Vol. 1, No. 46
Palmer, Alaska, March 6, 1948
- Ten Cents
Fair Members
*
Alter Rules,
Add To Board
Ailments in the quorum de
payment slowed the stockhold
ers’ meeting of the Matanuska
Valley Fair Association this
week. Again stockholders rid
themselves of this bugaboo
which has been haunting all
community meetings this year,
by amending the by-laws to
make a majority of the stock
holders present the quorum for
a^meeting.
Recommendations of the
board of directors called for an
increase of board membership
from five to seven directors, the
amendment of the quorum rul
ing, amendment of the by-law
which provides that directors
must elect new board members
in the event that directorships
are increased, and for a commit
tee to revise and re-write the by
laws where necessary.
Stockholders approved all
recommendations brought by
their directors.
Matt Perkins tendered his
resignation as treasurer of the
fair board, because "my plans
for the coming year are in
definite." The resignation was
accepted.
J. W. Peters, who audited fair
books, reported that the present
bank balance is $4,465.93. Mr.
Peters recommended that in the
future more complete records be
kept, specifically poihting to the
need for a cash book and ledger
records.
Directors elected at the meet
ing, two to replace vacancies
created by expired terms and
resignations, and two to fill
newly-created positions, includ
ed:
i-'aui Martin, 1*1. u. snoa
grass. Mads Johannsen and
Mrs. Harold Dinkel of Wasilla.
The committee appointed to
review the by-laws and make
necessary revisions included Don
Irwin, M. D. Snodgrass and L.
C. Stock.
Parker Lester reported that
the Extension office will no
longer be available as a meeting
place for Valley organizations,
except for those groups directly
connected with work of that of
fice. He suggested that a room in
th£ fair buildings be converted
into a small meeting place.
Members objected, pointing
out that fire hazards are grave,
and that a watchman would
be necessary if any part of the
buildings was converted to a
general meeting place. It was
reported that the Model Plane
club, now occupying one of the
buildings, is using a stove
i#hich is a fire risk.
Mr. Stock reported it was the
. recommendation of the Grange
that a queen contest be made a
part of fair plans for this year.
The meeting concluded with a
general discussion of plans for
the 1948 fair.
AGENT COMING
Miss Marilyn Johnson, home
demonstration agent for this
ar-4Sa, will be in Palmer next
- Tuesday. She plans to stay all
• wreek in order to visit the several
i, Homemaker’s club meetings
; scheduled for the week.
*C'
Alaska's governor, Ernest Gruening, head of government in
the territory, poses on the steps of St. John's Lutheran church
with Palmer representatives of law and order in the persons
of U. S. Commissioner Walter E. Huntley and Chamber presi
dent Jack Maze. Mrs. Gruening (left) and Mrs. Huntley also
attended the Chamber luncheon at which the governor spoke.
(Photo by Palmer Photographic Center).
SPORTSMEN PLAN
SUNDAY SKI TRIP
A skiing excursion to Inde-«
pendence mine will be the first
club activity of the newly or
ganized Matanuska Valley
Sportsmen. Details of the trip,
which is planned for Sunday,
March 7, were outlined at the
membership meeting of the
Sportsmen last Wednesday eve
ning.
Russ and Rusty Dow will be
in charge of the day’s activities.
Skiers are to meet in the Rec
hall at 9:30 Sunday morning.
Those who do not find transpor
tation in private cars will be
carried to the ski slopes in the
Dow truck.
Each skier is urged to be
warmly dressed in snow-repel
lant clothing. Mr. Dow suggested
that it also would be a good
policy to bring a dry shirt and
socks to be donned for the re
turn ride. Both beginners and
advanced skiers are invited to
make the trip. Mr. Dow will
give instructions to those who
are inexperienced on skis.
Since this is to be an all-day
excursion, everyone attending is
reminded to bring his own lunch.
The Sportsmen’s vice-president,
Walt Cooper, has issued an open
invitation to all skiers for the
Sunday excursion.
The Wednesday group heard
the report of Bob Walker con
cerning the practicability of
planting wild rice for duck feed
in Valley lakes and marshes. In
formation received from a states
nursery recommended several
types of food, in addition to the
wild rice, and the Sportsmen
voted to endorse the planting
program. A membership contri
bution was collected to finance
the planting.
L. C. Stock suggested that the
program for a coming meeting
be devoted to a safety lecture on
use of firearms, to be directed
to the juvenile members of the
Sportsmen.
At the conclusion of Wednes
day’s business meeting, Maude
Hosier showed pictures of wild
life in Mt. McKinley park and
of a highway trip to Valdez.
Eklutna Man Dies
Of Auto Injuries
Alfred Theodore, Eklutna na
tive, died Tuesday morning of
injuries sustained when struck
by an automobile early last Sun
day morning. The vehicle was
driven by Jake Paulk of Palmer,
who was accompanied by Hilda
Stenvall of Palmer and Bill Pet
erkin of Anchorage.
Mr. Paulk told authorities that
he was returning to Palmer at
about 2:30 Sunday morning, aft
er attending a dance at Fort
Richardson. As he drove near
Merrill field, Theodore stumbled
“right out of nowhere” directly
into the path of the car.
The driver rushed the injured
man to Providence hospital
where examination revealed that
he had sustained multiple leg
fractures and a fractured skull.
