ALASKA !!l STCR I - • L
30X 2051
J U i E A U A L
The frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
7
o' ; » i
CHARTER ELECTION
TUESDAY, JUNE 5
Central School Gymnasium
Polls open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
VOLUME 14, NUMBER 36
PALMER. ALASKA, THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1962
EIGHT PAGES
PRICE 15 CENTS
Voters To Pass On City Government Change
Palmer Youth Killed
In Car-Cycle Crash
Rex Kent Whitt, 15-year-old
Palmer youth, was killed Mon
day evening. May 28, when
his motorcycle collided with a
car driven by Ronald Rebar
chek, 27, also of Palmer. The
fatal accident occurred about
two miles south of Palmer on
the Matanuska Road when the
WILLIAM COMBS
WINS AMU AWARD
The first Annual Beethoven
Awards in music have been
made to David Newton, 17, the
son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles
A. Newton, 1542 E. 26th, An
chorage, and to William Combs,
17, son of Mr. and Mrs. Aaron
E. Combs of Wasilla.
The first award of $850 tui
tion gram was made to David
Newton, in voice, and the sec
ond awr.jrd of $500 was made
to William Combs, in instru
mental music. To qualify for
the awards, students must be
of Junior or Senior standing in
their respective high schools,
meet all of the University’s
academic requirements for ad
mission and demonstrate su
perior abiilty in music.
William Combs, a gradua
ting senior from Palmer
High School, studied with
Ray Holtz of Wasilla, and
for the past four years with
Lee Plumbley of the Palmer
High School.
He has been very active in
all musical activities involv
ing the Palmer band. He is a
member of the National Honor
Society and has received
awards from Future Farmers of
America and the National
Mathematic and Actuary Con
test.
Students throughout Alaska,
as well as the Anchorage area,
auditioned for the Beethoven
Awards at the University on
May 12. The auditions and
award program are under the
direction of Dr. Murray North,
associate professor of music at
the University.
COLONY ARRIVED
27 YEARS AGO
Twenty-seven years ago a
new chapter in Alaska’s history
began with the arrival of the
Matanuska Valley colonists.
Records show that the
Minnesota contingent arrived
on May 10, 1935, with the
Michigan and Wisconsin
groups arriving on May 28—
a total of 200 families.
With communication and
supply lines much less efficient
than they are today, the group
settlement faced numerous
problems complicated by raw
living conditions.
A quick tally shows that 63
families of the group are still
in the valley or living nearby,
and that 21 are still on valley
farms.
boy’s motorcycle struck the
rear door of Rebarchek’s veh
icle, which was making a nor
mal left turn.
Gordon Smart of Palmer,
a passenger on the cycle who
suffered a fractured leg is in
satisfactory condition at Val
ley Presbyterian Hospital.
Rebarchek was not injured.
Funeral arrangements are
being made by the Anchorage
Funeral Chapel, with services
to be held at the Elks home in
Palmer on Friday, June 1, at 3
p.m. Rev. Paul Moyer will
officiate. Burial will be in the
Moose plot at the Palmer ceme
tery. A private visitation was
held this afternoon at the An
chorage Funeral Chapel.
Active pallbearers will be
Pat Smith. Jackie Snodgrass,
Wayne Lacher, Henry Corbin,
Martin Buzby, and John Smart,
all schoolmates of the deceased.
Honorary pallbearers are A1
Chance, Jim and Duke Harris,
Emil Stadler, Elton Aarestad,
and Fred Seeley.
Born June 2, 1946. in Gunni
son, Colorado, the young man
is survived by his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. James H. Whitt; five
sisters, Mrs. Dennis (Delores)
Hamann, and Leslie June, Toni
Marie, Carol Sue, and Terry
Kay at home; and two broth
ers, James, Jr. and Dickie Lee.
Operetta Features
Local Couple
Thelma and Jack Riley, well
known in local music circles,
will be featured in the Anchor
age Civic Opera production,
“The Vagabond King,” to be
presented in Anchorage at Ro
mig Hill Auditorium on June 4.
