The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
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VOLUME 6, NUMBER 35
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. MAY 21. 1953
PRICE TEN CENTS
Cave-in Kills Jonesville Miner
LITTLE LEAGUE PLAYERS
TO START PRACTICE TONIGHT
At seven o’clock this evening
Palmer Little Leaguers will hold
their first practice session on
the Little League Field, located
behind Farmer’s Market.
Bill Fogg, president of the Lit
tle League organization said this
week more than 880 boys have
signed up for play this season.
Of these boys, 48 will be selected
to form the four teams being
sponsored by organizations, indi
viduals and groups in the Palmer
area. The balance of the boys
will be organized for a minor
league, he said.
Practice nights are planned for
each Monday and Thursday night
with the first game of the season
expected to be played some time
next week. All Little League coa
ches are urged to be present at
practice sessions so that teams
may be formed immediately.
Backstops will be installed to
night on the land loaned by the
Co-Op that will be used as the
Little League playing field. All
parents and interested adults are
asked to be on hand to assist
in erecting the poles and back
stop materials tonight.
Fogg announced the finance
committee has been named with
Warren Rice, Mrs. Jack Larson
and Joe Curtis composing the
committee members or report at
the playing field and practice
night.
Health and APW
Officials Confer
With City Officials
Amos J. Alter, chief secretary
of sanitary and engineering from
Juneau; Lloyd A. Morley, sanitary
consultant, Anchorage and Cal
vin Wiley, Jr., regional sanitary
engineer also of Anchorage met
with Mayor Hagen, members of
the city council and the Matan
uska Valley Health Council May
20 io discuss health problems in
Palmer.
The Territorial health officials
were invited to sit with the coun
cil on existing problems and to
discuss the proposed city health
ordinance.
Alter told the group their de
partment assists in problems
whenever it is within their power
to do so. “However,” he pointed
out, “we have but $5,000 allocated
to services involving the inspec
tion of eating establishments
throughout the entire Territory,
over a period of two years.” He
said that limited funds prohibit
follow-up inspections on estab
lishments. In addition to eating
establishment inspections, our in
spections include that of mat
tresses, public waste disposal,
schools, bread, canned food, work
ing establishments using obnoxi
ous gases, barber and beauty
shops and many more, totaling
between 20 and 30 services. “We
do the best we can with what we
have,” he said.
Recommends Sanitarian
Alter suggested a full time
sanitarian for the area. His pro
posal included the suggestion that
outlying areas and units requir
ing periodical inspections be ap
proached to contribute toward
such a sanitarian. There are mat
ching territorial funds available,
if a reasonable plan can be evol
ved he said.
While in Palmer the officials
made two impromptu visits to
local eating establshments and
found several violations which
they were assured would be cor
rected immediately.
Also visiting Palmer were APW
officials who met with the group
following the health discussion.
APW Inspects Water System
Lester Marx, APW chief engin
eer from Washington, D. C. who
is in Aaska on a routine check
visit was accompanied by A1 Bo
berg. APW construction superin
tendent from Juneau and Ray
(Continued on page 8)
IAPW CALLS FOR
HIGH SCHOOL BIDS
Donald R. Wilson, district
APW director has issued a
call for bids for construction
of the new Palmer High
School.
Bids will be publicly open
ed and read on June 17 at
at 10 a.m. in the Juneau of
fice. All bids must be accom
panied by a satisfactory bid
security in an amount of not
less than five percent of the
total bid, in dollars and cents.
Merchants Feature
Summer Styles in
BSP Fashion Show
Several members of Theta chap
ter, Beta Sigma Phi and two of
this year’s girl graduates will
model the more than 40 dresses,
suits, skirts, bouses and ensembles
planned for presentation at the
sororty’s Fashion Show to be
held in Grange Hall next Wednes
day evening, May 27 at 8 p.m.
Marylow Rideout will be com
mentator for the showings.