He lived for 25 hours before
succumbing to his injuries.
Theodore was an employe of
The Alaska Railroad and about
25 years of age at the time of his
death.
Go to Anchorage
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ryan of
Palmer Cold Storage spent two
days in Anchorage on a short
business trip early this week.
TERRITORIAL OFFICIALS
ATTEND CHAMBER LUNCH
Governor Calls For Statehood, Better Legislators;
Highway Engineer Promises Immediate Airport Aid
“I know of no part of Alaska,
nor even of all of America, *
which has greater potentialities
than has the Valley.” i
Thus Governor Ernest Gruen
mg concluded his luncheon ad
dress at last Wednesday’s Cham
oer of Commerce meeting in Pal
mer. He earlier had asserted that
ne felt the Matanuska Valley,
composed of a farming popula
tion, was least likely to suffer
the ills brought about by a
transient population, smce farm
ers are most likeiy to put down
roots upon which succeeding
Oenerations may build.
The governor said Alaska’s
-wo great problems, which he
uefmed as tne need for ' better
cooperation from Federal gov
ernment with more home rule
and less absenteeism of ail
iorms," and the need for legis
lators who will make the nest
use of limited powers allowed
me territorial government, were
largeiy caused by the imper
manence ox ^liaska s population.
He also urged seii-renance
for Alaskans, saying * x ou gel
out 01 democracy ]usi wnai
you put into if." ne added
ihal me Valley could expect
nothing from its government
max me people 01 me Vauey
were not wining to work tor.
and spend time and money tor.
'ioucning specifically on the1
local problems which trouoie me j
Vaiiey, ne said organization ox
a school district is imperative in
me near luiure. neternng again
to ms piea ior democratic living,
he slated, ‘‘Your trouble in tne
Co-op is a plain example of how
important it is to make the
democratic system work. In the
extent that you are able to solve
your own problems locally, so
you demonstrate your ability to
help solve the larger problems
of the division and the whole
territory.”
The burden of Governor
Gruening’s speech was his pow
erful plea for statehood, for
which he said Alaskans had been
paying for 80 years, but from
which they can receive no bene
fits until the territory has two
senators in Congress working for
Alaska’s interests.
In discussion of the costs of
statehood, the most powerful
argument brought by oppon
ents, the governor pointed to
the losses sustained by Alaska
in highways, air transporta
tion, and maritime transporta
tion, which have resulted be
cause of territorial status.
It was estimated that at least
$300,000,000 in road construc
tion alone, under the Federal
Highway Act, which does not
include Alaska, have been lost
to the territory.
Speaking of the need for bet
ter legislators, the governor said
issues in the territorial legisla
ture never develop along party
lines. “The division is between
responsible people, who want
something for Alaska, to make
it an increasingly better place in
which to live, and between those
whose sole thought is to serve
some private, some selfish, some
vested interest.”
With a goal of “ready for
DC-3’s by lettuce time,” Roland
Snodgrass and Rex Monaghan
of the Palmer Airport Associa
tion replied with facts and
figures, when territorial en
gineer Frank Metcalf asked the
Chamber of Commerce to “let
me know what you need for
your airport and I’ll try to get it
for you.”
A man of his word, Mr. Met
calf immediately authorized a
topographical survey of the Pal
mer airport and the expenditure
of $l,UuO to be used for costs en
tailed in the slashing of an ad
ditional six and a half acres at
ihe souih end of the north-south
runway and the burning of 11,
UUO linear feet of stump rows
piled at runway margins.
The engineer is making a tour
of terrnorial airports to deter
mine needs in order to allot
iunds now available for expendi
ture. He explained vhat the lund
is consianuy being added to, so
mat more money will be avail
able wnen the initial sum is
used.
At first somewhat puzzled as
to procedure, without an organ
ized cny government with which
to deal, ivrr. Metcalf ultimately
agreed to enter into a contract
witn the Airport Association in
order to complete the work.
iviemoers or tne port commit
tee told Mr. Metcalf that $iy,UU0
had oeen spent on Palmer’s air
port to date. It was estimated
mat a total of $t>0,UUU will be
needed to bring it to final speci
fications.
immediate needs, which
should be completed before the
winter ends, were the burning
anu stashing, the committee said.
As soon as weather permits, tne
zissociaiion asked for funds with
wmch to finish a lou-foot strip
down the middle of the east
west runway with an 18-inch
tconunued on pack page;
Mrs. Ryan Heads
Red Cross Drive
Mrs. Harry Ryan has been
named chairman of the Valley’s
1948 Red Cross drive, it was an
nounced this weeK by Bill
rsouwens. Mrs. Ryan's drive
committee will consist of all the
members of Palmer’s Senior Girl
Scout troop, of which she is
leader.
Scouts will discuss drive de
tails and plans at their regular
meeting next Monday, and will
commence work on the campaign
immediately afterward.
Mr. Bouwens said no goal had
been fixed for the Valley’s drive.
oluUis will make every eltort
to contact all Valley residents,
and everyone is urged to con
uibuie 10 tne extent of his abil
ity. ihe drive will continue
throughout the month of March.
Funds collected from the Val
ley will be expended locally
through the administration of
Mr. Bouwens. This is the first
year that the Valley has been set
up as a separate unit of Red
e-ross. rather than as a part of
the Anchorage chapter.