Valley FRONTIERSMAN
Published each Tuesday and Friday
Palmer, Alaska
Entered as second class matter on Oct. 21, 1947 at the post office
at Palmer, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscription rates .75c month, $8 a year
Viola Daniels .Editor
Evon DeLand ..'..Advertising Manager, Palmer
No printed material in the Valley Frontiersman may be
reproduced except by permission of the editor.
Mailed to all points in Alaska and the United States
Daniels — In the Lion’s Den
Today your Matanuska Valley Fair for 1948 stands at the
crossroads. Your help in the next week or two can boost it tc
what is expected to be one of the most successful Valley fairs
That help withheld can let the coming fair collapse like a house
of cards. If that happens, it probably will place an end to all
Valley fairs. Last year’s event left much to be desired. Should
this year’s fair prove as weak, the Valley would do well to give
up its plans for an annual district fair.
A fair, to be successful, must have your attention and consid
eration throughout the long months of its planning and growth
No farmer expects to spread fertilizer in his garden a week before
harvest and then to reap a bumper crop. He knows that crop
takes care and nurture through all the growing season.
So it is with our fair. We cannot ignore it until time for il
to open, and then go, expecting to be entertained and enlightened
by the work of others. We’ve all got to put a little bit in to the fair,
in order to get something out.
The board of directors has done its part in preparing the way
‘for a good fair. Premiums have been enlarged and the list has
been adapted to Valley produce. Space will be adequate for all
displays this year. Competition has been invited from Anchorage
and the Railbelt area, and has been stimulated by the promise of
transportation for exhibits. This same promise of free transpor
tation has been extended to all Valley farmers.
0
But with all that preparation, your fair still can fail, if on
opening day there are no exhibits. And that’s a thing that the
fair board can’t control. They can fix the prizes, prepare the
space, provide the transportation and select the judges, but you
must bring the exhibits, or all those plans are useless.
Furthermore, you must be prepared to spend some time and
effort in helping to carry out your board’s plans. Your fair board,
elected by members of the Matanuska Valley Fair Association,
are your friends and neighbors. You elected them. And because
they are your friends and neighbors, they’re just as busy as you
are. Whenever you make an excuse for not doing some slight task
that would help put over your fair, just remember that every
board member might well make the same excuse. It is equally
applicable to him. A board member gets no more from the fair
than you do—he serves without pay, and often is made the target
for abuse and complaint, merely because of his position on that fair
board.
Board members themselves have expressed some dissatisfac
tion with regard to the progress of fair plans. Plans as outlined
earlier this year are excellent. However their carrying out has been
too slow. Board members realize that as well as you do, and
are making every effort to accelerate the fair work.
The printers’ walkout in the Times plant has delayed work on
the premium book. Other delays have been encountered, of which
the board members are fully aware. Ticket sales on the car are
not all that could be desired. Yet it’s not the responsibility of the
board to buy those tickets. Even so small an act as the purchase
of a ticket is a help to your board, for the fair is financed primar
ily by proceeds from those sales.
Within a week or two, fair superintendents will be called to
a special meeting to outline plans for their department. It is the
responsibility of every department head to have his plans in order
and to stand ready to accept the duties contingent with his posi
tion. A superintendent’s resignation, at this late date, can be se
rious. It is the duty of every appointed department head to serve,
if it is humanly possible for him to do so.
Assistants must be appointed, and assistants to assistants, as
time grows nearer the opening date. Perhaps much of the work
done will not receive its proper credit. But a visitor’s remark
that “it’s an interesting fair” should be all the credit needed by
any Valley resident.
We must remember that it’s not the board’s fair, not the man
ager’s fair, not even the farmer’s fair. It’s our fair, and we’ll get
from it just what we put into it. It’s not planned particularly for
the amusement of those of us who live in the Valley. It’s primarily
fer the entertainment of our guests. And for Sept. 4, 5 and 6, all of
us who live in the Valley should consider ourselves hosts, each of
us with the obligation and responsibility of a host.
A Hearty Lunch Is a Necessity on Those
Berry-Picking Excursions
We Have All of the Makings
HOT DOGS _ PICKLES AND RELISHES
&
Wide Selection of COLD CUTS
’
»: Your Choice of Several Varieties of Cheese
} LIVER COLD STORAGE A LOCKER SERVICE
J
Classified Ads
FOR SALE
STEEL GUITAR, elec.; automatic
oil heater; 60 tons barnyard
manure; all>metal jeep trailer.
Phone 23J31, Palmer.
DODGE Power Wagon; four
wheel drive w/winch. See Mel
Clements, Box 237, Anchorage
or inq. Anchorage Motors.
