THE FRONTIERSMAN
Entered as second class matter on Oct. 21, 1947, at the post office a’
Palmer, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
A. J. DeJulio_Owner-Manager
Editc-r___Virginia Gallant
Subscription Rates 50c a month, $5 a year In Valley Area
Mailed to all points in Alaska and the United States
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Alaska Constitution
By Ben Hilchcock
Should Alaska adopt a one
house, or “unicameral” legisla
ture? This important question
may come before the Constitu
tional Convention in Fairbanks
next November.
Altough Nebraska is the only
■one of the United States using
the single-chamber system, uni
cameral legislatures exist in all
but two Canadian provinces, in
Norway, in all Swiss cantons,
and aimost all Central Ameri
can countries. Mose U. S. cities,
some larger in population than
several states, have single-cham
ber councils. Practically all coun
cils, conventions, and other delib
erative groups organized in mod
em times meet as single bodies.
Nebraskans merged their sen
ate and house of representatives
into a single body in 1937, and
are satisfied with it. They claim
it has abolished the double ex
pense of two houses; has sim
plified procedure so that press
and public can more easily watch
and understand what is being
done; has made it impossible for
legislators to “pass the buck”
from one house to the other.
They also report that law-mak
ing takes less time.
With these advantages, why
has the unicameral legislature
not been widely adopted in the
United States, where the class
■divisions between lords and
It’s better than
MIND-READING!
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We taxe better tore of year tor {
commons that gave rise to the
two house system do not exist?
Many states have considered
changing, but it is hard to adan
don a tradition so closely con
nected with the growth of demo
cratic government for hundreds
of years.
Because it is so hard to change
once adopted, Alaskans will want
to choose carefully in drafting
a new constitution. It would seem
that a single legislative house,
by Supreme Court and Gover
nor’s veto, as well as by popu
lar initiative and referendum,
should provide simple and de
mocratic government.
Since the charter of the legis
lature is one of the most impor
tant aspects of constituiton-mak
ing, his subject should be dis
cussed further.
COMMENTS
By M. D. Snodgrass
Natural Parks:
Palmer has a park to look at.
Alaska has many natural
parks which should be selected
and spared as we clear land of
virgin timber.
It was recognized and recom
mended that timber along the
North and East boundaries of
farms sohuld be preserved for
wind breaks and for supply tim
ber for the farm home. Especially
the fine stands of "’birch often
found on small hills or rises in
the virgin stand. Our ripe tim-«
ber in such areas should be cut
and removed, V allCjWing the
younger trees greater limb
spread and stronger trunk and
root development. A fine grove
of birch or cottonwood lends
greatly to a farm community,
and greatly enhances the value
of a farm.
For Our Planning eoard
Natural barriers—terrain, riv
ers and railroads or highways
built or planned before our time
naturally influence the course of
human events. The advise and
natural trend of our young plan
ners must crop out and find ex
pression in City Planning, zoning
regulations, and ordinances and
laws. A city must grow. People
coming later must be protected
from viscious unscrupulous cit
izens who sell them short, “any
thing for a sale” type.
Why not call a meeting of pro
perty owners for full discussion
of the zoning before final action.
If a city has services to offer
the out-lying areas, no doubt
they will petition the city for an
nexation.
Just how old must a citizen be
before he becomes exempt from
property taxes? Alaskans gener
ally are willing to pay property
taxes, but as the aged citizen
has a few dollars laid aside to
insure security during his declin
ALASKA STEAMSHIP
SAILINGS
e^WEEK
Serving Alaska Via
Seward or Valdez
MS Coastal Monarch,
FrL, July 1. calling at
Seward (ARR and San
Juan Docks) and Cordo
va.
SS Chena, Tues., July 5,
calling at Valdez and
Seward (ARR dock)
STEAMSHIP COMPANY
Resident Hunters
Spend $1.04 per pound
For Big Game
More than 29,000 residents Al
askan hunters last year devoted
an average of 18.6 days to hunt
ing and fishing and spent an
average of $329.59 doing so.
Total take of these hunters
was approximately 101 pounds
of big game, six pounds of small
game, 4.3 pounds of waterfowl
and seven pounds of fish. The
average cost for these bags was
$1.04 a pound for big game, $8.79
small game, $6.90 waterfowl,
and $20.25 for fish.
Persons attending the Sixth
Alaskan Science Conference at
the University of Alaska learned
these figures in a paper titled
“The Life History and Economics
of the Resident Alaskan Hunter.”
Dr. John L. Buckley, head of the
Alaska Cooperative Wildlife Re
search Unit on campus, present
ed the paper. He obtained his in
formation from replies to more
than 4,000 questionnaires sent to
hunters.
Average age for the male hunt
ers is 33.9 years and 35.5 years
for women. Male hunters out
number women hunters almost
six to one. The average hunter
buys 0.24 shotguns, and 0.25 rif-'
les a year, which cost, respec
tively, an average of $76.01 and
$124.67. The average hunter’s
cameras and films cost him $25.07
a year compared to $80.00 for
his rifles, shotguns, ammunition
and fishing tackle.
