Vol. 1, No. 71
Palmer, Alaska, June 8, 1948
Ten Cents
Neal Wright To Build Again On Old Site
New Hospital
Plan Shelved
For Present
Members of the board of di
rectors of the Valley Hospital
Association voted unanimously
last Friday evening, to bend
• their present efforts toward re
habilitation of the Valley’s tem
porary hospital, rather than to
attempt the construction of a
new building at this time. Chair
man W. E. Huntley, who did
not vote, asked to be put on
record as opposed to the plan.
Earlier, board member Jack
Maze had reported that the
temporary quarters, together
with grounds comparable in size
to the donated site in the Alas
ga Rural Rehabilitation Corpor
ation sub-division, could be pur
chased for $7,500. The site and
building was also made avail
able to the board on a long-term
lease, with option to buy.
After discussion it was de
cided to ask for a two-year
lease of the hospital, at a rent
al not greater than the pres
. enl rale. Members voted to
speed the conversion of the
Quonset hut, purchased ear
lipr in waoIi-.
It was pointed out that ad
ditional hospital space will be
come available in that hut, as
soon as Dr. R. E. Garrett moves
to other office quarters. It is
planned to establish the hos
pital office in this hut at the
present time.
♦ Since a requirement for eith
er lease or purchase of the quar
ters was the installation of an
independent heating plant or the
purchase of metered steam from
the steam plant, the board voted
to use the smaller of two boilers
purchased for the new hospital,
to set up a heating plant in the
temporary quarters this winter.
The former garage, located
about 50 feet from the main
hospital building, will be used
as the furnace room for the
hospital. Board member Clyde
King estimated that it will
cost between $350 and $500
to convert the structure and
’ install the boiler.
The decision to remain in the
; temporary quarters, for what
probably will be at least anoth
er winter, was reached only af
ter long discussion and a thor
ough review of every possibil
ity. It was unanimously declared
' by board members that each was
reluctant to spend more money
on temporary quarters, but no
flther solution is possible at this
time.
However the motion was made
and unanimously carried, that
1 as soon as there is $25,000 on
deposit in the Valley Hospital
Association building fund, con
struction will begin. “We’d start
tomorrow, if we had $25,000,”
one board member asserted.
If was further decided that
no money will be expended
4irom the building fund to
make improvements that will
I not benefit the new hospital,
once it is begun. Renovation
on the Quonsel hut, which will
cost an estimated $1,000, was
^considered a legitimate build
“ (Continued on back page)
Time out for lunch at last week's Colony Day celebra
tion. Chief barbecue chef John Witt is pictured carving tid
bits of beef carcass while the hungry watch intently. Bar
becue was served between slices of bread and accompanied
with a generous serving of baked beans. Marksmen compete
for top score and grand prize of a .22 Remington rifle in the
lower photo. The Malanuska Valley Sportsmen ran a con
tinuous trapshoot and target-shoot during the two-day cele
bration, and their efforts neted the Palmer Airport Asso
ciation a cool $162. (Photos by Palmer Photographic Center)
Palmer To Visit
Anchorage C Of C
Palmer’s businessmen are to
be guests of the Anchorage
Chamber of Commerce next Mon
day, when Palmer Day is to be
celebrated at the regular lunch
eon of the Anchorage group. The
meeting is held in the Aleutian
Gardens, and begins at noon.
As an accommodation to Pal
mer-ites making the trip, the
railcar will delay its scheduled
run for an hour that morning,
leaving at 9:30. The return trip
will start from Anchorage at
4:30 that afternoon.
All Valley residents who wish
to make the trip are invited to
do so. Mrs. Betty Mears, Cham
ber secretary, is taking reserva
tions, and she should be contact
ed immediately by anyone plan
ning to go.
Agricultural Committee
Meets Tomorrow
The agricultural planning com
mittee will hold its June meet
ing in the Extension Office at 8
o’clock this Wednesday, it was
announced today.
I
Shades Of Frank Buck
It seemed a good idea at the
time — the plan, a Snowbird
miner made to snare a bear
and have a et of his own.
He wasn't too certain of re
sults, but he set his snares and
sat back to wait for action.
Much to his complete surprise,
his lanp worked all too well,
and in short order he found
himself in. sole possession of
one black bear.
The catch to it all, though,
is that the miner had planned
on a junior edition of bear,
and what he got is very big,
very black and extremely orn
ery.
Now the miner and all his
campmates have a real prob
lem—what to do with a black
bear in a snare. Their big
black pet is so unaffectionate
that they can't even get close
enough to let him loose.
VVFA Dance
Builds Funds
Last Saturday’s benefit and
membership dance at Palmer’s
gymnasium sponsored by the Val
ley Volunteer Fire Association
was a “grand financial success,”
according to Association chair
man A1 Hagen.
Mr. Hagen declined to state the
exact degree of financial success,
however. He said members of the
board had expressed themselves
as opposed to publication of fi
nancial reports, in the past. “It’s
felt if anyone wants to know,
then he can come to board meet
ing and find out for himself,” the
fire chairman asserted.
Speaking in round figures, Mr.
Hagen set the figure of Satur
day’s dance receipts at “well
over $200.”
Membership sales have been
brisk in the past few days, when
(Continued on back page)
Plans Call
For Fireproof
2*Story Plant
A new two-story fireproof con
crete structure will be erected on
the foundation of the Bert's Drug
Store building destroyed by fire
last week, owner Neal Wright
said today. It will house the drug
store, fountain, cocktail bar,
and dance hall on the ground
floor, with the entire second
story to be given over to office
suites.
Construction on the new build
ing is to begin immediately, Mr.
Wright said. In the meantime he
plans to erect temporary quarters
on or near the site of the burned
building, where drugs and other
necessities will be sold. The tem
porary building is expected to be
open for business within a week.
Meanwhile, magazines and li
censes will be sold at a counter
to be set up in one corner of
Variety Vogues. The stand there
will be ready for operation with
in the next day or two.
Asked to estimate the amount
of his loss in last week’s fire,
Mr. Wright placed the figure at
$180,000. He carried only a small
amount of insurance.
The contents of the safe, which
were examin ed upon Mr.
Wright’s arrival last Friday, were
found to be undamaged by the
fire. The adjacent Wright home
also was relatively undamaged
by the fire, except for the break
ing of two large Thermi-pane
windows.
Cause of the fire which swept
the building so rapidly is still
undetermined. At first believed
to be due to faulty wiring, that
theory w’as exploded by the store
owner, who said there was no
wiring in the corner where
flames first broke out.
WARM NAP
Smoking in bed this week re
sulted in the fifth fire for the
Matanuska Valley Lodge. Flames
were extinguished by a guest,
although not before a mattress
and bedding were destroyed.
Shamrocks Plan
Field Day On 4th
The Shamrock softball club is
preparing plans for a four-team
softball tournament and sports
day for the Valley on July 4,
manager Art Stacey announced
this week.
Arrangements still are tenta
tive, but Mr. Stacey said it was
the team’s hope to begin the
Fourth weekend with a dance in
the Palmer gymnasium on the
evening of the third.
Field and track events for the
Valley’s boys and girls are
planned for between-game inter
vals in the softball tournament.
Members of the Matanuska
Valley Sportsmen have indicated
they would like to plan another
trapshoot, to be run in conjunc
tion with the Shamrock’s sports
activities.
Further announcement of com
peting softball teams and a
schedule of races will be an
nounced in the near future, Mr.
Stacey promised.