5, and 6, at 8:15 p.m.
Mrs. Riley will play the part
of Huguette, the second female
lead, while her husband will
play Thibaut, a speaking role.
Mrs. Wesley Burton (Marita
Farell) is directing the oper
etta. The Anchorage Commun
ity College is assisting in pro
duction.
No reservations are being
made, but if sufficient interest
is shown, a block of seats will
be reserved for Palmerites
Mrs. Riley said. She suggested
Monday, June 4, as the pro
bable best bet, since many local
people will be busy with mel
ler-drama rehearsals later in
the week.
Tickets may be obtained
from Mrs. Riley. The price is
$2.50 for adults and $1.25 for
students.
AUTOMOBILE LICENSE
DEADLINE TODAY
Today, May 31 is the final
date for renewal of Alaska
automobile licenses, the off
ice of the district magistrate
has announced. State and
city police officers will be
gin to issue citations for
expired licenses on June 1,
the announcement stated.
POST OFFICE
ADVERTISES
STAR ROUTE BIDS
Two requests for bids for
mail service routes are now
being advertised. Post Office
Department officials announ
ced this week.
The first is fcr terhporary
star route service between
Palmer, Alaska, and Valdez,
Alaska. The contractor would
make pest office stops at Sul- j
ton, Glennallen, junction of
Glenn and Richardson High- I
ways, Gakdna, Copper Con- '
ter, and Valdez. Box deliv- j
ery and collection service is
required except for the por
tion of the route between
Palmer and Sutton.
The schedule calls for out
bound (to Valdez) trips on
Monday, Wednesday, and Fri
day, with inbound (to Palmer)
trips on Tuesday. Thursday,
and Saturday.
Bidders are cautioned to
study carefully the require
ments on this route. Postal
officials note that there are
more than 40 boxes to serve be
tween Palmer and Glennallen
and more may be added; also
a number of boxes between
Copper Center and Valdez.
Bidders should plan for the van
body of the vehicle to be as
narrow as possible so boxes
may be served without alight
ing from the vehicle except
when necessary to deliver par
cels.
Service will commence pn
July 1. 1962-. This is a tempor
ary route and cannot operate
in excess of one year, the
Post Office Department states.
Contract is not subject to re- j
newal.
Bids should be mailed fo
Director, Transportation Di
vision, POD. P.O. Box 3867,
Seattle. Washington, and
must be in that office by
June 8, 1962.
The second bid advertise
ment is for star route service
between Anchorage and Pal
mer and Eska, Alaska. The
schedule operates daily, with
the exception of Sundays and
holidays. Bids should be mail
ed to Director, Transportation
Division, P.O. Boi 3867, Seat
tle 24, Washington, and will be
received until 4 p.m., June 15,
1962.
Bible Schoil
Opens Juni 4
The vacation bible school at
the First Baptist Church of
Palmer will opea Monday for
children three tc sixteen years
of age. Rev. C, S. McConnell
announced this week.
Classes will be held daily
from 9 a.m. until 12 noon, June
4 through 15, ind will close
with the all-sihool picnic on
Friday, June 15, and the com
mencement exjrcises that eve
ning at 7:30. j
Children dokot have to en
roll in order tj( attend classes,
and all boys aj
come, the past
Further infd
obtained by pi
girls are wel
said.
lation may be
ining PI 5-3363.
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, this year marks the 100th anniversary of
the existence of the Department of Agriculture and the
creation of the Land Grant College system: and
WHEREAS, the National Grange, representative or
ganization for a large segmetit of our farm population, has
during the 94 years of its existence maintained a continued
and virgorous interest in the principles represented by
the Agricultural Department and the Land Grant College
system:
NOW7 THEREFORE. I WILLIAM A. EGAN, because of
the close relationship between the National Grange and
the dual centennial referred to above, deem it appropriate
that the period of June 4 through June 10 be observed as
GRANGE WEEK IN ALASKA
inasmuch as June 10 will mark the transfer by the National
Grange of the farm and homestead of O. H. Kelly, founder
of the Grange, near Elk River, Minnesota, to the State of
Minnesota in recognition of organized agriculture’s contri
bution to the American Heritage.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF. I have hereunto set my hand
and caused the Seal of Alaska to be affixed, this twenty
fifth day of May, in the year of Our Lord nineteen hundred
and sixty two.
