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VU-LUIVlt, b, NUMBfc
Lf 2
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY, JULY 2. 1953
PRICE TEN CENTS
WOOD PIPE LEAKS;
VALLEY ST. WATER
LINE TO BE REMOVED
Pressure tests run recently on
the wood stave water line, install
ed on Valley Street last year, did
not come up to government stand
ards and, along with the 14 inch
line from the reservoir that was
previously condemned, will be re
placed by steel pipe. However,
because the line along Valley
.street was installed 20 feet off
center line, this section will have
to be removed when the steel pipe
is installed.
Twenty-three gallons per min
ute were pumped into the Valley
street section under 21 pounds of
pressure but did not meet govern
ment standards, Ray Mathews,
APW inspector said this week.
For this reason, he added, we did
not feel it useful to make any fur
ther tests on that line.
Construction of the new water
line is expected to get under way
by contractor Arctic Plumbing
and Heating shortly after July 4.
Tw barges are enrout to Palmer
from Seattle, carrying the new
steel pipe. Contractor George
Lilly is planning to supervise the
loading of a third barge this week,
to insure delivery in time to com
plete the system this fall. Accord
ing to the contract, there is an
August 11 completion date estab
lished. Work will start in the
North Palmer area and on the 14
inch reservoir line.
High River Waters
Cause Power Failure
Ec.trenv hot a melting
snow and high waters were re
sponsible for Palmer’s electric
outage last Friday, June 26, Cy
Brewer, MEA manager said this
week.
The two-hour outage was caus
ed when swollen waters of the
Matanuska River washed away
two structures carrying power to
this area. The entire area north of
Fort Richardson was affected, in
cluding Jonesville where mining
work on Friday night and all day
Saturday was held up because of
a lack of power.
Members of the MEA and CEA!
are working on restoration cf j
the line but nothing concrete can
be done, Brewer said, until the
water subsides. The 33 KV line
is working now, although much of
it is hanging on trees, he said. The
emergency line was cut in by
workers Friday and the low vol
tage was immediately noticed by
users.
“This is an emergency,” Brewer
said, “and it is better that we
(Continued on page 4)
FIRE CAUTION ASKED
BY CITY FIRE CHIEF
City Fire Chief Ray Lan
caster this week urged caution
during the holiday week end
and throughout the dry spell
now being experienced in this
region.
“It would take very little-to
start a big and perhaps disas
trous fire, with things as dry
as they are at the present,” he
said. Although fireworks are
banned within the city limits,
those setting them off outside
the limits are reminded that
the tinder is there as well as
within the city.
Careful burning of rubbish
is also asked by the Fire Chief.
Burn in an incinerator when
ever possible, he said, and do
not leave an open "fire unat
tended.
“ Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout All the Land”
'40
Inscribed on the Liberty Bell that hangs in Independence Hall
in Philadelphia is a passage taken from Leviticus XXV, 10 ... .
“Proclaim“Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the
inhabitants thereof.” This inscription was indeed the result of divine
guidance and symbolizes not only the principles of independence but
the faith of freedom loving peoples in God and His eternal supreme
power.
Let us on this Independence Day, pray that soon freedom will
reign on the principle ‘‘that all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights,
that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Creamery Addition
Nears Completion
332 by 46 ft. cement block Co-Op
332 by 46 cement, blor-k Co-Op
creamery addition is expecteH to
be completed within a matter of
days. With its completion, ice
cream production will be doubled
and storage space tripled, Fred
Zieke, Co-Op general manager
said this week.
Completion of the two-story,
steel-reinforced building will be
just in time, for only this week,
new contracts were negotiated
with Army officials that have ad
ded an average 10,000 gallons per
month to exsting contracts which
now call for close to 30,000 gal
lons of ice cream each month.
This is in addition to the many
other outlets for the “Matanuska
Maid” brand ice cream.
A test run on two new ice
cream machines wil be made be
fore going ino production. The
machines have a 300-gallon per
hour capacity. There will be hard
ening room space capable of hand
ling 15,000 gallons of ice cream at
one time The creamery depart
ment has been forced to work
double shifts, trying to keep up
with recent ice cream demands.
The storage room was built with
eight inches of cork insula
tion on all walls and the ceiling
and a three-inch concrete slab
over 10 inches of cork on the
floor. Ice cream will be entered
and removed from the sharp room
by conveyers.
The $75,000 creamery addition
will make the M. V. F. C. A.
Creamery the largest and most
modern plant in the Territory,
comparable to those in the States.
