Saturday, June 21st is
The Longest Day of the Year
with 19 hours and 25 minutes
of possible sunlight
in the Matanuska Valley
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
TRY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD for that
item you may hare for tale. .
rent or lease.
VOL V. NO. 41
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. JUNE 19. 1952
PRICE TEN CENTS
New Local Attorney Appointed City Clerk
Survey of Palmer Stores Reveals No
Immediate Food Shortage Due to Strike
Although other Alaskan com- j
munities are experiencing serious '
shortages of food as a result of
The tie-up of Alaska Steamship
Company shipping by the Sailors j
Union of 4he Pacific (AFL), food j
was still plentiful in Palmer’s j
stores this week. Other shortages,!
however, were delaying comple-1
tion of building now in progress j
and adding additional costs for j
air-freight shipments.
In a quick survey of Palmer
businesses this week it was learn-'
ed that the Ketchikan Spruce j
Mill has five carloads of building
materials held up on the Seattle
docks. Three of these already are
loaded on the S. S. Victoria, whose !
sailing was cancelled some time
ago. These materials consist of J
wallboard, plywood sheetrock.
doors, window’s, shakes, and shin-j
gles.
The Co-Op was caught by the
strike with a short supply of
powered milk and fat for its mil
itar- contracts for recombined
milk. Ten thousand pounds of
these ingredients had to be flown j
in by air-freight at a cost of $2,
000. Another shipment by barge
was arranged for, and if this j
comes in all right, the Co-Op sup
ply of these vital materials should
* last for four months. Co-Op Man
ager Roy Brock said the ware
house was lucky in having a good
stock of feed on hand so there
should be no nr♦ ...Tier-;
gency as far as the Valley's cattle
and poultry’ are concerned. Before
such an emergency does arrive, he
said, it should be possible to ar
range for shipment by barge. The
Coastwdse Lines are also running,
he pointed out. Co-Op supplies of
groceries and building materials
are good, he added, and orders are
in for more. The situation didn’t
look too bad at the Co-Op.
Graser’s Hardware got in a big
shipment just before the strike,
but w’hen that’s gone, said Mrs.
Agnes Reed, “we’ll be in the same
boat as everyone else.” Maintain
ing her sense of humor, Mrs. Reed
added that she hoped they could
sell everything out by July 4 so
they could go on a sit dow’n strike
themselves and have a nice vaca
tion.
Art Stacey, who operates a
wholesale grocery business near
the airport, had his stocks almost
cleaned out two weeks ago when
worried customers started storing
up for the duration. Since then
his stocks have been replenished
by more shipments.
At Koslosky’s Art Madison ob
served that there are no immedi
ate shortages in that store thanks
to the large inventories maintain
ed. He feared, though, that the
pinch would be felt in Palmer
later even though the strike is
settled soon. The already huge
backlog of shipping, he fears, will
delay the scheduled replenishing
of the inventories.
Ed Johns at North Palmer store
said that he’s been lucky—so far.
Stocks in his store should be
POLICE POLICY
CLARIFIED
City Council members agreed
last ni^ht that the responsibility
of the • community in policing ac
tivities is properly cohfined to
the streets and similar public
property.
Local barrooms and saloons are
expected to maintain order with
in their establishments. Police
Chief Bernie Bouwens was in
structed to take over only when
and if disturbances overflowed in
to the city’s streets.
“okay” for the next 30 days. After j
that—“it’s hard to tell.” He obser- !
ved that groceries are still getting !
through on the Alaska Freight j
Lines. However, he added, the
traffic on these lines may get so
heavy that only a small trickle
will seep into Palmer.
Already the strike has had its
effect on the completion of two
new office buildings in Palmer,
although the scheduled occupancy
of the offices is expected to take
place in spite of the shortage. Of
fices in Lloyd Sevems’ new sec
ond story addition will be without
their Venetian blinds and lighting
fixtures for a while, but lack of
the latter couldn’t have happened
at a better time. Lighting fixtures
for the New Neal Wright Building j
addition arrived in time, but some j
of the hardware for doors had to
be re-ordered locally.
