Malanuska Experiment Farm
Agronomy Tour
August 14, 1:30 p.m.
Public Invited
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
THY A FRONTIERSMAN
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VOLUME 6, NUMBER 46
PALMER. ALASKA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 6. 1953
PRICE TEN CENTS
Agricultural Short-Term Loans Available
“COLONY DAY” TO BE
HELD SEPTEMBER 6;
GOVERNOR INVITED
The second day of the 1953
Valley Fair, September 6, has
been marked as “Colony Day,’
at which time original colonists,
together with their children, sons
and daughters-in-law and their
children, will get together for the
first all-out reunion.
According to Pat Hemmer,
chairman of the event and an
original colonist himself, about
80 families of the original group
are still in Alaska. Together with
their progeny, he said, there
should be between 350 and 400
people who attend this gathering.
This group will include only the
St. Mihiel colonists, the very first
group to arrive.
A replica of the original colon
ists’ tents will be set up just in
side the fairgrounds entrance and
will serve as registration head
quarters. At this tent, which will
be clearly marked as “Head
quarters,” a collection of pictures
will be on exhibition. “So many
times folks ask us, ‘How did you
live in those days? Did you suf
fer? It must have been rugged.’
We lived fine,” Hemmer said,
“and we didn’t suffer. We want
the people to see just what the
original colony was like and are
trying to gather an exhibit of
our farm equipment and home
furnishings used at that time.”
Governor Invited
Hemmer announced that
Governor B. Frank Heintzleman
has been extended an invitation
to attend Colony Day Celebra
tions.
There will be a group gather
ing in the afternoon and a short
program. Pictures of the colon
ists and their families will be
taken at the Palmer school,
where the laying of the school
corner stone may be reenacted.
The local Chamber of Com
merce, who have sponsored the
Colony Day celebrations in the
past, are lending their support
to ths year’s big gathring. The
ARRC has offered to participate
in the program in any way pos
sible.
Four Sponsors to
Back Queen Candidates
With the announcement this
morning that the grocery depart
ment at Koslosky’s department
store will sponsor Miss Evie Melin
as a candidate for Valley Queen,
the total list of sponsors was
brought to four.
Knik Drive Inn at Mile 38 was
the first to announce their spon
sorship of a queen candidate,
Miss Colleen Hume. The Matan
uska Valley Chamber of Com
merce has offered to lend its name
as sponsor for some valley con
testant and the Matanuska Air
mens Association has announced
its intention of sponsoring a
queen candidate.
This morning Miss Leona Lu
cas, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Leo Lucas of Palmer, registered
as a candidate. All organizations
and business firms who plan to
sponsor a queen are asked to
contact Dorothy Saxton at her
office as soon as possible.
Secretary and Phone
At Fairgrounds
Gene Kirsch, Valley fair
manager, announced this week
that a telephone has been in
stalled in the administration
office at the fairgrounds and
that Jerry Kindgren has been
hired by the association as
secretary. Any information de
sired by exhibitors or con
cessionaires may now go
through the administration
office without undue delay.
Queen contestants may pick up
their tickets at the office.
COUNCIL HEARS OF
WATER LINE ADVANCE
Members of the city council
and Mayor Hagen heard reports
on the progress of the city water
distribution system installation at
the regular meeting held August j
4.
Ditching and pipe-laying work
has been progressing rapidly this
week with a full crew working
on the 14 inch supply line from
the reservoir to the city. Although
the ditch in the North Palmer
area has been filled, compacting
work has not yet been done,
; Russ Felzien reported. Felzien re
| ported that some of the fill in
i North Palmer had trees and
stumps and were being put into
the ditches along with the gravel.
However, later in the evening
I APW Inspector Ray Mathews
told the council that he had satis
fied himself that not much debris
was going in the ditches. Some
clean-up work will have to be
done in that area, he said.
Mayor Hagen questioned Ma
thews about the fill in the sec
tion on Valley street near the
hotel. Mathews told he Mayor
and council members that there
is nothing in the contract with
Arctic Plumbing and Heating
company that would force them
to put in any different fill than
they take out in the diching work.
Some concern had been felt by
residents on the heavy rocks go
ing back in over the pipe line,
both from the damage point of
view and fear of easy freezing
this winter. Mathews said suffici
ent packing would have to be
done before any filling is com
pleted.
Mayor Hagen pointed out the
advisibility of placing culverts in
strategic locations while the
streets are dug up. The street
committee was asked to make a
check on the system and arrive
at the total number that will be
needed this year.
Along with this, with council
approval, Russ Felzien reported
that street signs for traffic regu
lation in the city will be pur
chased as recommended by the
traffic committee.
A letter from the Palmer In
dependent School board request
ing permission to allow the new
high school to hook on to the six
inch water line on Springer road
was read. Following a brief dis
cussion it was agreed to permit
their request providing their lines
meet city specifications.