Construction has been done un
der the supervision of Ftrank
Clark of the Co-Op maintenance
department. Frank McKenzie has
supervised the refrigeration in
stallations and the installation of
three six by six Frick compres
sors. Walt Cooper has been work
ing with McKeznie on the in
stallations.
The modern addition to the Co
Op will be presented at a dedi
| cation sometime next week, Zieke
said. Army officials of Fort
I Richardson and Elmendorf Air
Force Base; business men from
Palmer and Anchorage Dairy re
presentatives and others, includ
ing transcription staff members of
! radio station KENI, will be in
attendance.
FIRE DANGER FORGES
FOREST CLOSURE
An area north of Knik River
j bridge has been closed by the Bu
■ reau of Land Management, divi
sion of forestry because of unus
ual danger from forest fires, it j
was announced yesterday by Rog- j
er R. Robinson, regional forester.:
The area is described as that
begnning at the north end of the
Knik River Bridge along the
Glenn Highway to the Matanuska
Valley Gardens. From there east
ward to the 2,000 foot contour ele
vation line and thence in a south
easterly direction to Friday Creek.
Also the area from Friday Creek
downstream to the Knik River
Bridge.
The unregulated use of the
areas was proclaimed unlawful by
Robinson. The area is closed to
all entry except those persons
lawfully residing or working in
the area. Those persons must re
frain from smoking while travel
ing in the area and effective spark
arresters must be put on all trac
tor equipment operated in the
area and on all chimneys of oc
cupied buildings in the area.
This closure will be in effect
Robinson announced until fur
ther notice or until September 30,
whichever date is the earlier.
BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBER
Mrs. Andrew H. Nerland of
Nome was recently appointed as
the Second Division member of
the Territorial Board of Health by
Governor B. Frank Heintzleman.
She was first appointed to the
Board on October 31, 1952. •
Legion Designates Palmer for '54
Convention: Dr. Sims Commander
KIRSCH NAMED AS
1953 FAIR MANAGER
Eugene Kirsch, member of the
Matanuska Valley Fair Associa
tion board has been named by
fellow members as manager of
the 1953 Valley Fair. His appoint
ment was announced at a regular
board meeting held June 29.
Also announced was the appli
cation to the Territory of Alas
ka for $2500 from territorial funds
voted at the recent legislature
for assistance to Alaska fairs. A
Fair program and premium book
was mailed to Governor B. Frank
Heintzleman along with a bank
certificate showing the local as
sociation has on hand a matching
sum of money.
Plan Fireworks
Nearly $450 worth of display
fireworks will be ordered, includ
ing several spectacular aerial
pieces. Board members are mak
ing final selections this week and
will send the order as soon as
completed. As an added attrac
tion this year, daytime aerial
bombs will be set off on all three
days of the Fair, September 5, 6,
and 7, building up to the climax
on the evening of September 7
when the evening display will be
set ffff.
Queen Contest
Although plans are being made
i for the annual Queen Contest,
rules and regulations have not yet
been completed. Final plans will
be completed at a future meeting
and the contest is expected to get
under way around the first of
August.
Willow Road Opens
Officially July 4
Heavy traffic is indicated over
the Fourth of July week end if
the good summer weather holds.
However, due to washouts and
cave-ins travel on some Alaska
highways will be limited.
Oliver Onkka, local ARC fore
man said this week the Willow
Road will be officially open to
traffic on July 4. The road has
been worked on and cleared its
entire length and is in “pretty
good condition,” he said. Although
the road was not officially open
this past week end, approximate
ly 100 vehicles were observed in
the area, some of which were
driven through to Willow.
Two washouts on the Glenn
Highway this week at mile 69 and
and 72 required a sizeable amount
of filling, although the road itself
was not damaged, Onkka said.
Elsewhere in the territory, the
Sterling highway, connecting the
Kenai Peninsula with Anchorage,
was completely impassable this
week, where water ranging in
depth from one foot to 40 inches
was cutting across the road in
spots. The Seward highway was
reported in good condition.
CO OP GETS TWO
NEW DISTRIBUTORSHIPS
The Co-Op Garage recently re
ceived Valley distributorship of
Rototillers. The first shipment
was made June 1 and is expected
in Palmer soon. Another new dis
tributorship is that of Fuller
paints that will be sold, along
with other paint brands, by the
Co-Op Waerhouse.
Palmer has been chosen as the
site of the 1954 Alaska Depart
! ment American Legion conven
i tion. Because Palmer is so well
located, members of the local Le
i gion post speculated this week
that it will mean hundreds of vis
itors for the Valley from all over
: the entire Territory. Palmer was
chosen by Legionnaires who were
COMMANDER FOSTER SIMS
Photo by Ray Adams
Wasilla lo Hesl
Hundreds Over Fourth
Fourth of July activities in the
Wasilla and Lake Lucille areas
are expected to draw large holi
day crowds over the coming
week-end.
