Vol. 1, No. 84
Palmer, Alaska, August 3, 1948
Ten Cents
Incorporation
Committee
Studies Laws
The Chamber of Commerce
committee appointed to study
the problem of incorporation for
Palmer began its work last Wed
nesday. The committee members
spent the session in a study of
laws governing incorporation,
and in an informal discussion
4 of Palmer’s problems, which will
arise under a regularly-estab
lished city government.
4fferritorial law requires that
there shall be 50 inhabitants
within the limits of an incor
porated city of the second-class,
and 400 within the limits of the
first-class city. Committee mem
bers were uncertain as to the
definition of inhabitants, being
puzzled as to whether it referred
to qualified voters only, or to
residents of all ages. Clarifica
uon oi mai poini win oe sougni.
before the next meeting.
It was pointed out that incor
poration under second-class laws '
is not so desirable, since the city
would be unable to obligate it
self for debts of more than one
year’s duration. It appears pro
bable that some long - term
method of financing will be
necessary to provide the water
and sewer systems needed by
a city.
Palmer’s inadequate water sys
tem was discussed, but commit
tee members agreed that no so
lution could be brought to light
until the group had obtained
some knowledge of the taxable ;
wealth of the proposed city.
Therefore the committee is j
meeting again this afternoon at j
3 o’clock to undertake an in- ;
formal evaluation of the pro
perty which will lie within the
limits of the proposed city. When
they have obtained that figure
they will have a better know
ledge of how to proceed with
plans for the city’s financing.
A study of the laws governing
incorporation revealed that a
poll tax can be assessed on all
males between the ages of 21
and 55 in a city of the first-class.
The maximum tax rate possible
to a municipal government is
20 mills.
PALMER HIGHWAY TO BE
SURFACED NEXT YEAR
As intimated by James P.
Davis, director of insular pos
sessions and territories, during
a recent visit here, plans are
now under way for hard sur
facing of the Palmer-Anchorage
■ Highway. Director Davis told a
representative group of Palmer
businessmen that he felt the plan
ned program of road surfacing
development to be inaugurated
•here would speed up the city’s
i expansion in the years just
ahead.
4 Last week M. C. Edmunds,
superintendent of the Alaska
Road Commission, announced
that material contracts for the
hard surfacing program would
be let in August. Money for the
project already has been alloca
..1.A1.. ■AO-,-*-*■-•
New Draft To Begin August 30th
Men born after Aug. 30, in
the year 1922, will be first to reg
ister for the new draft, it was
announced this week by John
L. McCormick, territorial direc
tor of Selective Service. Only
two local boards have been estab
lished in the Third Division—
one at Anchorage and one at
Kodiak. Valley men will regis
ter at Anchorage.
Dates for the registration of all
men between the ages of 18 and
25 have been announced. Every
man in this group is required
to register, even though he may
have registered before, or al
though he may have had pre
vious military service.
The complete dates for regis
tration for all men of draft age
are as follows:
Persons born after Aug. 30
in the year 1922 must register
on Monday. Aug. 30. 1948.
First Lettuce
Goes to Market
The first lettuce shipment of
the new crop was delivered last
week to L. V. Castner, agent for
Valley Producers, Inc., accord
ing to announcement from board
president Glen Woods. Mr.
Woods said several other ship
ments of early vegetables also
were dispatched to Colonel Cast
ner last week.
New lettuce first appeared on
the local market in limited sup
uly late last week.
MINERS SIGN CONTRACT
Although a new wage contract
has been negotiated for Jones
ville miners, resumption of coal
mining is still delayed. Renova
tion work in the mine is not yet
complete. Full-scale coal min
ing will not begin until this
work is finished. A number of
the miners have been employed
in this repair work, but the full
crew has not yet returned to
Jonesviile.
SUPERINTENDENT IS HERE
Francis Malcolm, superinten
dent of Palmer’s school, arrived
here late last Thursday evening.
He drove north from Salt Lake
City, after journeying across
country from Maine, where he
had been detained by business.
Terming the job a “highly
specialized” one, Mr. Edmunds
said present plans call for its
completion by private contrac
tors. Specifications call for a
22-foot strip of asphalt to be
laid on the highway from Pal
mer to Anchorage.
Immediate plans for highway
improvement are turned toward
the completion of the Eagle Riv
er bridge. Structural steel has
been unavailable for the 180
foot span, until recently. How
ever the material now has ar
rived in Anchorage, and it is
expected thal the Eagle River
bridge will be in use within the
next six weeks.
The opening of this bridge
will shave another half mile of
distance from the Palmer to An
Persons born in ihe year
1923 must register on Aug. 31
or Sept. 1, 1948.
Persons born in the year
1924 must register on Sept.
2 or Sept. 3. 1948.
Persons born in the year
1925 must register on Sept. 4
or Sept. 7, 1948.
Persons born in the year
1926 must register on Sept.
8 or Sept. 9, 1948.
Persons born in the year
1927 must register on Sept.
10 or Sept. 11, 1948.
Persons born in the year
1928 must register on Sept.
13 or Sept. 14, 1948.
Persons born in the year
1929 must register on Sept. 15
or Sept. 16, 1948.
Persons born before Sept.
19, 1930 must register on Sept.
17 or Sept. 18, 1948.
Persons born on or after
i 70 Are Expected
At Chamber Lunch
Tomorrow Noon
At least 70 members and visi
tors are expected to crowd into
the basement of the Lutheran
Church for tomorrow’s Cham
ber of Commerce luncheon, it
was reported today. According
to last reports from Anchorage,
30 members of that city’s Cham
ber of Commerce will be present.
