*
; 1
■ A R D L .
v • J'.'.A HIS.OHICAL LIBRARY
r?
*J
r""'"ri .......
MUSIC FESTIVAL
ANCHORAGE
APRIL 15 - 16
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
t
for
that
have
for
sale
leas©
reni
or
VOLUME 8. NUMBER 25
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. APRIL 21, 1955
PRICE TEN CENTS
Area Men Seeking
Delegate Position
Three petitions are known to
be in circulation in the Palmer
recording district for men seek
ing the office of delegate to the
Constitutional Convention which
convenes at College, Alaska on
November 8, 1955. Petitions be
ing circulated are for M. D.
Snodgrass of Palmer; Victor C.
Fisher of Anchorage, and Ben
Hitchcock of Caribou Creek.
Fisher is running for delegate
at-large in the Third Division.
The other two ,in the Palmer
District.
Delegates must be legal voters
of Alaska; residents of Alaska not
jess than, three years immediate
ly preceding November 8, 1955,
except that no one can run who
has an appointive office under
the Federal government. May 10
is the closing date for filing as a
delegate.
To elect the 55 delegates to
'the Constitutional Convention,
Alaska is divided into 22 election
districts. Seven delegates are
to be chosen from the terri
tory at large, leaving 48 to be
chosen from within the bound
aries of the four judicial divi
sions. Election District No. 16 is
composed of Palmer, Wasilla and
Talkeetna Recording Districts
and will be permitted but one
delegate.
Voters are not permitted to
sign more petitions than there
are candidates for whom he is
eligible to vote. Thus a voter of
Palmer can sign only one peti
tion for a candidate from this
district; he can only sign 12 pe
titions for candidates-at-large
from the Third Division; and can
only sign seven petitions for ter
ritorial delegates-at-large. This
is extremely important to the
candidates in the event his peti
tion may be challenged and pos
sibly thrown out upon, a check
by the Territorial canvassing
board.
375 Children
Registered for
Blood Typing Program
Over 375 children m the Pal
mer schools have returned con
sent slips to participate in the
bloods typing program to be held
throughout the valley on April
29. Over 400 school children are
expected to participate, according
to Cy Fahnestock, program chair
man.
The blood-typing program is
being sponsored for residents of
the entire Matanuska Valley by
Palmer Kiwanis and will be con
ducted under the supervision of
Frank Pauls of the Department
of Health.
Fahnestock said this week a
number of inquiries have been
received from persons who have
been typed elsewhere who wish
to obtain tags. These may be had,
he pointed out, by turning in
blood-type identification cards on
April 29 and paying the cost of
the tag, which is *11 cents.
A number of individuals have
been typed'but are not register
ed at the hospital. These persons
are urged to register as soon as
possible to enable the staff to
have as complete a file as pos
sible.
The program will be conducted
in Wasilla for school children
from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. From
10:30 to noon adults of the Wasil
la area will be typed—all at the
(Continued on page 8)
SMART HAIR STYLINGS
by LaVonne
Evening Appointments
VALLEY BEAUTY SHOP
F
jj Availability of Polio
Vaccine Unknown
As of today it is impossible
!; determine what amount of po- !;
1; lio vaccine which will be
!’ available in the near future, !
j! Dr. C. C. Bailey, health of- ;
j! ficer, stated this week. ;!
; The first vaccine available
<! will be administered to the !;
!; children of the first and sec- !;
!; ond grades. When this part !•
!; of the polio vaccine program /
;I has been completed other \\
;! children, and lastly adults (if j!
;! they so desire) may be immun- «|
1; ized providing the vaccine has !;
!; been made available, he said. !;
It is recommended that
j! those desiring immunization ;t
jl contact their family physician. ;!
j! The polio vaccine will be ad- j!
!; ministered with two intervals
!; the second administering to !;
!; be performed two to four ];
weeks after the first and the >
;! final administration seven \\
;! months later. j!
/^VWWWHAAA/W^AAA^WSAAAA/SWAAA,
Hospital Gives
Delinquent Accounts
To Collecting Agency
Following a decision of the
Valley Presbyterian Hospital
board of directors, this week ap
proximately $8,000 of accounts
receivable were turned over to
a collection agency for legal ac
tion.
This step has been made nec
essary by the mounting number
of persons who by making no
effort to pay their hospital bills,
have made it very difficult for
the hospital to pay its creditors,
a spokesman for the board said
this week.
This step is taken regretfully,
he said, and only after consider
able time and effort was expend
ed in trying to work out com
promises with slow paying pa
tients.
A supplimental list of addition
al accounts that are becoming
“soft” is being prepared for the
month of May.
