THE FRHNTIERSMAH
Entered as second class matter on Oct. 21. 1947, at the post office at1
Palmer, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
A. J. DeJulio . _*._Owner-Manager
Editor _____Virginia Gallant
Subscription Rates 50c a month. $5 a yesr In Valley Area
Mailed to all points in Alaska and the United States
$6 per year
ST. PATRICK’S DAY
St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, died on March 17, 493.
The anniversary of his death has been celebrated regularly in recent
times by not only Irishmen but those of many other races, and
not only Catholics but those of other faiths.
In fact, the New York organization in memory of St. Patrick,
the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, was organized by both Irish
Catholics and Presbyterians, and its first president was a Presby
terian.
The most famous tale about St. Patrick is the one which tells
of his banishment of snakes from Ireland. Yet Cardinal Moran,
who some years ago wrote an article on St. Patrick in the Catholic
Encyclopedia, fails to mention it. He does mention the ordeal of
St. Patrick when he was surrounded by demons in the shape of
vultures, and tells of the drowning of the demons in answer to his
prayers.
The snake story holds that St. Patrick banished all of them
except one, an old serpent which refused to leave Ireland. Accord
ing to the tale, St. Patrick made a box and asked the serpent to
enter it, but the serpent objected. Finally, St. Patrick had his way,
convinced the snake the box was large enough to hold him com
fortably, and succeeded in getting him into the box , which he
then shut and threw into the sea.
Whatever the tale, and there are those who believe several
different versions, a great number of people enjoy celebrating the
anniversary of the death of St. Patrick, in the middle of this month,
every year. Irishmen, particularly, take to the occasion, and on
some occasions in the past they have even brought pieces of the
“ould sod” from Ireland to observe the occasion.
The beauty of the Emerald Isle and its rolling land is as
sociated with St. Patrick and the tale of the snakes by millions of
sentimental Irishmen.
MILITARY INSTALLATION
PLANNED AT KOTZEBUE
The remote point of Kotzebue
in Northwestern Alaska on Kot
zebue Sound is to be included in
the list Of six complete military
installations which are to be con
structed under supervision! of the
Alaska District Corps of Engin
eers at a cost which will run from
$10,000,000 to $15,000,000 the Dis
trict Engineer said this week.
Coming up for bids this spring
are Unalakleet, with the bid
opening set for April 21. Other
sites for spring bidding are Fort
Yukon, Homer, Bethel and Chin
iak. Gulkana, and probably an
other site, are expected to be
scheduled for this coming fall.
KNITTING, RUG MAKING
CLASSES BEGIN MAR. 21
It’s Home-made Rug Week at
the Extension! office craft room,
through the week of March 21
to 25, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each
day. Rugs from rags, woven,
tooth-brush handle, hooked, cro
cheted and knitted will be shown.
Those interested in beginning!
a rug are invited to take rags,
scissors, and go to the Extension
office and select the type prefer
red. Knitters, or beginners, may
also attend this week, and learn
to knit. They are asked to take
their own.' needles and yarn.
Tailored to fit
your business and
save you mon$y
r«A»AOE~]
butler
Steel Buildings
You can get a Butler steel build
ing—with galvanized or alumi
num sheets-to fit your exact
needs. And you can have it up
and at work weeks ahead of other
types of construction ... save up
$0 47 per cent on building costs
See us before you build. Get
the facts and figures on a Butler
building! Call or write today.
Address Inquiries to . . •
Mat a nu ska Valley
Farmers Co-op Assn.
Agent for
Alaska Metal Buildings
Box 509 Fairbanks. Alaska
SURVEY CONTRACT
AWARDED TUTTLE CO.
Approximately 20 survey part
ies who will brave the tumultous
spring break-up and spend the
spring and summer laying out
sites, routes and access roads for
remote defense construction loca
tions in various parts of the terri
tory, soon will be on the job the
Alaska District Corps of Engin
eers announced this week.
For the second year, the Karl
F. Tuttle Engineering Co. Inc., of
Arcadia, Calif, will furnish crews
of three, four and five men each
for the various survey parties
who are used during the summer
to supplement the year-round
staff of the engineering division
j of the Alaska District.
TWO LONG-TIME STEAMSHIP
EMPLOYEES RETIRE
R. G. Gardiner, 60, for 26 years
an Alaska Steamship Company
employee, retired March 1, it was
announced this week. Mr. and
Mrs. Gardiner are now in Arizona
selecting a permanent residence.
Another long-time employee,
F. W. Tegtmeyer, secretary of
The Alaska Line, retired last
month after 31 years of service
with the Line and affiliates. Teg
*******
Sez Willie Wiredhand:
LET
POWER
DO IT
FOR YOU!
There's an easier way to get your work
done . . . it's electric power! You can get
your work done faster, more efficiently
and more economically with electrically
powered tools. The saving in "man hours"
alone will pay for the cost of operation.