M. D. Snodgrass appeared be
fore the council and requested
water service on his property lo
(Continued on page 8)
Bigger Plans for
Horse Racing at
This Year’s Fair
This year’s horse racing pro
gram scheduled for the Fair
starting September 5, promises to
be the best ever planned by the
Fair Association. If all goes well,
parimutuel enthusiasts will have
three field days of their favor
ite pastime.
Horses, horses, and more horses
are being trained now for the
fourthcoming events. Most are of
Alaskan strain to be sure, but a
few do have a streak of regal
Arabian blood coursing their
veins.
Two half-mile heat races are
on for tap fo each day of the
Fair. All racers will be given
points according to his finishing
position in the race. Besides points
the winners each day will be
awarded a substantial monetary
prize. The grand prize will be
awarded the last day of the fair
to the racer accumulating the
most points during the three day
tourney.
Complementing the heat races
will be the half-mile relay which
also will consist of two races.
Scoring will be similar to the
heat races. Winners in each day
will receive monetary prizes with
the grand prize going to the high
point racer on the last day.
All who desire to enter their
speedy steed, may contact Fair
Manager Gene Kirsch at the Fair
Administration Building, A1
Brooks or John King.
COLLEEN HUMES 1ST
QUEEN CONTESTANT
Miss Colleen Hume, 17-year
old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wil
liam A. Hume of Mile 35 Vz is
the first entrant in the Queen
Contest being sponsored by the
13th annual Matanuska Valley
Fair.
Miss Hume is a newcomer to
the Valley, having arrived with
her parents May 7, 1953, from
Grants Pass, Oregon where she
was active in school activities in
cluding the Pep, Thespian, Ski
and Camera clubs. Her favorite
sports are tennis and skiing, her
hobby is horses. She is five feet,
five inches tall, has brown eyes
and short brown hair.
Since coming to the Valley,
Colleen has worked at the Knik
Drive Inn whose owners are spon
soring the brunette candidate for
queen. This fall she will attend
the Palmer High School where
she will enter the Senior class.
Livestock Exhibits to
Be Properly Checked
Those who intend to exhibit
livestock at the Valley Fair
should contact members of the
livestock committee and Dr.
James Pazaruski to arrange for
testing and vaccinations. For the
protection of other exhibitors,
only livestock properly checked
will be shown, it was announced
this week.
Swine should be cholora vac
cinated three weeks prior to
showing, so arrangements must
be made immediately in order
to secure vaccines in time, Jim
Wilson, Commissionerr of Agri
culture said.
10TH AIR RESCUE
USING PALMER FIELD
Several members of the 10th
Air Rescue have been located
at the Palmer Airport this
past week, flying an undisclosed
mission. It has afforded Val
ley residents a view of a new
type helicopter, the H-19 which
is much larger than those used
previously by the 10th Air
Rescue. Other ships include an
Albatross SA-16 that has been
flying cover for the new ship
and a smaller helicopter bei lg
used in the work.
New Grandstand
For Fairgrounds
Construction of a new grand
stand at the fair grounds will get
undex-way within the next several
days, report Valley Fair Associa
tion officials.
The new stand is scheduled for
completion in time for this year’s
fair which starts September 5.
Approximately $4,000.00 has
been earmarked for the new
structure which will be 36 feet
in depth by 45 to 50 feet in length.
Seating capacity is 400.
An unusual feature of the
grandstand will be the construc
tion of its backside. It will be sec
tioned off into ten-foot stalls, each
of which will be 10 feet in width,
the exact spacing between the up
rights supporting the walkways
and seating accommodations. The
stalls will be as deep as head
clearance will permit. Conees
sionnaires will be charged liberal
fees for rental of these units.
Next year the Fair Board is
contemplating covering the stand
with roofing which will extend
approximately ten feet beyond
the structure on the low pitch
side. This overhang will serve as
a marquee for the crowd milling
around the concessions in rainy
weather.
APW INSPECTS SOME
12,000 FEET
CITY WATER LINE
APW Inspector, Ray Mathews
reported this week that approxi
mately 12,000 feet of line have
been inspected in the water dis
tribution system. During this in
spection, only three leaks were
discovered which require but
minor repairs. Copper service
line connections are being instal
led, % inch size for home users
and two inch size for apartment
house users. Automatic sprinklers
require four-inch connections, he
said. The size will depend on the
! amount of water consumed by the
user.
Before ditches can be filled,
Mathews poined out, much work
must be done. Back-hoes are dig
ging a maximum of 500 feet a
day. Pipe layers could lay 3,000
feet of line a day, if the ditches
were ready, he said. However,
after the ditches are dug and the
pipes layed, fittings must be in
stalled, the line tested for leaks
then bedded by hand before the
back filling can start.
To clarify some apparent mis
understandings, Mathews said the
14 inch supply line will be hook
ed onto the ARRC line in sub
divisions one and two. There will
be no new system installed where
lines meet specifications.
