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Boy Scouts of America
Celebrating 43rd Birthday
[With Scout Week, February 7-13
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED m THE INTERESTS OF THE MATA2TUSKA VALLEY
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VOLUME 6, NUMBER 20
PALMER, ALASKA. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1953
PRICE TEN CENTS
Valley Leads Territory
In Farm Production
“It looks as if agriculture is
gaining a permanent foothold in
Alaska,” stated Clyde G. Sher
man, Territorial Commissioner of
Agriculture, in summarizing the
year’s progress in agriculture. In
1952 production values increased
21% over those for 1951, this in
spite of an abnormally cool sum
mer.
In the next five or six years,
despite the many difficulties—
high cost of land clearing, lack of
capital, and the long period of
time necessary to get into pro
duction—the value of production
should be double the $2,864,937.55
realized in 1952.
Dairying, tne mam industry,
produced 9,615,595 pounds of milk
worth $1,225,000. to the dairymen.
Over half of this was produced
in the Matanuska Valley; the re
mainder in Southeastern Alaska,
the Tanana Valley, the Kenai
Peninsula and the Seward area.
Eggs brought $321,000 to pro
ducers—the Matanuska Valley
again providing 50% of this
amount. The broiler industry, al
though quite new, brought sale
totals of $221,300. When dairy
products and eggs are produced
in sufficient volume, they will
tend to crowd the airboume item
from the markets and will in
crease today’s local market by
over 100 per cent.
Potatoes are Alaska’s principal
vegetable crop. In 1952 growers
realized $590,000 from a yield of
over 4,893 tons. Other vegetables
produced were 278 tons of cab
bage, 103 tons of carrots and 175
tons of lettuce.
Ready markets await an in
creased volume of production in
the Territory. At the present time
over 90% of all potatoes and other
vegetables are going to military
markets. A potential civilian mar
ket exists that can consume large
quantities of farm products as
soon as they can be grown locally.
Additional financial assistance,
which will help the farmer ex
Bus Overturns Near
Eureka; None Hurt
Mrs. Tom McCloy, passenger,
escaped injuries along with two
bus drivers, when the bus in
which they were riding hit a soft
shoulder on the Glenn Highway
and turned over on its side Febru
ary 2nd.
The three were taken into An
chorage by a member of the Al
aska Highway Patrol. Mrs. Mc
Cloy who lives at the Babler and
Rogers Construction camp near
Tok, planned to continue her bus
journey to Seward the following
day. j ,’!Hj
The 25-passenger bus was mak
ing its regular Fairbanks to An
chorage trip when the accident
occurred at Mile 106, near Eureka.
Over One Hundred
Persons Blood-Typed
In spite of no electric power ;
for more than three hours;
Saturday afternoon, 106 per-;
sons from the Palmer area;
were blood-typed in a program
conducted by Frank Pauls of 1
the Alaska Department of!
Health.
Assisting were representa- !
tives of the Nurses’ Associa-'
tion and members of the •
Health Council.
CHINESE PARTY AND FEED
SATURDAY NIGHT
FEBRUARY 7
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ELKS AND LADIES ONLY
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pand operations, improved meth
ods of production that will reduce
costs, and the marketing of only
high quality products should help
the Alaskan farmer to capture
local markets.
ILLEGAL ISSUANCE
OF HOTEL STOCK
CLAIMED IN CHARGE
C. F. Shield, Anchorage busi
nessman, filed a civil suit in dis
trict court at Anchorage February
4, charging that directors of the
Valley Hotel Corporation, oper
ators of the Matanuska Hotel, ]
tried to seize control by the illegal |
issuance of stock.
Shield declared that directors
Stanley McCutcheon, Buell Nes
bett, Pat Ryan and A» U. Hassman
were acting “not for the benefit
of the stockholders as a whole,
but for the special benefit . .
of the individuals named above.
He asserted that he was majority
stockholder until a purported
stockholders’ meeting on October
7, 1952 when 2,000 shares of stock
were issued to McCutcheon and
Nesbett; 500 to Hassman and 100
to Ryan. He is asking the court
to declare these stock certificates'
null and void, have the corpora
tion cancel them and to declare
an October 7 election, at which
Ryan was named a director, void.
Other defendants in the suit are
Dorothy Head and William W.
Head, the corporation and several
John Doe companies. Shield add
ed that the Heads did not at
;end the controversial meeting.
COMMUNITY CHEST
ALLOTMENTS CUT 7%
Considerable public interest in
the results of the Community
Chest drive conducted this past
Dctober has prompted the board
af directors to publish the follow
ing results. A total of $2,593-10
was raised during the campaign,
with area supervisors and amounts
raised in each area as follows
with supervisors name first,
amount collected and amount
pledged in that order: Norma
Benson, $171.50, $3; Doris Dear
born, $97.75, $20.; Doreen Asay
$169.60, $12.; Thomas Moyer, $77.