Members of the Lutheran La
dies’ Aid, who will serve the
luncheon, have planned a menu
of Valley foods for the Anchor
age visitors. All products served,
including bread, milk and ice
cream, will be locally grown or
manufactured.
Following the noon luncheon,
President Bob Atwood of the
Anchorage Chamber is expected
to address the group. However
this had not been definitely con
firmed at press-time today.
After the luncheon, the An
chorage visitors will be taken on
a conducted tour of the Valley,
in order that they may get first
hand information on local farms
and business establishments.
Because of the number of
Anchorage visitors expected, it
is requested that Valley mem
bers do not bring other guests
to this luncheon. The anticipated
70 is top capacity for the lunch
eon tables at the church.
Negro Soldier Drowns
At Lake Wasilla
An 18-year-old Negro soldier
from Fort Richardson was drown
ed at Lake Wasilla on July 25.
The Army is withholding identi
fication of the man until next
of kin is notified.
The accident occurred just a
short distance from the shore and
in full view of many Sunday
merrymakers at the lake. The
soldier was swimming, not far
from several companions, when
he suddenly showed evidence of
distress. One of his fellow swim
mers attempted to aid him, but
the panic-striken man eluded his
rescuer and sank.
Help was tardy in arriving.
When the submerged body was
located in 12 feet of water, the
man had been immersed for al
most two hours. Marshal Bill
Sept. 19, 1930, must register
on their eighteenth birthday,
or within five days thereafter.
Mr. McCormick reiterated that
it is necessary for every man
in this age group to register
at this time.
Men of registration age, who
have had active duty in the
armed forces, must bring with
them the following information
when they appear for registra
tion:
Branch of armed forces, ser
vice serial number, date of entry,
name of last organization and
date of separation.
Any man who is a member of
any reserve force of the United
States, who is of registration
age, must have this information:
Branch of armed forces, ser
vice serial number, date of entry,
grade and organization.
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Heh, Heh, California
Chugiak — The Hollywood
Bowl offers nothing for dol
lars that Chugiak residents
aren't getting free these long
Alaskan evenings. Beginning
a week or so ago, Les Tetrow
inaugurated an open-air thea
tre for Chugiak-ites, at which
they can recline on sturdy
hand hewn benches and en
joy Buck Rogers, with mos
quitoes.
Mr. Tetrow's project is
strictly for the fun of it. al
though he will accept unso
licited contributions to help
allay the cost of his films.
Outdoor shows are held every
Saturday and Sunday even
ing at Chugiak's open air
bowl, just a short hill slope
away from the Chugiak Cof
fee Shop.
Come winter-time, Mr. Te
trow expects to abandon his
open-air theatre in favor of
the less roomy but warmer
auditorium of the Chugiak
Coffee Shop.
4-H CAMP OPENS
Four-H camp opened for a
four-day session at King’s Lake
late yesterday afternoon. At a
late hour Saturday afternoon, a
dozen 4-H’ers had signified their
intention of attending the camp.
The registration is expected to
reach between 25 and 30 young
sters by today. Home demon
stration agent Marilyn Johnson
and 4-H club leaders are helping
to direct the camp program of
recreation and handicraft.
’48 Rules Announced
For Wildfowl Hunting
Wildfowl hunting regulations
for 1948, announced last week,
have lengthened the coming sea
son for ducks and geese by four
days. The season opens a full
two weeks later, getting under
way on Sept. 15 this year. It
closes on Oct. 24.
Daily shooting hours also have
been increased. Hunters may
shoot from half an hour before
sunrise to an hour before sun
set. The season’s opening day
will afford a full day’s hunting,
in contrast to last year’s noon
opening._
Davis Takes
Findings
To Washington
Director James P. Davis of >
the division of insular posses
sions and territories has return
ed to Washington, D. C., with
findings obtained at a recent in
vestigation of farmer unrest in
the Matanuska Valley, it was
learned here this week.
While here, Mr. Davis talked
with committees representing the
Valley Producers, Inc., the Mata
nuska Valley Dairymen and with
individual farmers. He also dis
cussed farm problems with the
executive board of the Matanus
ka Valley Farmers Co-operating
Association.
The purpose of Mr. Davis’ visit
was to investigate rumors of dis
sension and strife among several
factions of Valley farmers, he
told Alaskan newsmen. Before
leaving Palmer, and after com
pleting his investigation, he ex
pressed the hope that it still was
not too late to reach an amicable
settlement of differences divid
ing Valley farmers.
However that settlement had
not been attempted when Mr.
Davis left for Washington early
last week. He expressed disap
pointment that no working plan
had been advanced which might
unite all Valley farmers.
He said his next step would
be to lay the findings of his in
vestigation before the administra
tor of the Farmer’s Home Admin
istration. Further developments
on the local problem will stem
from Washington, it was stated.
Director Davis intimated that
immediate action may be ex
pected.
Wimmers Are
In Auto Accident
A wire received in Palmer late
last week reported that the Har
ry Wimmer family, who have
been motoring through the states
on vacation, met with an accident
at Sayre, Okla. A heavy trailer
smashed into their car, causing
extensive damage.
The Wimmers were fortunate,
in that none of them were seri
ously injured. Mrs. Wimmer’s
mother, who was with thepi, was
hospitalized for a few hours, but
the rest of the family was unhurt.
for mallards. Most of the mal
lard flocks moved south last
year after the season closed.
Bag limits have been set up to
a daily limit of five ducks and
a possession limit of 10. Last
year’s regulations allowed a
four-duck daily limit and a pos
session limit of eight.
The daily bag and possession
limit for geese and brant (ex
cept Ross goose) five, in any com
bination, not exceeding two Can
adian honkers of subspecies,
white-fronted geese or brant,
and 15 coot; or not more than