FAIR ASSOCIATION
MEETING RECESSED
The annual membership meet
ing of the Matanuska Valley
Fair Association, held April 15,
was recessed until May 13 to per
mit a committee of three to ex
plore present articles of incor
poration and by-laws of the as
sociation for proposed changes.
Named to this committee by As
sociation (President A1 Brooks
were Jim Hurley, Claire Stock
and Tom Lepak. -
During annual reports it was
announced that activities of the
association dfcring the past year
included the construction of a
permanent exhibit building,
graveling of the fairway track,
leveling and additional grounds
work.
Approximately $22,000 was
spent for the new building and
$1,000 in other capital improve
ments. Payments on the new
building were originally set up
over a three year period but were
paid off in one year, thereby
creating a deficit. Board mem
bers announced a SI,000 bond
held by the association has been
cashed and an additional $4,000
borrowed from the Alaska Rural
Rehabilitation Corporation and
secured by property owned by
the association.
Claire Stock, member, pro
posed the board of directors be
composed of a delegate body
with each local organization be
(Continued on page 8)
I
Notice fo Taxpayers
CITY OF PALMER
The Common Council of Palmer will sit as a Board
of Equalization starting at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, April
27, 1955 at the office of the City Clerk for the purpose
of equalizing the taxes and hearing protests, if any, of
tax payers who wish to protest their assessment.
Protests may be filed wi th Tax Assessor Rex Ehrhart
at his office in the Neil Wright Bldg, at any time prior to
5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26, 1955. Forms for filing
protests are available at the said Tax Assessor's office.
f.
City Council
Proceedings
Correspondence read at the
April 19 meeting of the City
Council included a request from
the Matanuska Electric Associa
tion that suspension of payments
of property tax be allowed pend
ing clarification of existing law
j pertaining to cooperatives ex
' empt from paying taxes. Rex
I Ehrhart, tax assessor, was in
structed to notify MEA of the
Board of Equalization hearings to
be held' April 27, at which time
their request could be consider
ed.
* * *
A unanimous vote by council
members would terminate the ex
isting contract with The Alaska
Railroad unless the purchasers of
the city telephone system indi
cate a desire to have the contract
transferred to them and assume ;
contract charges.
* * *
The Public Health Nurse’s re
port for the month of March was
presented, including the expense
account listing.
* * * *
An application from an Anch
orage resident inquiring about
openings in the police depart
ment was placed on file and the
applicant will be so advised.
* * *
The resignation of Mrs. Mari
on Anderson, part time employee
in the city clerk’s office, was
read and accepted with regret.
Mrs. Anderson plans to take a
full time position elsewhere in
the city.
* * *
Fire Chief Ray Lancaster re
ported he had been contacted on
burning stump rows within the
city. He told council members
he had checked the areas and
suggested they could be safely
burned prior to May 1. A motion
to permit the stump row burn
ing, providing the property own
er seek permission from the fire
chief was passed. Other sugges
tions offered were that the
burning be done under supervi
sion; that old fire hose be used
to wet down hot coals; that burn
ing be completed prior to May 1
fire season and that only one
stump row fire be permitted at
the same time.
* * *
Other reports from the fire
chief included a meeting schedul
ed for April 25 at the fire hall to
which all property owners in the
city will be urged to attend.
* * *
Shortly after the first of the
month twice monthly practise
sessions will be held for all vol
unteer firemen. Chief Lancaster
also announced plans to test the
siren at the fire hall Friday noon.
* * *
Members of the street commit
t tee and Russ Felzien of the street
department made reports on
! street conditions. They expressed
a hope to obtain crushed rock
that can be used on the streets
as soon as whether conditions
permit. The problem was refer
red back to the street committee
for further study.
* * *
Following a discussion on why
all street department equipment
is not parked at the fire hall,
council members voted 4-1 to
postpone the enforcement until
feasible of the motion made in
November, 1954, requiring city
equipment be parked at the fire
hall and that city employees re
port to the fire hall each morn
ing. Felzien pointed out that
space does not permit parking the
grader in the fire hall. The de
senting vote was cast by Coun
cilman Alfred Hagen.
* * *
Members of the water and sew
er committee reported a fire hy
drant damaged by a vehicle this
week is being repaired by the
person responsible for the acci
dent.
* * *
Acting Mayor Betty Mears told
(Continued on page 5)
Make a Dale
Saturday, April 23rd
GRANGE SPAGHETTI
DINNER
SINGING WAITRESSES
SERVING
5:30 to 8:00 P.M.
Adulis $1.50—Children $1.00
rainier Band, Glee
Club Baled Superior
A! Music Festival
The Palmer High School band
and Girls’ Glee club received
ratings of superior for their per
formances at the Southwestern
Alaska Music Festival held in
Anchorage on Friday and Satur
day of last week.