Jane Slaughter, $241. Dorothy
Rempel, $70. $22.50; Leona John
son, $205.; $30.; Isabelle Severns,
568.53; Lucy Mick, $380; Ed
Smith, $325.; Emil Ganschow
5110.25, $55.; Pat Lawton, $36.50;
Isabelle Woolcock. $36.: Eva
Plumley, $89.65, $2.; Jean O’Neill,
$85.; Rivera Hiber, $31.; Inman,
576.50; Alice M. Taylor, $173.90,
$23.; and from boxes in stores, etc.
$1.42.
The totals are $2,445.60 collect
ed and $147.50 in pledges, with
$113 of the latter amount still
outstanding. Each area supervisor
was assisted by from four to
eight “Captains” who willingly
provided their own transportation
and made all calls on their own
time. The board of directors were
well pleased with the amounts
raised in each area, they announc
ed. While there was considerable
rivalry to see who could raise the
largest amount, true competition
was not possible because the num
ber of residents and their finan
cial situations were not the same
between areas they said. Contribu
tions this year seemed to be some
Continued on page 8
Boy Scouts Celebrate 43rd Birthday
MM
43«> jwNiVERSattY I9SS
BOV SCOUTS OF AMERICA
i
Boy Scout Week, February 7 to 13, marking the 43rd
anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America, wil be observed
throughout the nation by more than 3,230,000 boys and
adult leaders. Since 1910, more than 20,200,000 boys and
men have been members.
Funeral Services
For A. A. Rempel
To Be Held Friday
Funeral services for Aron A.
Rempel, 71, well-known Valley
dairy farmer wrho died February
2 will be held Friday afternoon in
the United Protestant Church at
2 p.m. Rev. Brian Cleworth will
officiate.
Born in Gnadenfeld, Russia
May 19, 1881, Mr. Rempel, with
his family came to the United
States in 1923, settling in Dinuba,
California, following a short
period in New York, Iowa and
Mexico. He became a naturalized
citizen in 1929. In February of
1944 he and his family moved to
Palmer where he started his dairy
farm. He was a member of the
Matanuska Valley Breeder’s As
sociation; an affiliate member of
the United Protestant Church and
a member of the First Mennonite
Church of Reedley, Caifornia.
Surviving are his widow, Sus
anna Rempel; eight children, Aron
J. of Aubrey, California, Herman
of Upland, California, Mrs. Marie
Bergman of Dinaba, California,
Mrs. Agetha Larson of Solvang,
California, Mrs. Sussanna Wolfen
den, Orinda, California and Mrs.
Ann Plitt, William and Dietrich
Rempel of Palmer, the latter who
assisted his father with the dairy
farm. Also surviving is a sister,
Mrs. J. J. Toews who makes her
home in Pennsylvania
The Anchorage Funeral Home
is in charge of arrangements. The
body will be brought to Palmer
Friday morning at 11 a.m. and
will lie in state in the United Pro
testant Church. Friends are invit
ed to pay their respects.
Bearers will be: Dr. Earl Graves
(Continued on page 8)
TO RESUME
WELL-BABY CLINIC
Miss Dolores Mattila, new
Public Health Nurse for the
Matanuska Valley announced
this week that the Well-Baby
Clinic woudl resume regular
meetings the second, third and
fourth Tuesdays of each month,
starting February 10. Mothers
are invited to take their chil
dren to the clinic between 2
and 4 p.m. on those days.
Miss Mattila will keep the
same schedule as previously
established, visiting the Pal
mer school each morning be
tween 9 and 10 a.m. and in
the office at the Health Center
from 10 to 11 a.m. Afternoons
will be devoted to calls at
other schools and areas.
NEW SERGEANT AT ACS
S. F. C. William, F. Kelleigh ar
rived in Palmer last week to take
aver new duties as head of the
ocal Alaska Communication Sys
;em office.
Sergeant Kelleigh comes to the
Valley from Seattle but has been
field auditor throughout the Ter
ritory for about a year and is
familiar with the local area and
problems. His wife and three chil
iren will join him soon.
REMOVES FIRST '‘HEAVY’*
SNOWFALL OF SEASON
The city street department did
their first snow-plowing of the
season Wednesday, following a
five inch snowfall Tuesday. Many
cities Outside have already spent
thousands of dollars for snow re
moval while Palmer has enjoyed
(not mentioning our recent wind)
a mild winter.
Man Burns to Death
In Isolated Cabin
Allen W. Sexton, 49, burned to
death in a single room cabin lo
cated near Friday Creek the
evening of February 1.
According to Robert Williams,
logger ,who was living in another
March of Dimes
Expected lo
Reach $1500 Mark
To date a total of $1,457.59 has
been collected in the 1953 March
of Dimes in the Palmer area,
March of Dimes Director, William
Rempel announced.
Swelling the fund were the sur
prising returns from a basket
social held at Alpine Inn Janu
ary 28. In spite of severe windy
weather, lack of electricity and
facilities in that area, $404.60 was
realized from the affair.
