fall,
fails to pass the heavier test it will
be replaced by 10 inch steel pipe.
Fourteen inch wood stave pipe
installed from the reservoir to
the city that failed to pass Fall
testings will all be replaced by
steel pipes.
41,000 Feel Water
Pipe Coming to Oily
George Lilly of the Artie Plum
bing and Heating leaves Palmer
tonight for Seattle where he will
attend to the loading of 24 thou
sand feet of steel pipe and fittings
for the City of Palmer water sys
tem. Seventeen thousand feet of
pipe have already been loaded for
shipment. He expects to be back
in Palmer in about a week, he
said.
COURT NEWS
Eugene T. Joyner of Anchorage
was fined $130, had his driver’s *
license revoked for one year and
received a six-month suspended
sentence following a plea of guilty
to a charge of driving under the
influence of liquor. He was found
guilty by U. S. Commissioner
Dorothy B. Saxton when he ap
peared in her court June 17 to
answer the charge brought by the
Alaska Highway Patrol.
Mrs. Sybil Bates was found
guilty of unlawful conduct when
she appeared in City Magistrate’s
Court June 12 and was fined $50
and given a 30-day suspended
sentence.
Jerry Lee Hawes of Anchorage
was found guilty and fined $125,
had his driver’s license revoked
until January 1, 1954 and receiv
ed a three month suspended sen
tence in Commissioner’s Court on
June 17. The charge of reckless
driving, resulting in an accident
incurring personal injury and
property damage was brought by
the Alaska Highway Patrol as a
result of an accident June 12.