VOL. 4, NUMBER 36.
Knlley Montierximun
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
PALMER. ALASKA. FRIDAY. MAY 18. 1951.
4 1 PAGES
IL TODAY
PRICE 10c
Construction Starts On Water Main
MATANUSKA MINES DRILLED
FOR DEFENSE NEEDED COAL
Exploration of coal areas in the
Palmer region to fill vital defense
industry needs is being rushed
by the U. S. Bureau of Mines,
under direction of S. H. Lorain,
director region 1, Juneau.
The Pennsylvania Drilling Co.,
Tuesday started drilling to deter
mine possibilities for develop
ment of additional coal reserves
in the Wishbone Hill area. This
operation is under contract with
the Bureau of Mines, Robert R.
May, project field officer in Pal
mer, said today.
The Matanuska valley is the
principal source of bituminus coal
in the Territory, May said. Ex
ploratory drilling operations, car
ried on for several years, now are
stepped up under the defense pro
gram.
“We are trying to find addi
tional bituminous coal to meet in
creased demands in the railbelt,”
May said, “for army, power and
steam plants, construction needs.”
Drilling will be done on Wish
bone hill this year and probably
some near Houston, Mile 76, and
in the Homer area on the Kenai
peninsula.
In charge of the Pennsylvania
Drilling company operations is C.
J. Triplett of Kentucky. Donald
M. Ford of the Alaskan section
gif the U. S. Geological Survey is
consulting geologist, in addition
to his regular duties in this area. ■
Ford’s headquarters probably
will be the U.S.G.S. offices in the
Wright building, Palmer.
Crews at Work
When the drilling gets into full
swing within the next few weeks
about 16 men will be employed
on the Wishbone hill job, prob
ably half of them local workmen,
May estimated.
The drillers’ camp is being set
up one and one-half miles west
of Jonesville. On the staff are
five from the head office in Pitts
burgh.
“We expect to get a 4,000-foot
hole drilled this season,” May
said. “We’ll have to build an
additional 3,000 feet of access
road in conjunction with the
drilling to get supplies.”
Coal Sources Sought
In seeking coal for defense in
dustries, the Bureau of Mines, in
addition to its present drilling, is
interested in assisting other local j
coal properties in the way of tech- i
nical advice and in the planning
of drilling in new locations.
“This all takes time and imme
diate reports and results can’t be
expected,” he warned.
“The entire Matanuska field
warrants extensive investigation
due to the fact it contains the
best available bituminous coal in j
* the Territory.”
May said the Bureau of Mines 1
“welcomes anyone who knows of 1
old coal developments which
*might produce.” i
* “We’ll be glad to consult and
help in any way we can to get
development of coal property
started,” he said.
The property first is examined.
Then, if the mine face is open
the Bureau of Mines takes a
standard sample and analyzes it
at no cost to the mine owner. If
the sample tests high enough, and
other conditions warrant, the
mine operator may apply for gov
ernment assistance on property
to which he has title or lease.
Hope of the Bureau of Mines
is that new and old bituminous
coal properties can be put into
production for defense demands.
JET PLANES TO ZIP
OVER PALMER
Jet aircraft will zoom over
Palmer at 10:30 tomorrow, Sat
urday.
Almost faster than the eye
can see, formations of the 57th
Fighter Interceptor group will
make two flights over the area
at 10:30 a.m. at about 2,000
feet.
Flight, by formation 36F80,
is in observance of national
Armed Forces day, honoring
men in uniform of all the
branches of the service.
Chaplain Wm. J, Clasby
Guest Speaker At
Kiwanis Meeting
Palmer Kiwanis club held la
dies’ night at their regular meet
ing, Monday, at the Co-Op club
room.
A dynamic and forceful speak
er, Col. William J. Clasby, chap
lain of the Alaska air command,
was enthusiastically received
when he spoke on “Observations
of an Air Force Chaplain” before
an appreciative audience. Chap
lain Clasby has gained renown
(Continued on Page 9)
All Alaska Invited to Share in Colony Day Celebration
All Alaska and visitors from Outside are invited to the famous
Matanuska Valley's Colony day celebration to be held in Palmer.
Main events are Sunday. May 27. but preliminary is the Norih
and Pioneer Grange sponsored dance, Saturday night, May 26, when
:he May queen is chosen.
Events for Colony day include the luscious free barbeque (the
pit is being built as a permanent part of the fairgrounds), full array
of sports, baseball and horseracing. There will be a beauty parade,
a carnival with all its assorted attractions; games and entertainment
for the children.
borne of the original colonists
vho came to a strange valley
:alled Matanuska, stuck out the
lardships and remained to pros
ier are among the main planners
“or Colony day.
The Valley Frontiersman in its
aext issue will carry a page of the
‘Colony day” photos.
surprise events are sun unaer
the hat of the committee. Rumors
are military bands, possibly an
air circus.
Reports made by Don Irwin,
chairman, are that “all commit
tees are working—Expenses are
taken care of except for extra
features . . . .” He praised the
work of the finance committee
and the cooperation of most of
the citizens. Posters in store win
dows indicate those who are help
ing sponsor Colony day.
Anchorage Bids Palmer C of C
Palmer Chamber of Commerce
members are invited by the An
chorage Chamber of Commerce
to a barbeque game luncheon at
the Dr. Lee McKinley home, Wed
nesday, June 27.