/s/ WILLIAM A. EGAN. Governor
ATTEST: /s/ Hugh J. Wade, Secretary of State
GRADUATES RECEIVE RECOGNITION
FOR SCHOLARSHIP, LEADERSHIP
Blue-capped and gowned
seniors — 53 of them — were
graduated from the Palmer
High School in commencement
exercises held on May 25 in
the Central School Auditorium.
Awards were presented by
William T. Zahradnicek. super
intendent of the Palmer
Schools.
Grace Hurt and Michael
Steiger, valedictorian and
salutatcrian, were awarded
pins and certificates in rec
ognition of superior scholar
ship, and the book, "I Dare
You," a gift of the Danforth
Foundation. Michael was al
so recipient of the Hender
son Estate scholarship to the
University of Alaska, $400 to
be applied on first year ex
penses.
The PTA Citizenship awards
of $25 each went to Mary
Guild Production
Will Include
Variety Show
An old-fashioned variety
show will round out the eve
ning of entertainment being
offered by the Valley Theatre!
Guild's production of the mel
ler-drama, “True Blue and}
Trusted," the staff reports.
Heading the olio (dictionary!
definition: hodgepodge, mix-:
ture or medley) will be Lee j
Plumbley as master of cere
monies. Included in the fast-1
paced show will be Muriel
Wattum, Kitty Johnson, Jack
Riley, Barbara Hamilton, &nd a
line of peppy dancing girls.
Rose Evans will lead the danc
ers, who are Glayds Hayes,
Midge Melendy, and Virginia
Dodge. Dick Baker is the ac
companist for the variety show,
and also plays the background
music for the meller-drama.
Performances are scheduled
for June 8 and 9 at the Elks
hall. Doors will open at 7:30,
with a cocktail party preced
ing production.
Bia Lake Tracts Go On Sale
Sixty-six small tracts des
cribed as lying in a popular
recreation area in the Big Lake
Mud Lake-Flat Lake vicinity
in the Matanuska Valley will
be put up for public sale in
fuarly June, according to a
public land order appearing in
this week’s Federal Register.
Copies of the land order
are available at the Fron
tiersman office which des
cribe the tracts, outline the
prescribed method of bidding,
and which give legal des
cription, acreage, and ap
praised price of each tract.
A map of the area is also in
cluded.
The tracts, which range in
size from .86 of an acre to 6.58
acres, will be sold on June 2 at
the Central School gymnasium
at Palmer beginning at 1 p ni.
If all of the tracts are not sold
on that day, the sale will be
resumed at 11 a.m. on Friday,
June 8, in the Anchorage Land
Office on the third floor of
thf Cordova building, with
continued sales on succeeding
Fridays until all tracts are sold
or until the sale is otherwise
terminated.
The east end of Big Lake is
described in the order as being
accessible by paved highway
and about 15 miles west of Wa
silla, 25 miles west of Palmer,
and 75 miles northeast of An
chorage. Only two of the tracts
are accessible by road, the
others being reached only by
boat or float plane.
"The chain&f lakes," the
order staled^ "is a popular
recreation a|ia with aprox
imately 500 pottages located
along the la fe shores. The
cottages are heavily used
during sunder weekends
and the lakefc which are in
terconnected are favorites
for boating, water skiing,
swimming ai ( fishing."
Electricity ! 6d telephone fa
cilities are a' tilable on the
east end of B | Lake. No pub
lic utilities a { as yet avail
able elsewher i0n the lakes.
