H CO
THE imTANUSKA VALLEY PIONEER
Published weekly at
Palmer, Alaska
Jack Allman, Editor and Publisher
ubscriution rates '2.50 ner year,
f by mail add 75^ for nostage.
Single conies 5# locally. Eack num
bers in books of 10 consecutive is
sues at *1.00 per book, nostnaid.
Advertising rates unon request.
wnr NOT WASILLA?
Wasilia, our little neighboring
town just 12 miles across the val
ley, can give Fairbanks cards and
snades when it comes to natural ad
vantages as the site for a nrooosed
airbase. Why has it never been
bronerly nublicized as an excellent
site? ... \
Do the authorities in Washington
know that the Matanuska is the only
fog-free valley on or near the
coast of Alaska; that we have had
only 3 hours of ground fog here
during the oast year; that 60 below
is dangerous flying weather, and
that our minimum here last winter
was only minus 20?
Why have the base at Fairbanks
which is subject to isolation thru
criopling of transoortation arter
ies while Wasilia is right in the
heart of what will be Alaska’s
largest agricultural region within
the next two years?
Why, in the event of a war, will
it be necessary to cross a range of
cloud canoed mountains in order to
meet the enemy before it can des
troy the railroad? Wasilla is only
12 miles from salt water transoorta*
tion by small boat, yet safe from
shelling by enemy warshios because
they wouldn't dare enter the inlet.
Lake Lucille is large enough to .
oermit the landing and taking off
of all size air craft., and there is
enough flat country there to build
a hundred landing fields.
The Little Susitna River could. .
furnish a water suoply and electric
oower. Construction material in the
forms of rock for masonry and tim
ber for rough work are handy.
Construction of barges of shal
low draft and the building of a
short nine-line would solve the
nroblem of a netroleum reserve.
Why use the extremely vulnerable
Aleutian Islands? They would be
duck-soun for an invader who might
want to blow the Navy netroleum re
serve off the man. The Aleuts are
a long ways from Fairbanks for the
successful operation of intercentor
airnlanes.
For all ’round advantage it ao
nears that the Matanuska Valley has
it all over any other district in
Alaska.
PLANS FOR FAIR UNDER WAY
Plans are well along for an ag
ricultural and industrial fair to
be held at Palmer September 4-5-6
and 7th, winding up the evening of
Labor Day.
At a meeting held at the Commun
ity Hall committees were appointed
and are already functioning. Mr.
Snodgrass, who has accepted-the
position of General Manager, has
signed up many Anchorage merchants
for ads in the urogram booklet,
and as a member of the finance com
mittee has collected money and
pledges enough so that application
could be made to the Governor for .
the ^2000 grant held by the Terri
tory. Slim Johnson is also work
ing hard on the finances.
Mr. Snodgrass, Miss De Armond
and Joe Flakne have compiled a
premium list Aggregating ^2300 -in
prizes for stock, poultry, vege
tables, home canned products and
handicraft.
The Fair Association, which is
incorporated - by Ross L. Sheely, M,
D. Snodgrass, R* B. Horton, C. C.
Brix and Doctor C. Earl Albrecht.
Dr. Albrecht is also Secretary of
the Fair Committee.
^lans are laid for a real rodeo
field snorts and a baseball serie
to fill in the time for those who
are not wholly interested in the
exhibits.
Anchorage merchants, business
men and residents are, on the
whole, 'throwing their support to
make the fair here a success and
many visitors from our neiboring
city may be expected over the foui
day period.
Hawley Sterling, who was here
last week, has set September 4th
as the day upon which the Anchor
age-Palmer highway will be offic
ially opened.
A new record in deeo wells was
reached when ’Driller’ McGinnis of *
Kelso’s crew oounded a hole down
361 feet to reach water on Ed La
Valley’s tract. The hole imrnedi-.
ately filled for 300 feet.
Mate.nuska Valley nost #15 of the 4
American Legion is throwing a aar
ty at the Community Hall next Tues
day evening and invites all VJorld
War veterans, whether memhers of
the Legion or not, to attend. It
will he an evening of fun with
light refreshments served hy the
Auxiliary.
Don’t forget the tig dance for
the benefit of the Colonist Ball p
Team on.Saturday, July 25th„ Be
there....and have a good time.