Members of the chambers of
commerce of Honolulu, Hawaii,
and Portland, Ore., also have been
invited. Following the luncheon
guests will make a sightseeing
tour of the valley.
NEW HOSPITAL
FUNDS FOR $464,000
APPROVED BY AHG
Palmer will have a new hos
pital.
That was assured in a joint
meeting Tuesday night of the city
council and the Valley Hospital
association with Dr. C. E. Al
brecht, Territorial commissioner
of health.
“It must be a community ef
fort,” Dr. Albrecht stressed.
The council agreed operation
of the hospital shall continue un
der the Valley Hospital associa
tion, Inc., “as is.” Dr. Albrecht
cited other Alaskan cities and de
clared the successfully operated
hospitals are under church spon
sorship.
He approved application for
federal funds to aid in building
and equipping a $464,000 Palmer
community hospital, and praised
the application submitted.
Financing Hospital
Funds for financing construc
tion of the new hospital include
$50,000 from the Presbyterian
board of missions already avail
able so architectural and prelimi
nary work can start, plus addi-1
tional funds to the total of $120,
000. Also designated for Palmer
hospital are Territorial funds of
$107,000 and Hill-Burton federal
funds of $230,500 “if the commu
nity does its part.”
The hospital board says it ex
pects $6,500 from local contribu
tions. This fund, they said, “is
in sight.”
Asked outright by a member of
the city council if the hospital, be
cause of its funds from the Pres
byterian national board of mis
sions had a discriminatory clause
in its contract, the answer was
emphatically NO—either as to pa
tients or staff—no discrimination
as to race, creed or color.
Plans Ready
Plans for the new hospital have
been drawn, board members re
ported, by Ed Crittenden, An
Continued on page 13
COUNCIL AND CO-OP WORK TO
SOLVE WATER EMERGENCY
Fast measures to meet Palmers' water shortage crisis are under
way today through united efforts of the new city council and the
Matanuska Valley Farmers' Cooperative association.
Homeowners and business houses—now harassed by daily water
shutoffs—may anticipate early relief.
Negotiations completed between the city council committee. A.
V. Hagen and Dr. Allan Mick, and the Co-Op acting general manager.
Carl Rasmussen will result in an emergency tap line increasing the
city's water supply.
City Fathers
Implore Public
For Folding Chairs
The city fathers may raise a
blister or two unless someone
comes to the rescue. They
don't have enough chairs to go
round for the council and the
inquiring citizens who come as
delegations or to listen in. The
present "little city hall" in
Sever ns' cabinet shop has no
benches. ..Borrowed ..chairs
must be returned to the Moose
lodge. The council, which at
last report had all of 43 cents
in its treasury, can't afford to
rent seals, so respectfully re*
quests that anyone with a fold
ing chair please lend it. The
request is serious—and from
the bottom of—their hearts.
TACOMA DELEGATES
INVITE PALMER
C of C TO MEET
Palmer Chamber of Commerce
members are invited to attend
the Anchorage Chamber of Com
merce meeting Monday noon May
21, at the Aleutian Gardens.
Eleven Tacoma business men
will spend four days at Anchor
age and will be guests at the
meeting.
E. Thomson, general manager
af the Tacoma Plumbing Supply
company will act as spokesman
for the group.
Palmer members planning to
attend have been asked to notify
Secretary Betty Mears so reserv
ations may be made.
uuuei tut: agi eeiiieiu, me
Op will extend its present water
lines with a pipeline to Carnegie
creek for additional water sup
ply. The Co-Op will underwrite
the expansion financially.
In the emergency the line will
be of the quickest available con
struction; part of it built from
borrowed pipe, part open flume.
Regardless of the rush and
probably temporary construction,
the Co-Op assures the water will
be pure, and the plan has the ap
proval of James A. Westbrook,
assistant director, division of sani
tation and engineering, Alaska
Department of Health.
Construction Starts
Work on construction of the
2,700 feet of pipe and flume to
extend Palmer’s water supply al
ready is under way. Charles
Parker of Thomas B. Bourne As
sociates of Alaska, engineers em
ployed by the city, has made a
survey of the project. Stakes are
set and the grade has been deter
mined. Ample supply and pres
sure should result.
Big problem is labor to do a
rush job of building the water
line extension. Everyone who
wants water is needed to put the
job through. Volunteers are
urged to sign up at once with A1
Hagen. Pipe laying and ditch
digging will start early next
week.
“This is an emergency. All of
us who want water must pitch
in and help to get it,” Hagen said.
In constructing the water ex
tension line, available capital may
be needed to pay for bulldozer
and other equipment. To raise
these funds, the city council may
ask Water users to pay their water
bills, possibly 6 months, in ad
vance. But the council made it
clear that such a request will not
be made until the necessary work
to increase the water supply is
actually done.
Legal counsel to handle con
tracts, applications for matching
funds and other imperative mat
ters has been retained and is
working on speeding the water
problem. Harold Butcher is the
counsel for Palmer and Ed Davis
is representing the Co-Op.
The water committee of the
city council today voiced their
appreciation of “the efforts of the
Co-Op in helping to meet the
water emergency.”
In discussing the water emer
gency with the council at their
Tuesday night meeting, West
brook recommended that imme
(Continued on Page 12)