Hollywood Troupe
To Attend McKinley
Farm Barbecue Friday
Chamber of Commerce mem
bers and their guests who wish to
attend the barbecue being given
tomorrow noon at the Butte farm
home of Dr. Lee McKinley An
honor of the World Premiere
troupe may get S3 tickets for the
, event at the barbecue; a few
; tickets are available at Betty’s or
, from Bill Rempel.
The barbecue is being given by
the Anchorage Chamber of Com
merce in honor of the Hollywood
troupe that will put on a show at
the world premiere of the Uni
I versal-Intemational movie “Wor
ld in His Arms" at Anchorage’s
Fourth Avenue Theater tomorrow
night. The all-star troupe is head
ed by Ann Blyth who co-stars
with Gregory Peck in the film.
Besides the 60 Hollywood en
: tertainers and newsmen accom
panying the troupe, 20 members
of the Portland Chamber of Com
merce, now on a tour of Alaska,
are expected to be present at the
McKinley farm for the barbecue.
Guests are expected to arrive at
11 a.m., with the barbecue lunch
: being served about 12 o’clock
| noon. The affair is expected to
break up by 2 p.m. to permit the
: visitors a brief tour of the Val
ley before returning to Anchor
age for the 7 p.m. premiere.
GEORGE JOHNSON,
LOCAL BARBER, DIES
George Johnson, local barber,
was found dead in his cabin Tues
day morning, June 17, by two
: friends who feared he was ill.
Ben Marino and Tony Corvich
found Johnson’s body in his cab
in, where apparently he had died
in his sleep. They immediately
notified the U. S. Commissioner.
The body was taken to the Anch
orage Funeral Home, where it
will remain until funeral arrange
ments are made. A telegram was
i sent to relatives in Michigan’s
Upper Peninsula by members of
i the local Moose Lodge, of which
Johnson was a member.
Johnson was the brother of Ar
j vid Johnson, former Matanuska
Valley dairyman and original
lolonist now living in Crystal
Falls, Michigan. The deceased had
lived in the Valley for several
years following two years’ Army
service in the Pacific Theater.
Discharged in December of 1944,
he was recalled to duty from Pal
mer in September of 1945, serv
ing at Fort Richardson until he
(Continued on Page 10)
$26,500 ADDITION
TO PALMER SCHOOL
STARTED TODAY
Swift action on the part of the
Palmer School District Board re
sulted today in the beginning of a
new $26,000 addition to the pres
ent school to forestall a shortage
of classroom space when school
opens next September.
In sharp contrast with the
months of waiting associated with
public construction under federal
help plans, the School Board was
able to act quickly in the emer
gency through the use of tobacco
tax revenues specifically ear
marked for school structures.
Last week contractors in the area
were canvassed to submit bids for
a second-story addition to the
south wing of the school begun
two years ago. This action follow
ed a fruitless survey of the city
for suitable classroom space on a
rental basis. Bids were opened in
a special session of the School
Board yesterday afternoon. The
contract was awarded to Sandvik
and Roark, local contractors who
had submitted the low bid of
$26,500. The successful bidders
planned to start today on the con
struction which is due for comple
tion August 31 of this year.
The second-floor addition of the
new wing will provide four small
classrooms for high school classes,
Superintendent T. Zahradnicek
stated. Elaborating on the class
room emergency, he pointed out
that Palmer High School last year
graduated 20 seniors. Next Sep
tember 63 freshmen will take
their places. The sophomore,
junior and senior classes are ex
Continued on page 10
Construction Starts
On First Baptist
Church of Palmer
Construction started this week
on the First Baptist Church, of
Palmer with excavation at the
site on the corner of Matanuska
Street and Gulkana Avenue.
Rev. A. V. Richey is the pastor
of the local congregation, which
has been holding Sunday services
in Carpenter’s Hall for more than
a year. With the congregation fre
quently numbering a hundred or
more for the regular morning j
services, church members are J
hoping that their new building
will be completed by October 1.
Footings are already being er
ected for the 70-foot by 35-foot
building. A modem, Spanish-de
sign church is planned with a flat
roof, from which will rise a 36
foot belfry. The belfry will make
the building the tallest in Pal
mer—to date. Pumica blocks will
be used for the church exterior.
The church auditorium will oc
cupy the first floor in its
entirety. Located in the full
tion in helping on the church con
plete kitchen, and two rest rooms.
Two college student couples
! will spend their summer vaca
I tion inhelping on the church con
i struction and in church work.