Members of the Wasilla Post,
[ VFW have invited residents of
the entire valley to their annual
July 4 celebration to be held at
the ball pai’k in Wasilla. Free
ice cream and soda pop for the
youngsters, a baseball game be
; tween the “oldsters” and “youg
j sters” and a variety of races are
planned for many hours of fun.
In Anchorage the Jack Henry
i Post American Legion will spon
sor their annual Independence
Day parade. Navy Commander
Clarence E. Dickinson will act as
Grand Marshal. Many organiza
tions and business establishments
will have colorful floats entered
in the parade.
The Anchorage Shrine Club
drill team are sponsoring boat
races at Lake Lucille on Saturday
and on Saturday and Sunday will
have a carnival at the lake site.
Palmer Police Chief Bernard
Bouwens will be assisted in his
week-end duties by three special
police officers.
LEGION TO MOVE
TO NEW BUILDING
Members of the Matanuska Val
ley Post No. 15 American Legion
and Auxiliary will hold their last
regular meetings at Carpenters’
Hall tonight. Their next meetings
will be held July 16 in the Am
erican Legion building, formerly
occupied by the Bureau of Recla
mation.
Legion quarters will be estab
lished in the basement and office
space on the first floor will be
rented, Commander Richard Dem
ming said this week.
Regular Legion and Auxiliary
meetings are held the first and
second Thursdays of each month
at 8 p.m.
in attendance at the 1953 conven
tion held in Cordova last week.
Dr. Foster Sims, local dentist
and first vice-commander last
year of the Alaska Department,
was elected department com
mander. In addition to the vice
commander duties, Commander
Sims has been active in the Alas
ka Department in Child Welfare
work, completing his fourth year
as chairman of that committee
this year. During the meeting
Sims spoke before a large gath
ering at the Child Welfare lunch
eon. pointing out the work his
committee has done this past
year and the need for a continued
program.
Also elected to serve with
Commander Sims were Forbes
Baker, Fairbanks, first vice-com
mander; E. W. VanHorn of Sitka,
second vice-commander; Homer
L. Crowther of Ketchikan as chap
lain; Alfred L. Zenger, Juneau
service officer; Fred Johnson.
Cordova, sergeant-at-arms; Wil
liam Sanders, Anchorage, judge
advocate1 Dale Hirt, Petersburg,
historian; John Weisenberger,
Palmer and George F. Crisman,
Juneau, department executive
committee; John H. V'anHorn,
Sitka, national executive commit
tee and Perry S. McLain, Anch
orage, alternate national execu
tive committee.
J. C. Morris of Anchorage 'v&s
endorsed by convention L&giori%
naires as a nominee for National
first vice-commander of the west
ern division. If appointed, Morris
will be the first Alaskan to serve
on the National staff.
The convention went on record
for statehood for Alaska; develop
ment of the Copper River and
Haines-Skagway highways; dis
persal of military shipping; re
storation of the cost of living al
lowances ,cut from enlisted milit
ary personnel and other resolu
tions, bringing the total resolu
tions to twenty-five.
The city of Cordova and the
host American Legion post, enter
tained their visitors in their fam
ed hospitable manner. Starting
the convention with color, the
Cordova school band, resplendant
in brand new uniforms received
only the day before, headed a
parade held to greet Mrs. Rae
Ashton, Legion Auxiliary national
president. Drawing all eyes was
the little three-year-old assistant
drum majorette at the head of the
parade. The Matanuska Valley
Post No. 15 carried their colors
in the parade. Accompanying Mrs.
Ashton was Mrs. Cecilia Wentz,
natonal treasurer and National
Vice-Commander William Bour
don and his wife, of Arizona.
Department officers elected for
the Legion Auxiliary include Mrs.
Foster Sims of Palmer who will
serve as second vice-president;
Mrs. Forbes Baker of Fairbanks as
president; Mrs. William Smith of
(Continued on page 8)
SPECIAL COUNCIL
MEETING
A special meeting of the
Common Council will be held
tonight in the City Clerk’s of
fice at 7:30 p.m. for the pur
pose of discussing the agenda
planned for the regular meet
ing of the qpuncil scheduled
for June 30. This June 30 meet
ing was adjourned because
a quorum was not present.
Inder \w Management - SHAMROCK LOUNGE
HOURS - 10 A.M. TILL YOU LEAVE
PALMER, ALASKA
COME IN AND SEE US — TWO OF A KIND CLINT DeWITT — BILL ROBERTS