The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
THY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD lor that
item you may hare for sal*,
real or leas*.
VOLUME 6, NUMBER 30
PALMER, ALASKA, THURSDAY. APRIL IS, 1953
PRICE TEN CENTS
SERVICEMEN KILLED
IN ACCIDENT AT
MATANUSKA BRIDGE
Three Ft. Richardson service
men were instantly kiled when
the; car in which they were riding
tailed to negotiate the curve at
the Matanuska tsriage, crashed
into the abutment and turned end
over onto the river bank below.
All three men were 22 years of
age and assigned to the Service
Company, 196th Infantry Regi
ment They -were Sgt. Charles
£>etbsta, Cpl. Daniel E. Rothen
ber, and PSc. James E. Long.
The tragediy occurred about
9:25 p.m.. on April 12 at the
Anchorage end of the Matanuska
bridge where several fatal acci
dents have occured in the past.
Althought there were no witnes
ses to the crash, Alaska Highway
Patrolmen said the vehicle ap
parently struck the abutment on
the bridge, crashed end over
end. down the 30-foot drop. One
body was found lying on the
bank, another under the bridge
and the third, pinned in the ve
hicle.
The car, a 1948 Dodge coupe,
was completely demolished.
RESTRICTIONS
PUT ON ALL ROADS
Weight and speed restrictions
have been placed on all territori
al main highways, secondary and
farm roads in the Palmer, Mat
anuska Valley, Anchorage, Kenai
and Homer areas, the Alaska
Road Commission announced this
week. The restrictions will remain
in effect until further notice, they
said.
.in making tne announcement,
the Road Commission said that
heavy loads on many Valley farm
, roads are doing extensive damage
and that closing all farm roads
to truck travel next year is pos
sible. They pointed to the large
cut in appropriations that will
prevent them from doing work
that is usually expected of them.
CO-OP BUYS NEW
TYPE CARTON;
WATER CLORINATOR
The M.V.F.C.A. announced this
week they have purchased 2500
new type waxed cartons to be
used as produce crates. “Matan
uska Maid” will be stamped on
both ends of the carton.
The ventilated cartons have
been used very successfully in
the states, Fred Zieke, manager,
' said this week. They are cheaper
than wooden crates by almost
half, he added, and will be used
for shipping fresh produce from
the Valley.
Buys Clorinator
A 500 gallon per minute clorin
ator has been purchased for the
CoOp water system, Zieke an
* t nounced and will be installed
within two weeks. The unit has
the approval of the Territorial
Department of Health and has
been used with good results by
the Army, meeting all their spec
ulations.
GOVERNOR MAY
MAKE PALMER VISIT
News that Governor Frank j
B. Heintzleman may visit Pal-'
mer the latter part of this
month was announced at the
Chamber meeting held April
15, by Don Irwin.
Gov. Heintzleman plans a
visit along the railbelt to study
industrial developments and
wrote* that he hoped to be
able to inlude Palmer in his
intinerary. Irwin announced
the Women’s Republican Club
of Palmer is making plans for
an evening dinner if he is
able to come here. Chamber
i members plan a special meet
ing during his visit.
GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY SCENES
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Starting in the upper left-hand corner. Mayor Alfred V. Hagen has just presented the key to the City of Palmer to Dr.
Hermann N. Morse, moderator, general assembly of the Presbyterian Church. Dr. Morse is again seen in the following
picture with Ed Smith, of the Valley Hospital association. His back to the camera, intent upon getting a record on his *ilm
is Rev. Rolland Armstrong of Juneau. Lower left corner is a view of the Palmer High School band and part of thf .a-ge
gathering at the ceremonies. Lower right is Mrs. Bert J. Bingle, sealed on the dozer used for the ground breaking.
Photos courtesy Alaska Experiment Station
CD ALERT TERMED
SATISFACTORY
The practice Civil Defense
alert held in the Greater Palmer
are? Sunday afternoon, April 12
went exactly as far as it was in
tended to go and was quite suc
cessful, Edward Imme, CD direc
tor announced this week.
“We would like to thank the
public for their cooperation. With
out these practice alerts it is im
possible to see just where our
weaknesses are and what phases
of our CD organization need fur
development. We learned a num
ber of valuable things Sunday,
and our next test should find
us even better prepared.’’ he said.
Imme paid special tribute to
the warden and police services
the volunteer fire service who
who did an excellent job. Also
made two runs, one in the city
and one to the disaster site at
Mile 27.3.. The Matanuska Elec
tric Association set up mobile
radio units at three points in the
city enabling the CD headquar
ters to communicate readily with
the casualty station and the dis
aster area at Chugiak.