They are Mr. and Mrs. Leonard
Krise of Wayland College, Plain-j
view, Texas, and Mr. and Mrs.
Billie Bickel of Texas Tech, lo
cated at Lubbock, Texas.
According to plan, dedication
ceremonies for the new church
will be held some time during the
month of October.
Farmers' Market Members To Improve
Booths in Preparation for July 5 Opening
Saturday evening, June 21,
members of the Valley Farmers’
Market Association will meet at
the market site to put shiplap on
the back and metal roofing on j
the top of six 10-foot booths.
Money for this improvement
will be drawn from the associa- j
tion treasury, which swelled last j
year from booth and membership,
fees. The land where the market
operates will again be donated:
rent free by the Co-Op.
A regular meeting of the asso
ciation was held on May 28 at
the home of its president, Howard
Estelle. From the enthusiasm i
demonstrated at that meeting, j
members are certain that the ■
Farmers’ Market, which got off
to a fine start last year under the
guidance of Florence Eby, will
be able to meet the needs of the
public even better this season.
It was unanimously agreed by
the members that only Alaska
grown or Alaska-made articles
would be sold at the market.!
Above all, they decided, they
wanted to show the public the ex
i cellence of produce grown in the
! Valle:'. The market also provides
an outlet for the sale of vege
, tables, poultry, and other items
for those farmers who do not pro
duce enough to sell in wholesale
quantities. Many times last year,
it was noted, tourists stopped to
marvel at the variety of vege
tables grown in Alaska.
This year members feel that
they know better what the pub
lic wants. There will be more
dressed broilers, fryers, and hens;
some fresh eggs, strawberries, and
raspberries in season; rhubarb,
radishes, carrots, swiss chard,
lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower,
broccoli, potatoes, peas, string
beans, turnips, turnip greens,
green summer squash, green
house cucumbers and tomatoes,
as well as baked goods and some
handicraft items.
In the absence of Florence Eby,
who is in the States for a year,
Thomas Moyer has kindly offer
ed to serve as market master
without salary. Mr. Moyer has
done a fine job of publicizing the
| Valley through the Matanuska
Valley Record, and he will be
given an opportunity to display
the Record in his booth office.
Onyone who wishes to sell may
see Mr. Moyer at the market. The
association membership fee is
$2.00 and the daily charge for a
booth is $1.00 or five percent of
the gross receipts for a regular
seller and ten percent for an oc
casional seller, whichever is the
greater.
The market will open this year
t on Saturdays and Sundays with
! the opening date set for July 5.
Most sellers will arrive at 10 a.m.
and stay until sold out or until
5 p.m. The widest selection of
produce will be found in the
morning.
1952-53 FISHING LICENSES
Territorial Sport Fishing
stamps for the fiscal year begin
ning July 1, 1952 are on sale now
in the U. S. Commissioner’s of
fice. Stamps for resident citizens
cost $1 and those for non-resident
citizens or aliens cost $3.
Federal fishing licenses for the
year July 1, 1952 to July 1, 1953
are expected to arrive at Bert’s
Drug Store this week-end and
will go on sale to those who have
1951-52 licenses on June 22.
WM. HEAD RESIGNS CITY CLERK'S JOB
JOHN D. SHAW TAKES OVER ON JULY l
With regret the City Council [
Last night accepted William!
Head’s resignation as City Clerk,
effective July 1. Appointment of
John D. Shaw, law partner of
City Attorney Harold Butcher,
to fill the vacancy thus created
was announced at the same time.
Mr. Shaw expects to open a
law office in the Severns building
next week and will be ready to
assume his duties as City Clerk
in his new quarters by July 1.
The City Council moved a vote
of thanks to Mr. Head for a job
well done. Commenting on Head’s
contributions to the newly incor
porated city of Palmer, Mayor
Carl Meier voiced the heartfelt!
gratitude for the fledgling Coun
cil. He pointed out that “Mr.
Head’s active support of incorpor
ation contributed immeasurably
to the welfare of the entire com
munity. For four months he serv
ed without pay; his counsel and
Anchorage Elks Offer
Transportation to
Blood Bank Donors
Anyone in the - Valley who
wishes to volunteer a pint of
blood to the Red Cross Blood
Bank set up in Anchorage this
week will be furnished transpor
tation to Anchorage by the Anch
orage Elks Lodge.