Let electricity be your "hired man"!
ELECTRICITY IS CHEAP!
Matannska Electric Assn.
COMMUNICATIONS
A Community Friendship
By Edward A. Ueeck
As a resident since 1928, I re
member Palmer, Alaska when its
er/tire population consisted of but
two families and three bachelors,
all residing within a one-mile ra
dius of the then Palmer Post Of
fice, located in the original Frank
White homestead cabin on what
is now the Felton House front
lawn.
I remeihber when near and
around “The Siding” (as the
whistle stop in front of the old
postoffice site along the spur line
of The Alaska Railroad was com
monly called at that time, blend
ing with a setting hemmed in on
three sides by scenic mountain
ranges) was Palmer.
A special kind of mutual fron
tier friendship prevailed until the
colonists came in 1935, which
seemed to swamp it for a short
while beneath an overwhelming
majority of newcomers from
every walk of life, but being ex
tremely contagious, it grew on
young arid old alike and as the
far-reaching systems of highways
were built it had an opportunity
to expand and touch other com
munities.
Although wavered at times by
. some, it still prevails predomin- !
antly in every phase that goes to
make a community, be it a social,
religious, educational or a busi
ness circle, that same old original
special kind of frontier friend
ship comes to the surface.
Today, as an incorporated City,
with a population around it num
bering into many thousands, any
group of newcomers are carried
with the tide. The school children
of all people convey it to their
riewly employed Stateside teach
ers.
The new local hospital, modern
and full-equipped, where bed
rock friendship is most needed
. . . not the commercial kind,
seems to overflow with it. Tour
ists and travelers of all kinds
quickly sense it. You can1 neither
buy nor sell it, but you can give
it away, and ’tis said that if you J
do not have friendship . . . just
what have you got?
To have lived in a community
and have seen it cradled in a few
homesteaders shacks and grow in
to a thriving thing, is something
to see but once in a lifetime.
tmeyer was succeeded by A. L.
Cahill, promoted from assistant
secretary. Ivor J. James was
| named assistant secretary while
continuing as assistant to the ex
ecutive vice president.
FRONTIERSMAN CLASSIFIEDS
ALWAYS BRING RESULTS
ALASKA LINE PURCHASE
NEW 5,000 TON SHIP
The Alaska Steamship Com
pany has purchased the 5,000 ton
Knot-Type Motorship Lever’s
Bend from the Munargo Lines
Co., Inc. of Weehawken, J. J., for
the Alaska trade, D. E. Skinner,
president of The Alaska Line, an
nounced this week.
“This purchase is the first step
in our program of replacing pas
senger vessel tonnage with mod
ern freighters,” Skinner said.
Furthermore he indicated that
The Alaska Line plans, in main
taining its extensive service to
Alaska, to build up an Alaska
fleet that is wholly privately
owned.
The addition of the Lever’s
Bend increases to seven the num
ber of vessels owned by The Al
aska Line. In discussing the pur
chase of the new ship Skinner
emphasized that this will in no
way affect Alaska Steamship
company’s interest in seatrain
service. “Under any circumstan
ALASKA STEAMSHIP
SAILIHGS
wW^mtK
Serving Alaska Via
Seward or Valdez
MS Coastal Monarch
Fri., March 25, calling
at Seward (ARR & San
Juan Dock).
SS ILIAMNA, Tues.,
Mar. 29, calling at Val
dez and Seward (ARR
Dock)
STEAMSHIP COMPANY
MOOSE LODGE PLAN
DANCE APRIL 2
Members of the Palmer Moose
lodge are planning a dance for
members and guests on Saturday
evening, April 2 at Moose Hall
Music will be furnished by an
Anchorage orchestra, with danc
ing slated to begin at 9:30 p.m.
All members are invited to at
tend.
ces”, he said, “a fleet of smaller
conventional vessels is necessary
in order to serve the smaller Al
askan ports.”
, , --- .——I— ■
IN AND OUT AT
VALLEY
PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL
Peter Jordan of Highway
North, Mrs. Clayton Esslinger,
Mrs. ’Myrtle Lindsey and Mrs.
Nick Uzelac all of Palmer, and
Mrs. Frank Smith of Wasilla
were discharged as patients this
past week at Valley Presbyter
iarj Hospital. Admitted as a pa
tient this week was Mrs. Oscar
Kerttula of Palmer, _
EVERY SATURDAY EVENING
AND
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
“MEL” - “OTTO” “HO BO JO”
The Best in Entertainment
ENJOY DELICIOUS MEALS!
Your Favorite Cocktail or
Mixed Drink!
AT
Alpine Inn
Mile 61 — Glenn Highway
Phone l-J-31
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GO-OP GARAGE
MATANUSKA VALLEY FARMERS COOPERATING ASSOCIATION