The population of resident
hunters has increased 100 per
cent in the five years interval
from 1949 to 1954,” Dr. Buckley
said. “Thus the average rate of
increase has been about 15 per
cent per year.”
A. L. SMITH
BUYS OUT PARTNER
A. L. Smith of Valley Real Es
tate and A. L. Smith Furniture
and Salvage announced this *
week he is now sole owner and
operator of both local businesses,
having purchased his partner’s
share. Richard Benson who has
been affiliated with Smith in the
businesses will devote his time to
his phonograph business and
working on the construction of a
new home just the other side of
the Matanuska River bridge.
Smith will continue his business
office in the Matanuska Hotel
and his warehouse in the quon
set hut next to the hotel.
ing years should he be nounded
and worried by tax notices,
monthly or quarterly? The City
will get most of it very shortly.
Some day we hope to have a
PARK to walk thru. To sit in its
shade, picnic in, play in!!!
North Palmer Children have
long enjoyed a safe and pleasant
walk along the old water line.
Now, that is gone. When will
there be a side walk or sand
walk off the street or road
through this area?
FRONTIERSMAN CLASSIFIEDS
ALWAYS BRING RESULTS
NEW BABIES
Smith
Mr. and Mrs. David F. Smith
of Wasilla are receiving congra
tulations on the birth of their
first child, a son, who was born
at Valley Presbyterian Hospital
on June 18. He weighed seven
pounds, 14 ounces at birth and
has been named Michael David.
Mr. Smith is a garage mechanic.
Cornelius
Patrolman and Mrs. Frank
Cornelius of Palmer are receiv
ing congratulations on the birth,
of a new daughter, Jeweldeen,
who was born at Valley Presby
terian Hospital on June 21,
weighing seven pounds, 13 ounc
es. She is their fifth child. Pa
trolman Cornelius is with the
Territorial Police, setationed in
the Palmer district.
O'Berg
Mr. and Mrs. Russell O’Berg of
Star Route, Anchorage, are re
ceiving congratulations on the
birth of their first boy and fourth
child. Lyle Russell O’Berg was
born at Valley Presbyterian Hos
pital June 19 and weighed seven
pounds, 11 ounces. Mr. O’Berg
is employed as a refrigeration
electrician at Elmendorf Air
Force Base.
SNAKE SHIPMENT
ARRIVES IN VALLEY
A shipment of snakes and oth
er reptiles were recently receiv
ed via air from Tarpon Springs,
Fla. by Jungle-Land, a local or
ganization which plans territory
wide display of the show this
summer, according to Donn
Moyer, a member of the group.
In addition to the reptiles a
shrunken head, courtesy of Ji
varos of Peru, was received. The
shipment included a green drag
on, native habitat, Guam and
Australia. The reptile measures
five feet from nose to tail; a
Tegu beaded lizard from Mexico;
a seven-foot boa constrictor
weighing 15 pounds; a regal py
thon measuring five and one-half
feet; a black Egyptian sand boa;
a blue indigo and many addition
al snakes. The group plans to
open their show on June 27 in
Anchorage where they will dis
When your world
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PALMER FUNERAL
CHAPEL
General Tires
Nygen Tubeless
• Complete Stock # Alt Sizes
See your favorite Garage or Service Station
AUTOMOTIVE PARTS & EQUIPMENT CO.
Your NAPA JOBBERS
ANNOUNCING - - -
SOMETHING NEW - - -
"Matanuska Maid"
HALF and HALF
Use it in the Home just
like cream — wonderful
on berries and cereal and
in milk drinks and coffee.
NOW AVAILABLE at
Your GROCERIES
CO-OP CREAMERY
Matanuska Valley Farmers
Cooperating Association
CHURCHES PLAN
SINGSPIRATION SERVICE
A community wide church-sup
porteid simgispiration service is
planned for Sunday evening,
June 26 at the Church of God on
Matanuska Street. The service
will begin at 8 p.m. and Winter
Harvey of Wasilla will be guest
speaker. A cordial welcome is
extended to the public.
PLANE SERVICE
BID CALLS
Bids for the charter of a 2-en
gine 6-place wheeled aircraft
- which will deliver personnel or
cargo or both to any point in the
Territory on short notice, are
called for by the Alaska District,
Corps of Engineers.
“We require at least a 6-place
plane capable of instrument fly
ing which will meet all CAB
and CAA requirements,” Col.
Carl Y. Farrell, Alaska District
Engineer .said. Service is requir
ed from June 25 to Nov. 15.
play the show for 10 days follow
ig which they will travel to
Kenai, Fairbanks, Valdez and
Palmer. All reptiles are alive
and healthy, Moyer stated.
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THERE
THAT'S
. . I THINK
ALL
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Palmer, Alaska
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