Numerous valley residents
made the trip to Anchorage to
see and hear the Palmer students
perform. All appeared justly
proud of the more than 100 par
ticipants from the local schools.
Professor Lloyd Oakland of the
University of Montana music de
partment served as director of
the massed bands and choruses
on Saturday evening. In his role
of adjudicator Prof. Oakland
paid high tribute to Lee Plumb
ley, band master and Mrs. Lois
Weldon, glee club director. Am
ong his interesting comments was
. . . “this band merits good equip
ment. Support for quality instru
ments is essential in any situa
tion but especially important in
a situation in which the director
knows what he is doing and could
take full advantage of good j
equipment. It is no secret that
this band and these studens are !
handicapped now by many in- i
fenor horns. But all considered,
it was very commendable.”
Local Contraclors
To Build Co-Op’s
New Creamery Building
Sandvik and Roark, local con
tractors, will be awarded the
contract to build the new $100,
000 M. V. F. C. A. creamery
building in the Spenard area,
Stewart Durrant, Co-Op general
manager announced this week.
Members of the Co-Op Board of
Directors made the award at
their recent meeting.
Well drilling on the company’s
property is expected to be com
pleted this week, Durrant said,
and the contractors hope to be
gin work on the new building
shortly after the first of May.
Sam Cotton has done the well
drilling work.
The new building will house
sharp rooms, vegetable storage
space, the office of the Matan
uska Dairy, and garage space for
six trucks. The company hopes to
be able to move in early this1
coming fall.
Clayton Esslinger, Frank Clark
and Durrant plan to fly to Fair
banks Friday where they will
work on plans for the new Fair
banks creamery addition. While
in Fairbanks Durrant will make
an address at the final session of
the University of Alaska Dairy
Short Course. He will speak on
marketing of dairy products.
ADMINISTRATOR AT
HOSPITAL RESIGNS
Lloyd Morley, Valley Presby
terian Hospital administrator,
submitted his resignation to the
hospital board of directors at the
April 15 meeting. His resigna
tion was accepted with regrets
by the board. Also resigning the
same night was Jasper Skok,
board member. His resignation
was also accepted- with regret.
No replacements have yet been
named.
During reports made at the
meeting it was brought out that
collections the past month have
been better, especially in the pri
vate-pay class. Board members
attributed this to the education
al program being conducted by
local doctors and the adminis
trator. The patient load for
March was 12.3 as compared with
9.7 during the month of Febru
ary.
Members voted to hold open
house from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at
the Valley Presbyterian Hospital
on Sunday, May 8 in observance
of National Hospital Week.
An organizational chart, pre
pared by the personnel and pol
icy committee, was accepted by
the board and will be put into
operation in the hospital. It was
adopted to facilitate job anaylis
is and organization of depart
ments.
The hospital administrator and
John Weisenberger, association
president, will follow up a sug
gestion that the local hospital
house two Cerebral Palsy pa
tients on a yearly basis. The sug
gestion came from Robert Lewis,
chairman of the worthy projects
committee of the Territorial Elks.
The Elks would pay expenses of
$12 per day for the two patients
and supply special beds, equip
ment, medicine and therapy as
needed. Local physatdans would
be used on certain check-up
work.
Judge J. L. McCarrey
Denies Recall Election
The petition for recall of Betty
Mears, councilwoman in the City
of Palmer, was thrown out of
District Court in Anchorage on
Friday of last week when Judge
J. L. McCarrey ruled against the
petition on the basis that A1 Ha
CITY INCOME TOTALS
$44,633.99 DURING
PAST SIX MONTHS
A statement of income and
expenses for the City of Pal
mer for the past six months
showed an actual income of
$44,633.99. This included in
come from October 1, 1954
through March 31, 1955. The
statement was prepared by
City Clerk Frank Connally
and presented at the April 19
meeting of the City Council.
Total expenditures during
the period were $46,703.09,
showing a deficit of $2,069.10.
Loss on the telephone system
accounted for the entire defic
it figure, plus an additional
$254.85.
Estimated revenue figures
(total $99,063.57) as appear in
the 1954-55 budget, are run
ning behind $4,897.79. It was
pointed out that at the six
month period last year the
same condition was noted, but
by the end of the year esti
mated income figures had
come up to total anticipated.
Among revenues not reaching
the half-way mark by March
31 included sales and service
tax, Territorial license re
funds, building permits, dog
license^, police magistrate
fines, telephone revenue and
miscellaneous revenue.
