.Valley FRONTIERSMAN
Published each Tuesday and Friday
Palmer, Alaska
Entered aa 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
Palmer is about to take another step forward in its progress
toward stardom in Alaska’s civic heavens. Information reaching
here this week that a considerable amount of money is now
available, with more to be drawn on at the beginning of the new
fiscal year, with which to improve and add to existing runways at
the airport.
That airport was first begun as a community project, when
members of the Northland Pioneer Grange voted to press for its
construction several years ago. The move soon grew beyond the
Grange to become community-wide in its scope. Funds were col
lected through contributions, which were used to purchase land at
the present site.
The north-south runway was finished last summer, with a mini
mum of expenditure and a maximum of effort on the part of civic
minded Palmer residents. That strip has done good service, in the
first year of its existence, in accommodating the many small single
^ engined planes which fly in and out of the Valley.
The east-west runway, partially completed, already has been de
clared insufficient for Valley needs. New plans call for a slight re
adjustment in the location of this runway, so that longer approach
lines may be gained. The ultimate goal for this field, when com
plete, is a landing strip for DC-4s.
This new plan for the east-west runway calls for the acquisition
of more land. It necessitates the purchase of 12 additional acres at
the upper end, half an acre at approximately the present junction of
the two runways, and 20 acres at the lower end of the strip.
At this writing, members of the Palmer Airport Association, who
met in special session yesterday morning, had taken steps to acquire
that land. They exhausted their treasury to do so. All funds in the
Association treasury, nearly all of which were obtained from the
Colony Day celebration, were earmarked for payment of notes
given for the purchase of land for the present site. Colony Day
netted the Association about $900, at the final accounting, which is
no’t even enough to meet present notes.
It is believed that territorial funds cannot be used for the pur
chase of land, although it may be possible to do so. Association
members already have written requesting a ruling on this matter.
The Palmer Airport Association, as originally organized, is au
thorized to accept contributions from Valley residents in return for
membership in the group. It is a non-profit organization which lives
only through its membership. It has never made any official drive
for funds since its initial campaign. Annual contributions have
neither been asked for nor received from the Association’s member
snip.
Directors of the Association are not certain that any such drive
will be attempted at this time. They do know that they are in need
of more funds in order to get more land. How they will get the
necessary money was still an open question today.
However the directors do feel that those of us who came to the
Valley after the Association was organized still may want a part
in the airport's construction program. They feel that we should
all be given an opportunity to become members of the Palmer
Airport Association. Therefore they offer that opportunity to any
one who wishes to further the work of the Association. Either Rex
Monoghan, president, or Roland Snodgrass, secretary-treasurer,
will accept contributions for the group.
When the enlarged and improved airport is put into operation
here, every resident of Palmer and the Valley will benefit. It is
expected to draw commercial operators and airplane shops from the
overcrowded area at Merrill Field in Anchorage.
It will mean increased business for the Valley farmer, for regular
freight hauls from Palmer airport will bring all of Alaska to
Matanuska’s doorstep as milk, vegetables and dairy products custo
mers. It is possible that an enlarged Palmer port could serve as an
auxiliary field for Anchorage, while that city’s gigantic interna
tional airport Is under construction.
The improvement of the airport is just another added factor in
Palmer’s steadily growing list of advantages as the site of the
Alaska Native Service hospital. The construction of such a port
wipes out the strategic transportation center argument which is
Anchorage’s strongest talking point at present. This field, just a
few minutes from Anchorage by air, will permit the landing of
patients and hospital personnel here just as easily as it would at
tiffat city.
This airport is just another “must have” on Palmer’s shopping
list of city needs. Circumstances are shoving it right to the top of
that list today, for action must be taken by July 1 if we are to make
use of all the funds available.
Plans have been drawn which for the first time show us our exact
needs and which outline the next steps in the construction program.
Everything hinges upon the acquisition of the additional land. It’s
not a problem that you can let your Association directors wrestle
with alone. They’re not miracle men and they can’t buy land with
. out the wherewithal to buy it. They’re not ready to call on you for
hftlp yet. They won’t call on you until they’ve exhausted every
other possibility.
When they do appeal to the people of the Valley for help, you
: will know that this is their last alternative. And when they make
* that call, they’ll expect you to show your confidence in them by
backing them to the best of your ability, financially, or in any other
way that will help get our airport for us. It’s a job for all of us
Palmer folks, and not something that we can delegate to any one
group of representatives to worry through alone. We’re in this
Ait
FOR SALE
150 BURLAP BAGS, 15c ea. See
Ernest Harrington.
LOT w/2-rm. cabin, finished in
terior, partly fum. for house
keeping; also 2-rm. house on
skids, fully fum. for house
keeping. Both wired for elec
tricity. Terms. See Sue Hill,
Palmer.
TRAILER, 2-wheel, steel body;
good condition. Hartley Broth
ers Motors.
’38 GMC 1-ton pickup; A-l con
dition. Palmer Automotive
Service.
’38 DODGE panel; A-l condition.
Palmer Automotive Service.
COMFORTABLE HOME, by
owner; city water, electricity;
complete except siding; terms.
Also some furniture. Mrs. Sten
son, first st. north on Anchor
age Highway, third house.
5-RM. house; semi-modern; can
be moved. $1,250. Write Box
709, Palmer, or inq. at Valley
Frontiersman.
’42 PONTIAC, rebored engine,
excellent paint. Hartley Bros.
Motors.
FLAMO gas water heaters. Hart
ley Bros. Motors.
'33 PLYMOUTH 4-door sedan;
new tires and battery, new
paint job and upholstery. Hart
ley Bros. Motors.
TAPP AN gas stoves and regu
lators. Hartley Bros. Motors.
FOR BERT :
ONE SLEEPING ROOM, by the
month; for one or two ladies or
married couple. Location of
room makes is unsuitable for
children or pets. See Mrs. Fran
cis Henry behind The Church,
North Palmer.
NOTICE
FOR BREAKER PLOWING, disc
ing or general field plowing,
..write or see Wallace Moffitt,
Box 741, Palmer.
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VALLEY
FRONTIERSMAN
★
Valley
Frontiersman
You’ll Find BRUNSWICK’S Finest Pool Tables
as well as good drinks
at tha
SOURDOUGH CLUB
It’s the place where you meet ALL your friends.
J. VIC BROWN & SONS
“The Live Jeweler,"
★
ALASKA RAILROAD WATCH INSPECTORS
Acxoaa from City Hall Anchor ago
f
CLEARANCE SALE
SKIRTS AND SWEATERS
Many other high-style bargains priced to go
Sale begins Saturday, June 19
Shop early for best choices
VARIETY VOGUES
Whan Yob Repair or BoOd U«e WOODUFE
Water Repellent Rot Proof
Keeps wood from sweOmf, shrinking,
checking, warping
Now On Display
CHAMPION Outboard Motors
RELIANCE Conversion Cookstove Burners
GRAHAM SERVICE
on
Tired of dry, crumbly flavor
less cake?
Then it isn’t a SHAMROCK cake you’ve been
eating
We make Chocolate Cakes, Angel Cakes, White Cakes
and Cup Cakes, too
All topped with our own delicious frosting
ClYAMBfirv BIWPBW