THE iATAMJSTCA . VALLEV PIONEER
"Published Thursdays at
Palmer Alaska
lack Allman, Editor - Publisher
David Markham, Assistant Editor
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ONE OF OUR PET PEEVES
This thing of being continually
ashed: "Will the Matanuska Project
be a success?” is getting to be
something of a pain in the neck.
This question is no doubt promo
ted by the black eye given the Val
ley by returned colonists, but any
thinking person can answer it for
himself. The success or failure of
the project does not depend upon
whether these colonists stay or re
turn to their former homes.
All the buildings necessary to a
community have been built. Almost
200 homes and their outbuildings
have been constructed upon tracts
of land that Droved their agricul
tural worth under the hands of old
settlers long before the colony was
thought of.
These fine homes will never re
main untenanted. These tracts will
not lay idle. Whether the present
group of occupants remain or leave
will have little effect upon the
ultimate standing of this valley as
a farming community. Someone will
continue with the work already
started, and, as far as we can see,
it doesn’t make much difference
who. The fact remains that a farm
ing settlement will have been es
tablished in this district, and af
ter all, that was the idea underly
ing the establishing of the project
in the first place.
In a conversation the other day
with Pat O’Cotter we were impressed
with the pertinence of a comparison
he made between colonists and stam
peders.
Pat has taken in' all the stam
pedes to the established gold camps
of the interior, Fairbanks, Ruby,
Iditorod and the rest. ’’And I nev
er mushed into a came yet,” he said,
’’But what I met men coming cut with
the grumbling comment that the
strike was a fake. Bistory tells
you just how wrong they were.”
Lloyd Bell of $194 has been writ
ing regularly for publication in the
"Kanabec County Times” in Minnesota,
The other day he received a let
ter in which the editor said:
’’Since you are t h e c n 1 v j.q e a 1
colonists remaining in the valley
our readers are no longer inrares
ted in news of the project.”
notice;
k Colonists who wish to increase
their acreage will nlease see Mr*
Biggs at once.
"It has been reported to me
that a number of dogs are running
at large in bands around the coun
try.
"Game is not safe. Snruce hens
are nesting. Dogs must be kept at
home, otherwise they are a nuis
ance and according to law mujjjt be
killed."
Don L. Irwin
9fcs|e
Orders from Colonel Westbrook
make a complete fire inspection
of the project a necessity. A
cleanup campaign will begin with
the publishing of this notice.
Also there is to be a complete
reorganization of the Volunteer
Fire Department, Father Merrill
Sulzman is now the Fire Marshal
with authority covering the .whole
valley, including the towns of
Matanuska and Wasilia. His posi
tion as Chief will be filled by
Bill Taylor who had a similar duty
at Boulder Dan when he was respon
sible for the fire safety of 800
tents.
Jack Allman has been appointed
Fire Inspector for the valley and
Elmer Waugh replaces him as Assis
tant Chief.
New Deputy hardens to control
the hazardous brush burning in the
various districts will be appoint
ed to replace vacancies created by
returning colonists.
DonTt take any chances with a
fire reaching your home. Back fire
before setting those big piles of
brush to flame. This is the windy
season and the grass is even now
so dry that fire will run through
it at incredible speed.
And a word to the women: DcnTt
leave a can of grease or your gas
oline iron on the warming oven of
your range* Vibration set up by
your washing machine may jiggle
them off onto the hot stove top
and start a fire that will envel
ope the whole room*.
Fang voir extinguisher near a
door* Learn how to snap it out of
its rack, and PE SERE IT IS FULL.
DonTt keep gasoline: 1 ft house.
>j- sf: ?fc 1' >!< sfc >fc sjc
John Firs eh of Tract ^64 is
looking for a few companions to
join him in a Pig Brownie hunt on
Kodiak: scarfing fv m here May 1st.
Tie main cost wr.,] he boat char
ter. bur john figure a §oG will cov
er t ve myth lag Jo bo:: i s :-s from the
Mini.oso ff. gkm o com. liyille.