Chamber Members
Hear of Alaska
Chamber Convention
George Crowther of the De
partment of Agriculture made a
report on his attendance at the
Alaska Chamber of Commerce
convention held last week at
Juneau during the April 19 meet
ing of the local Chamber.
The program opened on April
14 with a no host luncheon with
the Juneau Chamber, followed
by an afternoon meeting of the
Board of Directors. Addresses
were given during the conven
tion by: Governor B. Frank
Heintzleman; Yukichi Ishida, vice
president of Alaska Lumber and
Pulp Co., Inc.; Rear Admiral
Kenneth L. Craig, commander
Alaskan Sea Frontier; General
John B. Noyes, of the Alaska Na
tional Guard; Dr. William K.
Keller, education department,
University of Alaska; Robert
Woodcock, assistant director, ec
onomic research, Stanford Re
search Institute, Portland; and
representatives of Seattle and
Portland Chambers.
A panel discussion, Promotion
of the Use of Alaska’s Resources
and Products, was held Saturday
afternoon in which Crowther
participated, along with Tom
Morgan, president, Alaska Ply
wood Corp., Col. Carl Farrell,
District Engineer, Ken Sheppard,
Alaska Concrete Products, Linn
Forrest, Architect, A. Anderson,
Alaska Development Board, Ivan
Bloch, Bloch and Associates, and
John Buckley, FWS Cooperative
Unit, College.
Other business conducted at
the local Chamber meeting in
cluded a discussion of the forth
coming Colony Day celebration
and a booklet which will be
printed commemorating the
event.
gen, councilman, had taken an
active part in the circulation of
the petition. A territorial law pro
vides that if an elected official
participates in the circulation of
a recall'petition it is automati
cally held invalid.
Councilman Hagen was not in
?ourt during the proceedings.
City Attorney John Shaw told
the court a Deputy Marshal had
made’ attempts throughout the
previous day to serve a subpoena
for his appearance as a witness.
Bailey E. Bell, attorney for the
petitioners, stated he had request
ed Hagen be present at the hear
ing.
Approximately 40 Palmer resi
dents were in attendance at the
hearing, many of whom had been
served subpoenas. A. L. Smith,
local business man, testified he
had been approached by Hagen,
as did Mrs. Marion Duff and
Howard Guyes. Others called to
stand were Albert J. Mathews,
Elaine Ward, Steve Ward, Neal
Wright, Ethel King, and Bailey
Bell. • '■
Mrs. King, notary public, testi
fied that she had administered
the oath to each petitioner who
signed the petition. However, at
least one witness testified that
her signature had not been wit
nessed by Mrs. King. Following
Mrs. King's testimony Attorney
Shaw requested the Court call
the District Attorney on the mat
ter. Judge McCarrey suggested
that Attorney Shaw exercise his
responsibiliy and notify the Dis
trict Attorney of any infractions
he was aware of pertaining to
Mrs. King’s testimony that she
had witnessed each signature.
In dismissing the petition
Judge McCarrey chided the resi
dents of Palmer. “If this election
was ordered and this same testi
mony was brought out as today,
the election would have to be
declared void. This should be a
good lesson to you people of Pal
mer to be careful of what you
sign. By not knowing what you
are signing you not only under
mine your elected officials but
injure your friends and neigh
bors as well.”
PLAN SIREN TEST
Fire Chief Ray Lancaster
announced today that tomor
row (Friday) there will be a
fire siren test made sometime
bet weed 12 o’clock noon and
1:00 p.m. The test will be per
formed on the siren located
at the fire hall and will be su
pervised by Chief Lancaster
and Robert Bouwens of the
telephone department.
GARDEN HEADQUARTERS
Bulbs:
• Dahlia • Anemone • Lily
• Ranunculus • Gladiola
• • Bleeding Hearts
• Exhibition Dahlias
Seeds:
• Burpee’s Famous Seeds
Garden Aids: *
• Black Magic • Chlorodust
Arriving Soon:
• Rose Bushes • Peonies
New shipment Haeger Pottery
MATANUSKA VALLEY
GARDENS
Theatre Building
NOTICE
Dr. E. E. Bach, optome
trist, will be in Palmer
for eye, examinations
May 4
For appointment call Lavonne
Johnson at Valley Beauty
Shop, 3301.
REVIVAL
NOW IN PROGRESS
First Baptist Church
PALMER, ALASKA,
Nightly thru May 1
Each night except Sat.
7:45 p.m.
Rev. Don Richey, pastor of
the Grace Temple Baptist
Church, Waco, Texas, the
Evangelist
Good religious film
each Sun. & Mon. night.
Special choir each night for
children 12 and under.
EVERYONE INVITED
DON RICHEY, evangelist