Volunteers may leave their
names with U. S. Commissioner
Dorothy Saxton tomorrow or
early Saturday and if a sufficient
number respond, a bus will be
dispatched from Anchorage to
furnish return-trip transportation.
The Anchorage Eks Lodge of
fer come after efforts had been
made by the local Elks Lodge
and Beta Sigma Phi to have the
blood bank equipment brought to
Palmer. The local lodge had
pledged 80 pints and it was be
lieved that other donors in the
Valley would bring the total close
to 500. However, the local offer
was rejected by the Red Cross in
Anchorage because it was deemed
impractical to set up the equip
ment here for such a small num
ber. Another reason given against
the Palmer set-up was that the
airport here was too small to ac
commodate the B-29s that fly out
the refrigerated blood.
Blood plasma extracted from
the blood donated to the blood
bank is very much needed for
Korean battle casualties. Four
pints of blood and two pints of
plasma are required to restore
one battle casualty to health.
$54N)0 OF SALES TAX
FUND GOES TO SCHOOL
A budget for Palmer School
District’s fiscal year 1952-53 was
approved at last night’s Council
meeting despite an indicated def
icit of some $22,000.
The Council voted unanimously
to appropriate $5,000 from the
general sales tax revenues to the
School Board to make up at least
a part of the estimated deficit.
This appropriation is to be made
in two equal payments: the first
on September 1, 1952; the second
on March 1, 1953—providing, of
course, that funds are available
on those dates. The unanimous
vote of the Council indicates that
its members will make every ef
fort to see that the first payment
is made on time.
active participation in organizing
the city administration during
the difficult period were of in
calculable benefit to the Council
and the city. He helped design the
sales tax ordinance and has ad
ministered it almost single-hand
edly since its adoption. His un
flagging efforts in planning and
obtaining financial support for a
new water and sewer system have
contributed to the eminent solu
tion of these pressing problems.
For the past four months the bur
den of supervising the community
telephone system has fallen on
his capable shoulders.
“We all sympathize with Bill’s
desire to devote more time to his
private practice,” the mayor ad
ded, “but we nevertheless regret
the loss of his service to the city
and the Council.”
The new city clerk came to
Alaska in 1944. He studied law
at the University of California
and completed his legal studies
as a law clerk in Attorney Butch
er’s office. He was admitted to
practice law in the Territory of
Alaska in October, 1951.
' He has been an almost constant
I visitor at Council meetings during
the past year and is well oriented
regarding Palmer’s city affairs,
having handled many details as
i associate of City Attorney Butch
ed. He plans to bring his family
to Palmer as soon as suitable
housing can be found.
One other application for City
Clerk was submitted in person
last night by D. T. MaMahon. He
offered to serve as full-time City
Clerk with pay commensurate
with that received by the other
two city department heads or as
part-tme Clerk during evening
| hours. In either case it would
have been necessary for the Coun
; cil to have rented an office. With
the part-time appointment agreed
; upon, the Council postpones the
! additional expense of such an of
fice. Neal Wright had submitted
i to the Council an offer to rent
desirable quarters in the new ad
dition to his building for $100
monthly for the first year and
S125 thereafter on a three-year
i lease. These quarters would have
| been large enough for Council
meetings. Under the plan adopted,
the Council will continue to meet
the first and third Wednesday of
each month in the Co-Op Club
j Room.
COUNCIL ACTS ON
PHONE EMERGENCY
The City Council telephone
committee was empowered last
night to take immediate steps to
procure a temporary emergencj*
“outside” plant and to obtain the
telephone switchboard offered
by Anchorage some months ago.
It is planned to replace the
tangle of field wire now festoon
ing poles in Palmer’s downtown
section with cable, which will do
much to restore adequate phone
service. It is hoped that part of
this work can be accomplished
I within the next two months.
Twenty-three applications for
new telephones await the instal
lation of 100 phone sets recently
purchased by the Council.
As soon as the new cable is in
stalled, the new switchboard will
be placed in service. The new
switchboard will be capable of
handling a larger number of
phones. It cannot be used with
the present field wire lines be
cause of more sensitive signal de
vices than are in the present
switchboard.