New summer fashions, featured
in Charm, Glamour and other
national magazines, will be shown
by local merchants, , including
Kimball's, Betty’, Koslosky’s and
the Trading Post. In addition,
Mrs. Lorraine Harrison of the Hat
Shop in Anchorage, will bring
several hat numbers to Palmer
for showing and will feature a
wedding ensemble, including two
pastels and one traditional white
number. Mrs. Michael Oczkus will
accompany Mrs. Harrison and
present vocal selections. Miss Do
lores Mattila of Palmer will ac
company Mrs. Oczkus and the
style presentations with piano
selections.
Lou Galt, of the Beauty Bar,
will present a new summer hair
fashion.
Clara Kopperud is chairman of
the style show, assisted by Char
lene Kincaid and Mary Lou Johns.
Gladyce Jones will be in charge
of evening coffee, and Marive
Laird, in charge of transportation.
Mrs. Amy Irwin will be official
hostess for the show and evening
coffee which will be served fol
lowing the program.
Models who will participate are
Helen Crites, Mary Lou Johns,
Dorothy Saxton, Mary Estep, Nor
ma Richie, Bernice Kuoppola,
Rivera Hiber, Eloise Smith, Bon
nie Bettine, Mary Ann Mears, and
Charlotte Barry.
Admission will be 75 cents,
with proceeds to go toward the
sorority’s service fund. The pub
ice is invited to attend. Tickets
are on sale at Kimballs, Bettys’,
Koslosky’s, the Trading Post, and
from members of Beta Sigma Phi.
THREE INJURED IN
CAR ACCIDENT MAY 16
Three persons were injured and
a 1951 Pontiac sedan was dam
aged to the extent of $1500 on
May 16, when the vehicle left
the road, landing in about three
feet of water.
The accident occured on the
Glenn Highway, just this side
of King’s cement pant. Driver,
of the vehicle, Isaac W. Jennings
of Anchorage complained of back
injuries, as did passenger Robert
C. Tycon of Fort Richardson. Bet
ty Riggin, Anchorage, received a
laceration on the back of one
leg. Highway Patrol officials said
all victims were suffering from
shock. They were brought to the
Valley Hospital by passer-bys
Terry Brunner and Clyde King,
Jr. Miss Riggin was later removed
to Providence Hospital in An
chorage.
The speed of the vehicle at the
time of the accident was estimat
ed by the Highway Patrol to
to have been between 70 and 80
Mayor Alfred V. Hagen is pictured above making the
first purchase of the American Legion poppies that will be on
sale in Palmer Saturday, May 23. Pictured with the Mayor are
Mrs. Izola Sims, Poppy Day chairman and Mary-Linda Steel
man and Mary Weisenbarger. junior member of the local
American Legion Auxiliary.
POPPY DAY PROCLAIMED
BY MAYOR ALFRED V. HAGEN
Poppy Day will be observe d throughout the Palmer
area Saturday, May 23. Today Mayor Alfred V. Hagen
issued the following proclamation, asking participation of
all persons in the Valley:
“Whereas there is no heart in Alaska that doesn't feel
a surge of pride and appreciation for the men who fought
that America might remain free, and
“Whereas to them we all owe a great debt for their
magnificent job of preserving the America we know and
love, and
‘Whereas ^he bright red of the poppy in your lapel is
the symbol of your reverent memory of the boys who
fought and are still fighting, now
"Therefore, I, Alfred V. Hagen, Mayor of the City of
Palmer, do hereby proclaim Saturday, May 23 to be Poppy
Day in the City of Palmer, Alaska, and I urge all citizens
to observe the day by wearing the memorial poppy."
FATE OF TELEPHONE
SYSTEM TO BE
DETERMINED BY CITY
Members of the telephone com
mittee and Mayor Hagen will
hold a discussion meeting Satur
day afternoon at 2 p.m. in the
office of the City Clerk to deter
mine what definite action is to
be taken concerning the present
telephone system. Decisions to be
made concern telephone poles,
switch board, new wire and other
phases that will determine a defi
nite planned program. The pres
ent system has operated in the
red the past several months. Re
habilitation of the system is an
absolute necessity, Councilman
Felzien pointed out, if the city is
to continue its operation. If not,
he suggested, we should drop it
... it is just costing the city a lot
of money, he said. Definite recom
mendations are to be reported, at
the next regular meeting, it was
announced.