COAL MINE HAS
GENERAL LAY-OFF
BULLETIN
Mine workers on the swing
shift walked out at the Evans
Jones Coal Mine last night,
alleged to have been over sen
iority rights. Officials at the
mine reorled this afternoon
that workers were expected to
return to work on the swing
shift tonight, following a meet
ing earlier today.
A total of 34 men have been
layed off at the Evans-Jones
Coal Mine during the past two
weeks. This includes 13 men lay
ed off on July 27 and 28 and 21
men who were layed off on Aug
ust 3 and 4.
“It will be for.an indefinite
period of time,’’ a mine spokes
man said this week. The mine has
been producing approximately
one thousand tons of coal daily
but we have had to reduce the
working forces for there were too
many men for the amount of coal
being mined.
Before the general lay off ef
fecting miners, timber packers
and other workers there were 271
men employed at the mine. The
mine official said they plan to
reduce the force to approximately
200 men, working two shifts.
“Any number of circumstances
could change future plans,” he
said.
Valley Girls Urged
To Enter Queen Race
With the 13th annual Matanus
ka Valley Fair but a little over
four weeks away, Valley girls
who plan to enter the Queen Con
test are urged to register now, in
order to have ample time to sell
the qualifying amount of tickets.
Any single Valley girl, 15 years
of age or older, who has been a
resident since July 1, 1953 is j
eligible for the contest. Girls
are urged to register for the con
test and get their ticket sales
started. Local members of Beta
Sigma Phi and Mrs. Gertrude Fel
zien who are assisting the Fair
board with-the contest, are mak
ing contacts this week, seeking
sponsors for candidates.
As soon as a girl has register
ed, she may start her ticket sales.
Each candidate must sell 250 tick
ets to qualify for final judging.
Twenty-five dollars in cash will
be paid each candidate upon
qualification. In addition, 10 per
cent of all ticket sales will go
to each candidate.
August 17 Deadline
Monday noon, August 17, has
been set as closing date for en
tries in the Queen contest. By
that date, each girl who plans to
enter the contest, must be regis
ed at Dorothy Saxton’s office.
Proof of age should accompany
registrations. Tickets, to be sold
at one dollar each, may go on
sale as soon as a girl has regis
tered.
Cash Prize
The Valley girl who is chosen
to reign over the Matanuska Val
ley Fair this year will be an
nounced at the Coronation Ball
and awarded a $250 cash prize.
On the final day of the Fair,
the following prizes will be
awarded to ticket holders whose
(Continued on page 8)
BOARD MEMBERS SEE
IMMEDIATE NEED AT
FIRST MEETING
Since short-term farm loans
are immediately needed, with
harvest season approaching,
members of the Alaska Agricul
tural Loan board took prompt
action for authorizing such loans
at the orarganizational meeting
held in Palmer August 3 and Au
gust 4. mortgage or assignment
of crop payments. Five percent
interest will be charged when
secured by chattel, six percent
when not, it was announced.
Policies and regulations con
cerning the administration of the
Alaska Agricultural Loan Act
program were formulated by
board members who are Paul
Greimann, business representa
tive, Bert Stimple, farmer from
Fairbanks; Archie McLane, far
mer from Kasilof, Robert Webb,
farmer from the Matanuska Val
ley and Richard Jones, banker
from Palmer. Jim Wlson, Com
missioner of Agriculture, is ad
ministrator of the program.
Only Short Term Loans
Due to the many details neces
sary for getting into operation,
the board will not be able to
grant long-term or chattel loans
at •present, they announced. Ap
plications will be accepted, how
ever, until October 1, 1953 for
consideration at the next board
meeting to be held November 9
and November 10.
Applicants for farm develop
ment loans, defined as permanent
improvements to the property,i.e.,
wells, land clearing, leveling,
fences, permanent buildings,
drainage work, etc., require three
years farming experience in the
Territory, evidence that other fi
nancing is not available, and the
land must be suitable for the en
terprise planned. Development
loans must be secured by a first
real estate mortgage. They shall
not exceed $15,000 nor raise the
total real estate indebtedness
above $20,000. They shall not run
longer than .20 years, nor bear
interest to exceed 414 percent.
Chattel Loans
Chattel loans shall be for the
purpose of purchasing farm im
plements and livestock, and im
plements used in the culture and
processing of agricultural pro
ducts. These can be secured by
real and chattel mortgages. For
chattel loans, two years of farm
(Continued on page 3)
Palmer School Opens
On September 8
Opening day school bells
will ring this year on Tuesday,
September 8, William Zahrad
nicek announced this week.
Registration for students
grades one through eight will
be held August 19, 20, 21 in the
High School library. High
school students, grades nine
through 12 will be held Sep
tember 1 and 2.
Students who do not regis
ter on dates assigned or regis
ter before the opening day of
school, September, 8 will not
be accepted for registration
until Wednesday, September 9.
More detailed instructions
will appear in next week’s
Frontiersman.
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