SILVER MUSKRAT coat, size
14; excellent condition; tuxedo
style. $300. See Mrs. R. A. Mor
rison, Wasilla.
ONE FARMALL Super A; one
11.1 cu. ft. International Har
vester Home Freezer; full line
Goodyear tires. Co-op Garage.
1940 FORD V-8 coach; A-l mech
chanical condition; motor re
cently overhauled; new brakes;
$950. Victor Carlson, Box 906,
Palmer.
SPARK oil heater, large; good
condition; reasonable. See
Everett Peterson at Shamrock
Bakery.
HOUSE LOGS; delivered or at
mill. Phone 50Y12 or write
Box 682, Palmer.
88-ACRE farm, 7 rm. house,
water, lights; 30 acres cleared;
4 Vi mil. north of Palmer. Inq.
David Bryant, Box 1848, Pal
mer.
HYDRAULIC LOADER units; fit
Ford-Ferguson and McCor
mick-Deering tractors. Hartley
Bros. Motors.
FOR RENT
CABINS; located opposite Hart
ley Bros. Garage. See A. H.
Marsh.
WANTED TO BUY
BABY PLAY PEN, buggy and
car seat. See Bill Hecker.
NOTICE
LESSONS IN PIANO
Accredited high school teacher;
students may receive credits.
Contact at Neal Wright’s.
MARY BAIRD SAOECKLE
NOTICE
GET THAT “New Look" in ap
pearance—drop in and see us
for good grooming.
KENNETH and DARYL MEEKS
VALLEY BARBER SHOP
INVITATION TO BID
Bids will be accepted for the
property formerly known as Val
ley Chapel, located on the Wa
silla Road 2 Vz blocks west of
Main Street, until noon, Aug. 14.
We reserve the right to reject
any or all bids. See George
Geiwitz to inspect property or
submit bid.
Published Aug. 3, Aug. 6, Aug.
10 and Aug. 13.
GI Is Sentenced
An eighteen-months’ jail sen
tence and a dishonorable dis
charge were meted out to the
Fort Richardson GI who recently
rampaged through a local room
ing house in the early hours of
the morning. The sentence is
subject to review. The soldier
had a commendable service rec
ord in the Italian campaign of
the recent war.
Mrs. Perkins Is Outside
The serious illness of her fa
ther called Mrs. Matt Perkins
Outside last weekend. It is not
known how soon she will return.
CLOSES PALMER OFFICE
Because of the press of busi
ness in Anchorage, Herman Ross
has abandoned his Palmer law
office. He can no longer be reach
ed here on Saturday morning.
However Valley residents who
wish to see Mr. Ross will find
him at his office in the Central
Bldg., in Anchorage.
BRYANT & CO.
BULLDOZING CARRYALL WORK
GENERAL LAND CLEARING
Write Box 1848
McCOOL’S BARBER SHOP
(In Rec Hall)
SPECIALIZING IN
HAIRCUTTING, SHAVING, SHAMPOOS AND MASSAGE
Weekday business hours from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday business hours from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The
Frontier Cafe
welcomes your patronage
DICK AND AGNES BROOKS, Proprietors
We’re now serving ice cream, too.
Also packed in bulk to take out.
TAKE YOUR CLEANING
to
BROWN'S SHOP
It will get the best possible care there.
When You Repair or Build Use W00DL1FE
Water Repellent Rot Proof
Keeps wood from swelling, shrinking,
checking, warping
Now On Display
CHAMPION Outboard Motors
RELIANCE Conversion Cookstove Burners
at
GRAHAM SERVICE
Machina Work
Gas
Welding
OU
Repair
enotce
You’ll meet your friends when you travel the Alaska
Line. Relax . . . enjoy the magnificent scenery and
comfortable accommodations as you sail “outside”
THE FINEST FOOD
Elegantly prepared and expertly served to com
pletely satisfy your fancy.
SAILINGS ARE FREQUENT
Sailings from Seward alternate Fridays. Next
sailing SS BARANOF Aug. 20, calling at Ju
neau, Ketchikan and Seattle.
Sailings from Seward alternate Thursdays.
Next sailing SS Aleutian Aug. 26, calling at
Valdez, Cordova, Juneau, Ketchikan and Se
attle.
All sailings subject to
change without
notice
ALASKA; STEAMSHIP
C O M P 1 N Y
Serwuuf ?4U
MAC’S PLUMBING AND HEATING SHOP
(Buement of Ward Building)
For Plumbing Supplies and Repairs
ALL WORK GUARANTEED
PHONE 33