Bids may b< hade personally
at the sale or ky mail. Bids
sent by mail 01 be consider
ed at a sale si (ion only if re
ceived at the anchorage Land
Office prior t|| p.m. Df the
day preceding the particular
sale session. Bids will not be
accepted for less than the ap
praised value of the tract.
Persons who have prev
iously acquired a tract un
der the Small Tract Act are
not qualified to purchase a
tract, according to the order.
Desirability of these tracts
varies greatly, the order statts,
some being excellent through
out, while others contain wet,
steep, inaccessible, or other
undesirable characterist.
ics. Prospective bidders are
cautioned to carefully inspect
the tract before offering to
buy, as all sales are final.
Inquiries should be address
ed to the Manager, Anchorage
Land Office, Cordova Building.
Johnson and Don Wilkerson.
Dan Beal received the
MVFCA scholarship of S500
toward first year expenses at
the University of Alaska.
Linda Cope was awarded the
Rural Rehabilitation scholar
ship (also known as the Cuddy
Memorial), $500 toward first
year expenses at the University
of Alaska.
The Alumni Scholarship of
$150 to the University of Alas
ka was given to Pat Eppler.
Cheri Draze was awarded a
pin for having received t h e
highest grade among Palmer
students in the Betty Crocker
Homemaker of Tomorrow con
test. Cheri also won the Elks
Leadership award of $25.
Fred Barnes, who has been
accepted as a cadet to the
(Military Academy at West
Point, also won the Sears Roe
buck Foundation scholarship
to the University of Alaska.
Four of these $300 scholarships
are granted annually to senior
men in Alaska high schools by
the Foundation. Fred was also
the recipient of the Elks Lead
ership award.
Bill Combs received the
State Room Scholarship to the
University of Alaska, also the
Henderson Estate Scholarship
in the amount of $4U0.
Cheryl Leek was this week
awarded a scholarship to Max- j
ine's Beauty College in An- i
chorage.
ARC Prepares
Development Plan
At a meeting held Tuesday
evening at the American Le
gion hall in Palmer, the Area !
Redevelopment Committee re- i
viewed the overall economic I
development plan which is be
ing prepared for submission to
the state committee.
Tom Bichsel, area coordina
tor of the Area Redevelopment
Administration, attended the
meeting to explain details of
the program and to answer
questions.
The preliminary plan, pre
pared by the executive commit
tee headed by Mason LaZelle.
was reviewed and approved
with minor amendments.
After approval at the state
level, a year is given for the
detailed plan to be drafted,
during which time certain
technical assistance c a n be
made available to the group,
Bichsel said.
He pointed out that the pre- !
liminary plan can be expanded
and amended within the year,
but that no action is possible
without the preliminary step.
The overall plan includes
sections on agriculture, miner
als, forestry, tourism and pow
er development.
A brief history and summary
of the present status of the
area preceded the proposed
developments. Most of the
proposals indicated a need for
further study before becoming
final, a spokesman for the
group said.
Charter Recommends
City Manager Form
Voting citizens of the Citv of
Palmer will decide at the
polls on Tuesday, June 5, whe
ther or not to accept the pro
posed home rule charter as
presented by the Palmer Char
ter Commission. The polling
place will be Central School
gymnasium, with voting hours
between 8 a m. and 8 p.m.
The proposed charter was
assembled by an elected
commission, members of
which are Ralph Moore,
chairman, E. J. Blom, Ber
tram Duff, Haleen Ingalls,
Jack Maze, Olga Rieger, Mar
vin Slaughter, Loyd Walts
and Charles Wilson.
Copies were mailed to Pal
mer voters on April 25, and i
public hearing wa: called or
May 2 to consider any correc
tions or changes in the char
ter. Members of the com
mission expressed keen disap
pointment at the lack of inter
est shown, as only four cit:
residents attended the meet
ing.