A breakdown on the proceeds
revealed that only 16 baskets
were auctioned at a high average
of 20.55 each. Added to this am
ount was $75.75, bar proceeds for
the evening .donated by the Al
pine Inn. The following persons
donated baskets: Diane Bear,
Toots Kezak, Charlote Mur !''"1'
Edna Johnson, Irene Hess, Leona
Spencer, Paula Bairn, Cookie
Baim, Jean O’Neil, Nancy John
son and Dee Hurst. Also, a sur
prise package donated by Audrey
Cory of the Watchtower Inn and
four stag baskets donated by the
Alpine Inn. Coffee for the affair
was furnished by Bud Summers
of the Alpine Cafe.
Approximately $285 was rais
ed by the Kiwanis—Beta Sigma
Phi sponsored Talent Show
held in the school auditorium
January 27,
The March of Dimes dance
sponsored by the civic committee
of the Palmer Moose lodge Janu
ary 31 added $216.18 to the fund.
This figure included a pound of
dimes given by the Women of the
Moose whose hat check stand also
accounted for $30.81. Beautiful
red, white and blue decorations
in the gymnasium were done by
Joe Lentz, Laurine Uzelac, Annie
Onkka, Dorothy Adams, Ronnie
Meehan and Gary Davies. The
young folk worked all day Satur
day to complete the work. Lester
Mears of Palmer was awarded an
eighteen-piece camp kit as door
prize and Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Wendt, also of Palmer were win
ners of the prize watz.
During intermission a group ol
31ks ladies presented a Gay-Nine
ties Revue. Athough the Elks
were holding an affair in their
lodge on the same date, mem
bers purchased a block of tickets
for the dance amounting to $125.
Those participating in the revue
were: Annie and Betty Onkka,
Irene Vasanoja and Mrs. Wilson’
Iron lungs distributed through
out the area returned $189.22
with lungs from Wasilla and
Jonesville not yet collected.
Palmer Student body donated
$112.90.
Other individual and group do
nations were from Women of the
Moose, $20; Wendall and Hilde
garde Hubbell, $5; Wasilla Ladies,
$45; Rorrisons, $10; St. John’s
Sunday School and Church, $50:
Pat’s Saw Mill, $5; Fourth of July
commttee, $35.19; Harry W. Ken
drick, $5; G. A. Lindsey, $52.50
Riverbend Club, $5 and American
Legion Auxiliary, $17.
Director Rempel expressed his
Continued on page 8
cabin nearby, Sexton had return
ed to his cabin ground four
o’clock that afternoon. “He had
been drinking,” Williams said and
told of accompanying him to the
Sexton cabin and suggested he go
to bed. “When I left him he was
sitting by the stove.” Williams
returned to his cabin and later
heard an explosion. Discovering
the Sexton cabin afire, he tried to
enter the building but was pre
vented from doing so by flames.
The cabins are located in an
isolated area where the men have
been conducting logging work for
Seth Cook. Not having a vehicle,
Williams was unable to notify au
thorities until the following day
when he walked approximately
13 miles to tell of the tragedy.
U. S. Deputy Marshal William
Bouwens summoned a Coronor’s
jury and with them went to the
scene. Following examinations
the jury’s verdict was death by
fire of unknown origin. Jurors
were: Ed Barett, Ray Lancaster,
Bruce Graham, Art Stenberg,
Ralph Plumley and Virginia Gal
lant. The badly burned body was
taken to the Anchorage Funeral
Home.
Surviving the decea cd are six
chi’^ren. Four sons, Elmer, Alvin
Frank and Clifford. Also two
daughters, Mrs. Agnes Smith and
Joyce Sexton.
Funeral arrangements are in
complete.
HURLEY GIVES C OF G
REPORT AT MEETING
Jim Hurley reported on the
All Alaska Chamber of Commerce
meeting held in Juneau January
12 through January 16 at the
regular local C of C meeting held
Wednesday noon.
Hurley brought a concise report
on programs discussed and pre
sented by varous chambers at the
five day meet. Specific requests
were made by various Chambers
regarding mining in the Territory
with authority for prospectors to
register all mining claims, being
asked by the group. They pointed
out the difficulty now present in
attempting to track down old
mining claims. Many times no rec
ords are available, they said.
Other times the descriptions are
too vague. A Territoral subsidy
! would provide a grub-stake and
j transportation to encourage pros
pectors in the mineral and metal
fields.
The fish program, land with
: drawals, taxation and labor were
' also subjects touched on by Hur
I ley in his report.
Robert May, engineer with the
Bureau of Mines was guest speak
er and acquainted the C of C with
the functions of his department in
conjunction with other Federal
agencies.
SLIGHTLY BLUE
The slight blueish tinge no
ticed by several of our read
ers the past few weeks is just
what they thought it was . . .
blue ink. The shop has an
abundance of blue ink on hand
and we are using it up before
it deteriorates. As soon as it
is gone, The Frontiesrman will
again appear in black, black
ink.