All persons with telephone
working knowledge are asked to
attend the meeting Saturday
afternoon and offer suggestions.
The resignation of Melvin Hau
gan from the city telephone de
partment was read and accepted.
The resignation took effect May
15.
Palmer Youth Named
Most Valued Student
Robert Hartman, valedictorian
of the Palmer High School 1953
graduating class was named to
receive the Territorial Elks most
valuable-student award at Com
mencement exercises held in the
school auditorium May 15.
A total sum of $600 will be
given to Hartman upon proof of
enrollment in college, it was an
nounced. Of this sum, $400 comes
from the Elks Grand Lodge; $100
from the Territorial Elks Associa
tion and $100 from the local Elks
lodge. The awards were made by
Richard B. Smith, secretary of
(Continued on page 8)
CO OP COMPLETES
TRIAL MILK RUN
TO FAIRBANKS AREA
The creamery department of
the Matanuska Valley Farmers
Cooperating Association has just
completed a three-day trial milk
run in conjunction with the U. S.
Army, from Palmer to Big Delta,
Eielson AFB and Ladd AFB in
the Fairbanks area.
Averaging seven and one half
ton of recombined milk per day,
the runs were completed by re
frigerated Alaska Freight Line
trucks. The Army is handling
transportation arrangements.
The milk, packaged in half-pint
and quart containers, is the same
type recombined milk now being
sold to Fort Richardson. The con
tinuation of this new market is
continguent upon the ultimate ac
ceptance by the armed forces in
those areas, Fred Zieke, Co-Op
general manager said this week.
Reports coming back from Fair
banks announced the first ship
ment arrived in very satisfactory
condition. Clayton Esslinger of
the Co-Op office and creamery
manager Keith Walker are in
Fairbanks this week checking
shipments. Sergeant Arnold Link
is representing the army in the
local creamery, inspecting the
milk prior to shipment.
If found acceptable by the
army, Zieke said production
would probably be doubled.
FOREST FIRE DESTROYS
600 ACRES IN
BUFFALO MINE AREA
A. 600-acre forest fire in the
Buffalo Coal Mine area was
brought under control around 3
p.m. Sunday afternoon, with mop
ping up work completed on Tues
day, John Bowers of the Division
of Forestry, Bureau of Land Man
agement said this week.
The fire apparently was started
from a coal vein that has been
burning in that area for the past
several years. Thirty men and
two dozers were required to con
trol the blaze, he said.
(Continued on page 8)
Final Work Being
Completed on Rural
Telephone Application
Applications for rural tele
Dhones in the Matanuska Valley
have been coming in rapidly the
past week, Lew Hanks announced
this week, and work is expected
to be wound up this week, he ad
ded.
Volunteer help in the MEA of
fice are completing a map. All
persons interested in acquiring
membership in the association are
urged to get their applications for
a telephone in to the committee
or MEA office by this week.
Hanks said that committee
members and volunteer workers
have tried to make personal con
tacts whenever possible but that
anyone who was not contacted
during the campaign who wishes
a phone to sign up now to be in
cluded on the list of applications
to be sent to Washington as soon
as final preparations are complet
ed.
The application for a RTA loan
must be in Washington before
July 1, Hanks said. A specific
amount of money will be asked
for, dependant upon the number
of applications going in. They will
seek some additional funds for
future users, he said.
PUBLIC INVITED TO
HEAR YOUTH LEADER
Mary Zughaib, Dean of Women
at the Univerity of Alaska, will
speak at two meetings scheduled
for next week in Palmer.
The first meeting, Monday
I night, will be held at the United
| Protestant Church and is open to
j all leaders of youth groups
j throughout the Valley. The meet
ing will begin at 7:30 p.m.
The second meeting, to be held
the following night in the Exten
sion Craft room, is open to all
! 4-H leaders, who are urged to be
j present.
