■M* HI* Ml* • ”
THE FRONTIERSMAN
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
FRONTIERSMAN CLASSIFIEDS
ALWAYS BRING RESULTS
TRY ONE NEXT WEEK
VOLUME 7. NUMBER 15
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY, DEC. 31. 1953
PRICE TEN CENT8
UNITED EFFORT
SOUGHT FOR LOCAL
RECREATION PLAN
Plans for a united community
effort to provide recreational
facilities in the Palmer area were
projected at an exploratory meet
ing held last Sunday afternoon
at the Charles Wilson home.
Members of several organiza
tions and groups were called to
gether informally to discuss the
feasibility of going ahead with
a specific large-scale project out
lined at a P-TA meeting this
past spring. This project was a
combination one provided for
permanent ice skating facilities
on a surfaced area—large enough
for hocky—that could be convert
ed info five tennis courts in sum
mer. Estimated cost for materials
on such a project, including a 12
foot back stop fence and lights,
was somewhere between $3,500
and $4,000.
It was agreed by all present
that this project was only one of
a number that could best be
handled through a recreation
committee or council representing
all organizations and interested
groups in the area. To speed the
•organization-of such a committee,
invitations will be sent to all or
ganizations and church groups
asking them to send a represent
tative particularly interested in
the recreation problem to a meet
ing scheduled for Sunday, Janu
ary 31, at 2:00 p.m. in the Co-Op
•club room.
ARNE SUOMELA NAMED
ASSISTANT FWS DIRECTOR
Secretary of the Interior Doug
las McKay today announced the
appointment of Arne J. Suomela,
Portland, Oregon, as Assistant
Director of the Fish and Wild
life Service.
Mr. Suomela, who has been
Oregon State Director of Fish
eries, since 1945, made a special
survey of the Alaska fisheries for
the Department of the Interior
last summer.
Mr. Suomela is considered one
of the Nation’s authorities on the
salmon fisheries and has done ex
tensive research in Alaska and
the Pacific Northwest.
During the construction of
Grand Coulee, he was in charge
of field work in the Columbia
River, particularly the “salmon
salvage program” which resulted
in successfully transplanting sal
mon which formerly migrated
above the dam. He directed the
location and establishment of
runs in streams below the dam.
VEHICLE BURNS
CHRISTMAS NIGHT
A 1941 Buick sedan was des
troyed on the evening of Decem
ber 25 when it burned on the
Wasilla Road. The vehicle was
registered to Austin Carr, U. S.
Army. Territorial Police who in
vestigated the incident have not
yet learned the cause of the
blaze.
States Sharpened
ON MODERN MACHINERY
SOe
SEE JOE GALLANT
Another milestone prompts us
to wish “good luck’’
to our many friends.
All Teen-Agers
Invited to Party
All valley teen-agers, and es
pecially those living in the Wasil
la area, have been invited to at
tend a Moose sponsored party to
be held at Moose Hall tonight,
December 30.
There will be live music for
dancing and refreshments of hot
dogs, potato chips and pop will
be served. There will be no ad
mission charge nor a charge for
the refreshments. All teen-agers
are cordially invited to attend.
Party time will be from 9:00 p.m.
until 11:30 p.m.
Aviation Director
Tony Schwamm Resigns
G. S. (Tony) Schwamm resign
ed last week as director of the
Territorial Department of Avia
tion, stating that his department
has been harrassed by investigat
ing committees and tom by pol
icy dive agencies. His resignations
followed a meeting of the depart
ment’s policy setting officials.
Schwamm is well known in
Palmer having been a frequent
visitor to the city and periodic
visits to the Palmer field.
Personal property assessment
return forms were mailed this
week to all city residents. The
forms, for household and/or busi
ness returns, must be completed
and returned to the City Asses
sor prior to February. 1, 1954.
UNION OIL OPENS
ALASKA DISTRICT
F. J. Kerth, who has been with
the Union Oil Company of Calif
ornia since 1939, has been pro
moted from district representa
tive to district sales manager and
will have charge of sales and
operations for the company in
Alaska.
Alaska previously came under
the Seattle dtistrict of the com
pany and is now a company dis
trict of its own. The announce
ment was recently made by W. I.
Martin, manager of the North
west Terirtory.
Police Department Issue
Safety Calendars;
Local Firms Cooperate
Four Palmer businesses are co
operating with the City Police
Department to issue a calendar
stressing motor and pedestrian
safety during 1854, it was an
nounced by Chief Bernard Bou
wens. They are Hartley Bros.
Motors, Palmer Sheet Metal and
Heating, Ketchikan Spruce Mills
and the Matanuska Valley Bank.
The pictured message shows
the central figures in ^ motor fa
tality directly due to careless
driving and the words, “TO LATE
TO BE SORRY.” Distribution of
the calendars was done by Chief
Bouwens.
Tomorrow Final Day
To Register Land
Valley residents were remind
ed today that only two days re
main for registering land owned
in the territory. Any who have
previously registered their land
(in 1949) need not re-register.
However ,all land owned in this
precinct must be registered in
duplicate, one copy to be filed
in a registration book by the U.
S. Commissioner and the other
copy to go to the Land Commis*
sion. December 31 is the deadline.
Registration forms for jointly
owned property must carry the
signature of all persons holding
an interest, that is, if the property
is in joint ownership of a husband
and wife, both must sign the af
fidavit.
Property owned outside this
precinct must be registered in the
area where located.
Those living outside this area
must register their land in the
Palmer office. Thig may be done
by mail. A fee of $1.50 should ac
company the registration forms.
Several persons registered pro
perty Tuesday night when U. S.
