Coming: Palmer In
corporation Election,
• April 10
« Halley Montiersumn
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
n PAGES
IL TODAY
VOL. 4, NUMBER 26
PALMER, ALASKA, FRIDAY. MARCH 9, 1951
PRICE 10c
Proposed Area for Palmer's Incorporated City Limits
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Co-Op Notifies Users
Of Wafer Rale Raise
Palmer’s water shortage, which
has been a controversial subject
here now for several months,
took a new twist this week when
the Matanuska Valley Farmers
Cooperating Association raised
the water rates. Water users re
ceived a letter with their monthly
statements from the Co-Op noti
fying them that the water rates
are to be increased 33 1/3 per
cent. The unsigned, undated let
ter did not state when the raise
in water rates were to become
effective but one Co-Op employe
Said that it was to be as of March
first.
The letter notifying the water
users of the raise reads as fol
lows:
“To: Water users.
Due to the present shortage of
water and the higher cost of
maintaining our system, it is
necessary to increase the price of
the present monthly water serv
ice by 33 1/3 %. If your past pay
ment called for $3.00 per month,
you will now be charged $4.00
per month until further notice.
Other users of water will be rais
^ ed in accordance with their pres
ent rate, in the same amount.
* “Perhaps you, as a customer
would like to know why this
(Continued on JEditoirtaJ Page)
> The steering committee for the
Incorporation of Palmer carried
out legal requirements for the
election which has been set for
April 10, by posting copies of
Judge George ,W. Folta’s court
order in three public places this
week. The notices have been
posted at the Trading Post, the
Matanuska Valley bank and the
Palmer post office. A large de
tailed map of the proposed in
corporated area will also be on
display at the post office, mem
bers of the committee stated. In
line with the steering committee’s
efforts the Valley Frontiersman
is carrying a map outlining the
proposed incorporated area.
The steering committee also
pointed out that legal require
ments are that persons eligible
to vote in the forthcoming elec
tion must have resided in the pro
posed area 30 days and not for
six months as previously stated.
Quoted from Alaska Compiled
Laws Annotated 1, Titles 1-36,
1949, paragraph 16-1-2, page 183,
entitled Qualification of Voters,
requirements are defined as fol
lows:
“Ballot. Every person who is
of legal age and who is a citizen
of the United States and who has
resided continuously one year
next preceding the election in the
Territory of Alaska, and for thirty
days next preceding the election
in the precinct in which they
vote, shall be qualified to vote at
said or any subsequent municipal
election.'* 4
Members of the steering com
mittee also called attention to the
fact that it is not necessary to be
a property owner to be eligible
to vote. Anyone residing in the
proposed incorporated area who
fulfills the legal requirements
are entitled to vote whether they
own property or not, the commit
tee pointed out.
Letters have also been written
by members of the steering com
mittee to Don Wilson, head of the
Alaska Public Works Administra
tion, requesting proper forms and
all information regarding obtain
ing government assistance toward
financing a public water system
and other civic developments,
committee members stated.
ALL PALMER TEACHERS RE-ELECTED
Fire Destroys Garage
A* Alba Brooke Home
-mi oi me regular teacners
on this year’s faculty, of the Pal
mer school will be invited to re
turn next year, William T. Zah
radnicek, superintendent, an
nounced yesterday following a
school board meeting held Wed
nesday night. Applicants are also
now being considered for a school
librarian and a band, instructor,
which are the two existing va
cancies on the staff. James Kind
led has been assisting at the
school as band, instructor and
members of die faculty have been
filling in as librarian, Mr. Zah
radnicek. said. |
ieachers who now comprise the
staff are Mrs. Margaret Betts,
Mrs. Alma Blunck, Miss Virginia
Carle, Mrs. Margaret Cope, Rob
ert Crites, John DeVries, William
W. Elliott, grade school principal,
Charles Ercegovich, Mrs. Grace
Heath, Miss Evelyn Heinrich,
Joseph Hudock, Miss Betty
Kreutz, Mrs. Jean LaCross, Mrs.
M. Pearl Moyer, Miss Barbara
Rumball, Mrs. Barbara Smart,
Miss Nettie Smith, Fred Stassel,
Gottfried Stevahn, Mrs. Doris
Tippins, Mrs. Nancy Wade, and
Mrs. Wilheimina Pederson who
acts as substitute.
A garage at the Alba Brooks
farm home, located south of Pal
mer, burned to the ground today
in a fire that occurred just at
noon time. In the flames that
swept the 16 by 30 foot log ga
rage, approximately 200 chickens,
a brand new chicken picker, a
tractor and other equipment were
lost. Mr. Brooks was in Anchor
age at the time of +he fire. The
Fire Association sent. all three
trucks in answer to the alarm,
but the fire was so advanced on
the arrival of the first truck that
the garage could not be saved
Eklutna Project to
Brins Many Workers
Byron G. Felkner, head of
Eklutna project, told the Chamber
of Commerce at its regular meet
ing Wednesday that it is expect
ed that housing will be needed
here for something like 100 fam
ilies when construction on the
tunnel gets underway, probably
early in June. Mr. Felkner speak
ing informally, told the Chamber
that it is expected that the pri
vate contractor on the tunnel Virill
employ from 150 to 200 men.
From past experience he said that
it is estimated liiat of that num
ber of workers there will be at
least 100 families. He added that
while the usual pattern is for the
contractor to construct tempo
rary housing for the workers the
Chamber would undoubtedly be
consulted by the contractor on
his arrival here as to a suitable
site where the housing project
could be located.
Mr. Felkner also stated that
there are now 85 employes with
the Bureau of Reclamation here,
40 of whom are working on the
project site. He also stated that
last month the payroll here was
$36,000. In addition to the pay
roll, he said that the Bureau
(Continued on Page 9)