The social service group pro
vided coffee and doughnuts for
all workers and observers. Trans
portation provided emergency
ambulance service to permit fast
pickup of local casualties.
A greater number of nurses
turned out than was expected as
well as two doctors.. Many Boy
Scouts turned out for courrier
service. To all volunteers Imme
paid special tribute..
“For our next test, which will
be much more extensive, we will
need many more first-aid workers
rescue workers and ambulance
vehicles,” Imme announced. “We
need the folowing,” he said. Peo
ple with first aid experience . . ,
sign up with Max Sherrod.. NOW!
Station wagons and volunteer
ambulance drivers . . . sign up
with Oliver Onkka NOW! Mer
to work on rescue teams. A bul
letin just received with regard
to the atomic tests at Yucca Flats
tells us that one of the greatesi
problems posed by the use o:
atomic weapons is the rescue o1
injured persons trapped in de
molished buildings. For this ser
vice.. . . sign up with Chet San
dvik before the next test come:
I off.”
C of C Decide
Against Sponsorship
Of Settlers Day
Members of the Chamber of
Commerce voted at their April
15 meeting to by-pas any cele
bration of Settlers Day at this
time. In its place, it was suggested
that possibly efforts could be
combined during the Matanuska
Valley Fair where perhaps one
day could be identified as a "set
tlers daiy” and the better features
of past Settlers Day and Colony
Day celebrations be featured at
that time.
Inclimate weather the latter
part of May has on many occa
sions and especially in 1952,
spoiled many planned events. It
was pointed out that this year
there will be no carnival to at
tract the interest of persons out
side the valley.
President Fred Zieke announc
ed he will appoint a working
committee shortly who will work
with the Fair Board on the pro
posal.
CITY TO SEEK
DESIGNATED FIREMEN
Discussions at the City Council
meeting held April 14 included a
proposition to pay regular city
firemen $100 per year, deductable
for fires and drills missed.
Fire Chief Ray Lancaster an
nounced that there are now only
six men he can consider regulars.
‘‘Some of these men would re
sign if there were replacements
available. We need about ten
regular men who would attend all
fires and practice meetings,” he
said.
The discussion led to Acting
Mayor Betty Mears instructing
the city clerk to send letters to
all business men and federal of
fices in the city, asking that a
man from each establishment be
named as a fireman. “It would
be in their interests to see that
the city does have a fire fight
ing force,” City Attorney Harold
Butcher said. Final decision will
be made at a future meeting.
New Liquor Store
John L. Sullivan made applica
• tion to the city for a retail liquor
. store license. The store will be lo
• cated between the Palmer Drug
(Continued on page 8)
Marshal's Office May
Be Returned to Palmer ;
The following wire was sent !;
to The Frontiersman from !;
Delegate to Congress, Bob >
Bartlett: ; ;
“Hagen reports conference ;!;
today with Administrative As- j;
sistant Attorney General who j;
assured him every considera-!
tion replacing deputy marshal!;
in Valley. Request airmail let- !
ters from organizations ask- ;
ing for restoration deputy.;
These can be sent to Hagen ;
in my care. No letters required j;
from Northland Pioneer Gran- !
ge, Kiwanis Club or Legion!
Post because can use com- !
munication previously sent;
me. Letters should be sent to ;!
Hagen for transmittal to S. A.;!
Andretta, Administrative As-;!
sistant Attorney General, De-!;
partment of Justice.” !;
PUBLIC INVITED TO
ANNUAL HOSPITAL MEET
The first annual meeting of the
Valley Hospital Association, Inc.
will be held tomorrow night,
April 17 at 8 p.m.. in the Palmer
School cafeteria.
Report from various commit
tees of the hospital board will be
given followed by a discussion
of all phases of the present hos
pital and of new construction.
Architect Edwin Crittenden
will be present to answer any
questions pertaining to the new
Valley Presbyterian Hospital.
The public is invited to attend
the meeting. Those who have not
seceured their 1953 membership
in the association can do so at the
meeting. .
WILSON APPOINTMENT
GETS CONFIRMATION
James Wilson received word
this morning from Governor
Frank Heinlzleman, that his
appointment as Commissioner
of Agriculture has been con
firmed. Wilson %aid today he
expects to leave the latter
part of the week for Fair
banks where he will confer
with Clyde Sherman, out-go
ing commissioner and to “get
his feet on the ground."
“Minstrel Moods”
Nearly Ready For
Opening Night
One week trom tonight the
curtain will rise on the fourth
annual Kiwanis Minstrel Show,
“Minstrel Moods,” under the
director of Keith Stanton who
also produced this year’s show.