Commissioner Dorothy Saxton
kept evening hours for the con
venience of those unable to get
in during the daytime.
$30,000 Equipment
Arrives For Hew
Valley Hospital
Urges Early Purchase
Of Vehicle Licenses
Although 1954 vehicle license
tags do not have to be attached
to Alaska motor vehicles until
February 28, they are now avail
able at the office of the U. S.
Commissioner and may be at
tached any time after purchase.
To avoid last minute rushing
or delays, U. S. Commissioner
Dorothy Saxton suggested this
week that owners license their
vehicles as soon as possible.
For the first time in the terri
tory, numeral tags will be issued
this year. They will be attached
over the 1953 date in slots al
ready provided. No tags will be
issued without the license receipt
which by law jsmsL be attached
to the steering post of all licensed
vehicles. 1953 plates are available
for those licensing a vehicle for
the first time.
OVER $500 RAISED
FOR COMMUNITY
CHRISTMAS PARTY
To date $527.50 has been col
lected by <Theta Chapter, Beta
Sigma Phi for the annual com
munity Christmas party held for
all Valley children December 24
at the Valley Theatre. In addition
to the cash donations there were
material donations made by sev
eral.
The following firms, individu
als and organizations have do
nated to the annual event: Tost’s
Service, $5; Bettys’, $10; Grasser
Hardware, $10; Frontier Cafe,
$10; Kirk’s Sales & Service, $10;
Valley Grocery, apples; Martin’s
Westside Service, $5; No. Palmer
Store, box of fruit; Maud Hosier,
$5; Palmer Drug, $10; Ketchikan
Spruce Mill, $15: Palmer Foun
tain & Cafe, $2.50; T & T Sour
dough, $5; Clara’s Variety, $10;
Palmer B.P.O. Elks, $15; Mac’s
Plumbing & Heating, $5; Pearl
White Laundry, $5; Brown’s Shop,
$5; Koslosky’s Department store,
$10; Matanuska Hotel and bar,
$10; Alaska Rural Rehabilitation
Corporation, $15; Bert’s Drug
Store, $20 and Kay Pippel In
surance, $5.
Also, Matanuska Hotel Coffee
Shop, $5; Matanuska Valley
Farmers Cooperating Association,
$30: White Spot Cafe, $5; Matan
anuska Valley Bank, $25; Palmer
Baking, $15; A1 Mathews, $5; Art
Stacy, $10; Withey Plumbing and
Heating, $10: Palmer Bar, $5;
Palmer Sheet Metal and Heat
ing, $5; Kimball’s Store, $5;
i Treasure Chest, $1.00; Valley
Real Estate, $5; Co-Op Service
Station, $5; Valley Cleamers, $5;
Standard Oil, $2.00; Valley Beau
ty Shop, $2.00; Mr. and Mrs. By
■ ham, $5; V-Bar $1.00; Carpenters’
Local, $10; Valley Theatre, show
| and building; Legion Auxiliary,
$10: and Kiwanis Club, $25.
Also Valley Taxi, $2.; Ben Hud
: gins, $5; Moose Lodge and Wo
(Continued on page 10)
Calling the railroad depot this
week to determine the expected
arrival date of equipment being
shopped from Seattle for the new
Valley Presbyterian Hospital,
Jack Newcomb, acting hospital
administrator learned that equip
ment valued in excess of $30,000
had arrived and was awaiting at
the depot. The shipment had tak
en only 11 days, coming to Alas
ka via Alaska Steamship Line
and into Palmer on the Alaska
Railroad.
Because the equipment arrived
before expected, and rather than
attempt storage in an incompleted
section of the new hospital, space
in the Valley Fair building was
arranged for by Newcomb. Trans
portation of the 314 pieces of
equipment was started this mor
ning. Weighing approximately
21,000 pounds, the shipment re
quired close to two railroad cars
for transfer from Seward to Pal
mer.
The shipment included nearly
all the equipment that has been
ordered, Newcomb said. Only a
few pieces remain to be shipped.
Equipment for the modem hos
pital kitchen was included in the
shipment; also bedside cabinets
in attractive cok’^s, beds, mattres
ses, ste!#izers, 'anesthetist table
and various other fixtures and
pieces of equipment.
The shipment was originally
scheduled to leave Seattle No
vember 1 and at the request of
the hospital board had been de
layed twice to enable completion
of the hospital interior before
trying to set up the equipment.
Newcomb said theyVope to be*
ready for installation by the first
of March. “Now we will be able
to move each piece into place as
space is ready,” he said today.
The hospital contractor hopes to
have the construction work com
pleted by March 1.
PARKING WITHIN
RESTRICTED AREAS
WILL COST MONEY
Parking within a restricted
area over the past week-end cost
a few motorists $2.50 apiece ancfc
kept the city police department
busy writing tickets.
This section of the city’s new
traffic ordinance seems to draw
the largest number of offenders
in spite of the fact that all re
stricted areas within the city
have large signs erected in in
forming drivers of the regions in
which they may not park.
There is a no parking area
between the ARRC office build
ing and the Palmer Fountain in
the Co-Op area. Another one is
to be found on the comer of
Wasilla Road and Colony Street
near the Horton property. There
is no parking in front of the fire
station nor within 15 feet of fire
hydrants.
There were no reported acci
dents within the city during the
past holiday.
MUSIC BY VINCE HAIGHT AND HIS BAND
Calling All Elks!! Y
NEW YEAR'S EVE FROLIC!!
$5 per member Refreshments al 2:30 a.m. FOR ELKS AND THEIR LADIES ONLY - Formal Optional DANCING 9 P.M. - 3 A.M.