Syrian-born Miss Zughaib has
j had experience working with
young people abroad and in the
states. At these meetings, she will
discuss with leaders some of the
techniques and problems of get
ting along with and guiding
young people. Attendance is open
to all people interested in youth
work.
Miss Zughaib was born in Da
mascus, Syria and attended
French, British and American
schools, receiving her bachelor
and master of arts degrees from
Syracuse University. Her major
work was in psychology and
social sciences. While in college
she worked in the student per
sonnel department of the Dean
of Women’s office. She also
worked with the Y. W. C. A. in
Syracuse and was teenage pro
gram director in New Bedford,
Massachusetts.
These meetings are sponsored
by the University of Alaska Ex
tension Service.
BLAZE CONFINED;
LITTLE DAMAGE DONE
IN WARD BLDG. FIRE
Members of the city volunteer
fire department prevented what
could have been a disastrous fire
Friday evening when debris piled
in the back of the Steve Ward
building was ignited from sparks
falling from the building chimney.
Called out around 11:30 p.m.,
firemen had water playing on
the blaze in but a few minutes
time. A wooden stand upon which
a large oil drum was stored was
afire, as was rubbish piled be
neath and around the stand.
City officials joined Fire Chief
Lancaster this week in urging all
businesses and home dwellers to
provide proper and ample refuse
cans for rubbish storage and urg
ed that chimneys be kept free of
soot.
ANOTHER MINER
INJURED AS
MINE ROOF FALLS
A Mine cave-in at the Evan
Jones coal mine at Jonesville
snuffed out the life of 46 year
old Herbert A. Pierce at 1:15
p.m. today. His companion Wil
liam Shesser, 27, was injured and
removed to Valley Presbyterian
Hospital for treatment. His in
juries as near as can be ascertain
ed are not too serious.
Both men were dug out from
under tons of coal which crashed
from the ceiling of the tunnel in
which they were working.
Pierce is survived by a daugh
ter residing in Kentucky and a
son who is employed at the Evan
Jones mine.
ASKS FOR SCHOOL
IN SUTTON AREA
Mrs. Rodney Johnson and Mrs.
A1 Matheson of Sutton approach
ed the Palmer school board at a
recent meeting to present infor
mation on school children in the
Sutton area and request, if pos
sibe, the establishment of a school
in that area.
William B. Zahradnicek, super
intendent of schools, said this
week the board announced they
looked with favor upon establish
1 ing a school near any possible
center of population but they felt
the Sutton proposal would re
quire more detailed study. A
member of the school board will
be appointed to study the request
and work on the problem with
members of the Sutton group.
Zahradnicek pointed out to the
Sutton representatives that the
board is now in the midst of a
construction program. Although
five acres of land have been of
fered free of charge for a school
site, the proposal to reconvert
an existing building into a school
would involve a certain amount
of money, plus figured overhead
for janitor service, heating and
lighting.
The Sutton representatives
were assured the board would
work with them in any way pos
sible.
MATHEWS TELLS OF
RUBBISH PROBLEM
A discussion on the present
system of rubbish collections
within the city and the recently
proposed new system, were
brought about by the appearance
May 19 of A Mathews at the
regular city council meeting held
on that date. Mathews conducts
a collection business within the
city at the present time and of
fered several suggestions to the
council as to how the city can
benefit, from a health standpoint,
by these suggestions.
Mathews said he feels the city
is too small at the present time
to go into the type collection sys
tem proposed last week by W. E.
Cook. He reported he had investi
gated charges being made in An
chorage for such a system and
found some business establish
ments are paying as high as $80
per month for collections. Apart
nent dwellers are paying $5 for
the first can and $3 each addition
al can per month.
To improve the present system,
it was suggested that business
houses and dwellings obtain ad
ditional refuse cans, covered and
on stands; more frequent collec
tions in business sections and that
standard size rubbish cans be
used. An appropriate sign will
be erected at the city-owned
dump prohibiting the dumping of
garbage, animals and the like,
to the public-at-large. Because of
consistant violations at the dump,
it was decided that all future vio
lators will be prosecuted by the
city.