Many weks of preparation have
gone into the pecialty numbers,
sets, costumes, lighting and cho
rus numbers. Reserved seats are
selling fast, committeemen repor
ted this week. The show will be
presented three nights, Thursday,
Friday and Saturday, April 23,
24 and 25 in the Palmer High
School auditorium at 8:30 p.m.
Twenty-seven voices will be
heard in the chorus this year
which is being directed by Miss
Lois Thompson. Those partici
pating are: Sopranos: Gwen De
Lapp, Jeanne Pommier, Leona
Burton, Esther Pederson, Betty
Crowther, Tiny Vickaryous, Mar
garet Walton and Zola Sanders.
Altos: Mabel Wallace, Char
lotte Nelson, Bernice Kuoppula,
Norma Ritchie and Jule Maddox.
Tenors: Ken Scoggin, Mack
Woodward, Doyle Smith, Lowell
Krise, Emery Roberts, Lloyd
Severns, Gary Krise, Robert Pip
pel and Francis Johansen.
Bass: R. M. Bicknell, James
Wood, Leo Getsgo, Lee Hunsa
ker and James Cottreu.
Miss Dolores Mattila will be
accompanist for the chorus.
Tickets may be obtained from
Kiwanis members and in stores
throughout the city.
GROUND BREAKING
CEREMONIES DRAW
HUNDREDS TO SCENE
Hundreds of persons witnessed
! the ground breaking ceremonies
of the Valley Presbyterian Hos
pital held April 9.
Goerge E. Smith, president of
the Valley Hospital Association.
Inc. presided over the ceremonies
and introduced the many distin
guished civic and church lead
ers who were present.
Following the invocation by
Rev. Brian H. Cleworth, hospital
chaplain, words of greeting were
given by Smith who thanked all
organiations represented at the
ceremonies, without whose help
he said, the hospital would have
been impossible.
In speaking to the gathering
Richard Beauliou. president of
C. R. Foss, Inc., contractors for
the new hospital, said he and his
partner C. R. Foss, uo not feel
the same about the construction
of this hospital as they do about
some buildings, and said that if
the cooperation they have seen is
an indication of what they may
expect, that the hospital may be
completed within 12 months, six
months sooner than called for.
Rev. Rolland Armstrong, speak
ing for the U. S. Public Health
Service brought congratulations
from Dr .C .Earl Albrecht to the
community and church represen
tatives for bringing the hospital
into being, and offered his own
blessings to the people of the
Valley.
Ur. J. ban Jackman, secretary,
department of work in Alaska,
Board of National Missions of the
Presbyterian Church, U S. A. said
he had watched developments for
many months and offered con
gratulations to the people of the
Valley and the women of the
churches who raised necessary
funds for the hospital. “Pennies
for Palmer” became a slogan
known from coast-to-coast thr
oughout the states, he said.
Presenting the key to the City
of Palmer to Dr. Hermann N.
Morse, moderator of the Gen
eral Asembly of the Presbyterian
Church, U.S.A. and general secre
tary of the Board of National
Missions, was the honor of Mayor
Alfred V. Hagen who prefaced
the act with greetings to repre
sentatives present from New York
to San Francisco and offered
thanks for the work done in col
lecting $232,000 in the “Pennies
for Palmer” drive.
Dr. Morse, in his response,
gave credit for the work to the
women. “The women do the work
. . . and the men get the key,”
he s' id. “I am happy to have had
the opportunity to nave a part
in this hospital. It is an oppor
tunity for a richer life for all.”
he said. “I am looking forward
to the day when I will see the
building itself.”
Climaxing the ceremonies was
the actual ground breaking, done
by Mrs. Bert J .Bingle who repre
sented the women’s organizations
throughout the Presbyterian
Church. Seated on the dozer with
Leo Lucas, Mrs. Bingle “broke
ground” for the new hospital.
The school band closed cere
monies with “God Bless Ameri
ca.”
Other church leaders present
for the ceremonies included Rev.
Bert J. Bingle, first pastor of the
United Protestant Church, Rev.
William Wartes, moderator of the
Continued on Page 8
Automobile Insurance
WE WRITE AUTO INSURANCE FOR ALL RISK—
Life Hospital, Health and Accident
Fire and Casualty
M B MARTIN AND SON
Anchorage Office Mile 45
238 - 5th Ave. Palmer Highway
WASILLA COMMUNITY HALL
SCHAEFFER’S ORCHESTRA
A X C K I
SATURDAY, APRIL 18
10:00 P.M. - 2:00 P.M.