City Manager
The charter, if accepted
would provide for a council
manager form of governmenl
Elective officers of the cit
would be the mayor and si
councilmen. Appointive offi
cers would be the city mans
ger, city clerk, and city attorn
ey.
The manager would super
I vise and coordinate the wor
' of the administrative officer
and departments of the city
. except that of the city clerl
and city attorney. He woulc
| prepare and recommend to th<
council the annual budget pro
posals of the city. He woulc
enforce the code (system ol
laws), and administer all city
contracts. He would employ or
be responsible for the em
ployment of all city employees
and would supervise and coor
dinate the personnel policies
and practices of the city. He
would be the chief administra
tor of the council, and would
be accountable to the council.
Advantages ot Council
Manager Form
Members of the commission
have pointed out that the city
of Palmer conducts a $250,000
business, and as such needs
competent, unified manage
ment which cannot be achiev
ed by a group of part-time
committees.
The opinion was expressed
at the charter hearing that the
city manager usually more
than pays for his salary
through the savings he effects
in municipal management.
In the words of another
citizen, the city employees
at present have seven part
time bosses; under the city
manager system, there is
one. and his job depends on
satisfactory performance as
an administrator. It was also
brought out that in smaller
cities like Palmer the man
ager often wears two hats. In
GARDEN CLUB
MEETS MONDAY
The Garden Club will hold
its regular meeting on Monday
at 8 p.m. in the crafts room at
the Extension Office.
addition to city manager, he
could be a combination man
ager-city clerk, or city engi
neer, etc.
Limitations of Powers
The proposed charter would"
grant voters of the city the
| power of initiative, referen
dum. and recall. Boundaries
are set for the administrators
through limitations of borrow
ing power (Chapter XI, Section
11.2) and limitations on the
granting of franchises (Chapter
II. Section 12.1).
Overlapping of city powers
and state or borough govern
ment powers is avoided
through action by the state
legislature, which, in the words
| of Lucy Mick, former secretary
■ of the League of Alaskan Ci
! ties, “when it wishes to pre
empt certain powers for the
state alone, specifically pro
j hibits local governments from
. exercising them. Thus, a 19611
law prohibits local govern
I ments from levying income
taxes. Again, the borough law
■ prohibits cities within an or
• ganized borough from exercis
" ing ‘the mandatory and ex
clusive powers of the borough’
' —assessment and collection of
c 1 taxes, operating schools within
' i the borough, and planning and
" I zoning.”
Home rule cities, however,
may deal with any matter
’ which reasonably may be
found in local government.
Voters who have not already
. done so are urged by the—
i members of the commission to
, | read the charter carefully be
| fore going to the polls.
—
FARMERS TO GET
ASSISTANCE
IN RESEEDING
Assurance has been received
from Undersecretary Burns of
the United States Department
1 of Agriculture that funds will
be available for emergency
seeding of winter-killed brome
grass in the Matanuska Valley
area, according to John D.
Nash. County ASCS manager.
Nash said that the local
ASCS office in the American
Legion Building is now accept
ing applications for assistance
in reseeding, and that farmers
planning to take advantage of'
the program are urged to come
in as soon as possible, so that
a complete evaluation of needs
may be made.
The situation looks more
hopeful after the rains early in
the week followed by two days
of sunshine, the ASCS manager
said with many fields again
showing some life. Total kill is
now estimated at 40 percent, u
considerable downward revi
sion of the original estimate of
75 percent. 1500 to 2500 acres
may be reseeded, Nash said.
The local ASCS Committee
has requested that farmers be
allowed to make replantings on
alternate plots because of the
difficulty in working up the
winter-killed fields, and has re
ceived assurance from the state
committee that this can be
i done, the manager added.
Grand Opening
TEE PEE BAH,
CAFE and MOTEL
7 Miles Out North Kenai Rd.
KENAI, ALASKA
Free Smorgasbord and Beverages
Saturday, June 2, 9 to 10 p.m.
Bill and Neva Roark, Owners
Bob McAllister, Bartender