t Valley settler Palmer Alaska.
Published every Friday at Palmer
Alaska, by the Matanuska Vail’ y
Farmers Coe,eratin^ Association.
• For the purpose of <_ivin^ jiuws of
i the Association sT -work,' pr oblems,
; accomplishments, and news of local
* •land ceneral interest.
1
j Ccrrl Ri.smussen Editor.
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L'ical, Eoxi -$ 1.00
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’, Tatanu s< a~co ion y~ eTg h f"'~
-0- YEARS OLD -0
-icht years a,jo, lest Monday,the
the first contingent of the m en,
women anf’ children wh ? mar’s up the
body of qri^incl C.linists, who
were chosen to come to Alasku t -o
subPus the wilderness and establish
farm homes in this fertile Valley,
arrive^ in Palmer.
There was no celebration amcn^
the people who still remain hr-re,
mainly because there is too much
work to r’c on the farms, an’ then
(there has been considerable fcelinc
of disalnsinnment since the first
year. N c 1 *'nwer do we have very
many overly enthusiastic people here
there hr s been a more sober actin.
citizenry since they have been thru
the trials and tribulations of the
~inneer development stajes, These
who expect quick easy returns have
a one on their way he newer .and may
be, more fertile fields. Th~sc who
remain regard the future with confi'
nee, but knew that it requires
j ist about as much labor .end cere
to establish rnd maintain a home in
the Matenuska Vail.y,as elsewhere.
The history of Colonies sh/>w a
very hi_h mortality rate, few have
•been successful and usunly the firs'
settlers failed to reap,any'of the
harvest that they wore so instumen
tal in producoin^. But those who ’ «.*
hve stayed through the worst that .
came in spite cf many discouragement
shculd. be considered the real and
!lastinw citizens ;f any Comunlty.
One peculr.r thln^ about most of
the successful undertakings of this
kind is, that hardships and touji
[obstacles have not usualy caused a
iColony to fail, usualy just the
(reverse is true and it must be on
(account cf that element in human
Inature that makes vital people eni>°j
(overcoming obstacles. i
this kind,
ood
An example of
vc'* hy the writer, a
years nwo in Western Kansas
an unscrupi.lis land shark,
a Colony-of inexpierenceC,]
No, fos on Homesteads out rn
rrarie without any plan to
thorn to establish homes or
■for the necessities of life
developing, their farms. Some
jueo against their race existed
drought, trasshoppers and
afflicted them like a pin.
was ebseri
r any ' j
vrhartT !
laced
nnylest
the rav
s s i s t
rovid.e
while
rc-d**
qjnc
cycl nes
_ih., l ut
many regained and finely d veloped
homes and became successful finane
ly. Sons and daughters wurc ^iven
c ood eductcions and ever si nee,the
col ;red citizens of this C \ nty
have provided honest, in* lliw. nt
citizens who hrve h^ld many o^sitif
-ns f trust i nd honour.
It is no secret to the pe le who
lived through the trials of the
early years of this Col >ny that
th ere has been times when the cub
bard di^ not contain rn overabund
ance of necessary food nr r n 'U, h
sutiahle clothes were avail1" ;le to
keep the family in c-mfort an’ u00'
health. In modern times it is not
necessary to face actual st-rv; tier
to causo people to feel thrt life
is futile rn1’ n t w rth While.
iiitre has been a 0meral f olin0
) f insecurity f or the fut in,that
; has lowered! the morale of the people
| cons ireratoly. When the c, ;ur?e of
i life that a person is livir.^ •'’ors
' not .ffer any mere than the care
^necosseties of life and no hpe for
better conditions in the future,
; then usualy a sullen distrustful
| attitude ^verc'-mes the individual
'-who is subjected to the adverse
i crn'*ibian, that was <^nc of the moini
i troubles chau hindered the developni
i-ont this Col'ny in the past.
h Wo are rleased tv-1 note that this i
condition is now confined. t fewer i
of our pe pie than in the ;tst. The
war has ’'rot higher prices which is
the bar vine ter that indicates better
conditions on the farm, and the
future, looks much better.
’Ve believe chat a survey ef the
Colony will sh w that the pe >ple
who-asked for the least assistance
fnd who used their own rcc?urees
to their full extent. And rs one
;Tk'linist was reported to hrvo said,
when asked if he tbet he could suc
ceed with the. help allowed 1 y the
Apency sr-mserin/ the Projf:ct”H*-#
I .*11 make it in spite of yvu" and
we believe that he will. Ei ht year£
in a persons life usualy completes
a.cycle and that cycle has passed
in the lives of the Matanuska Valle
Pioneers let
hold's better
us hope that the futurs
things for
..have faithfully tried t<
the people
; succeed.