Page 2
Valley Frontiersman
Prompt Response of
Fire Dept. Saves
B9I Bouwens’ House
Prompt action by the Palmer
Fire Department Sunday morn
ing was credited by Deputy U. S.
Marshall Bill Bouwens for saving
his house from being burned to
the ground.
His well house blew up about
8:45 a.m., cutting off the water
supply so that none was available
to fight the fire. The shed to
the house was already smoking
and neighbors were beginning to
remove the furniture as the first
fire truck arrived with water to
fight the blaze. The truck had
made the trip at a record speed
of 50 miles per hour, according to
the volunteer firemen. A second
truck was on the scene shortly
after the first, and the conflagra
tion was quickly controlled.
Bouwens himself barely escap
ed injury from the initial impact
of the explosion. He had placed
a five gallon can of gasoline in
the well house only the night be
fore. He had just siphoned off a
gallon of it for his motor boat
that morning and was walking
out the door when the well house
blew up. Whether or not the gas
oline fumes were the cause of the
explosion was a matter of conjec
ture. Altogether, the fire loss was
placed by Bouwens at approxi
mately $1,000. Many valuable
tools were stored in the building
as well as six spare tires and a
new car wheel.
One factor in the prompt con
trol of the fire was the Knik
wind. Luckily, it blew between
the two buildings and kept the
fire away from the house.
dates set for third
ALASKA SCIENCE MEET
AT McKINLEY PARK
An epoch in the advancement
of Alaskan Science will be mark
ed this year at the Third Alas
kan Science Conference, to bei
held in Mt. McKinley National
Park. September 22-27, it is an
nounced by the Alaska Division
of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science.
According to present plans, the
gathering will constitute one of
the most significant scientific
conferences ever held on North
America arctic and subarctic re
search. More than 200 scientists
from Alaska, Canada and the
United States are expected to
participate.
“As a result, Alaska will be
come more firmly implanted than
ever in the minds of American
people as our nation’s most strate
gic possession, both from the
standpoint of its potentfal econ
omic worth and the contributions
it can make to the biological,
physical and social sciences,’ re
VALLEY
PALMER, ALASKA
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY
JULY 9-10
Shows: 7:15 and 9:00 p.m.
MOST
sxPtosttfE to#.
re4M/
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
JULY 11-12
Shows: 7:15 and 9:00 p.m.
Sat. Mat: 2:00 p.m.
The bathe ary that set the p*»n% etoiaxe!
mtnntiu buijmb
BUlttfWin »!«*(“«•»
SUNDAY & MONDAY
JULY 13-14
Shows: 7:15 and 9:00 p.m.
Sun. Mat: 2:00 p.m.
MAXIM-RAY
CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT
Ski Club io Start
Summer Work on Tow
The first summer work party
of the Matanuska Ski Club will
be held in the Little Susitna ski
area Sunday, in the form of a
brush-clearing seige. The group
hope to have the tow hill cleared
this week, leaving the rest of the
summer to devote to the motor
and other mechanics necessary
for the success of the ski tow.
Although much work was put
into the tow last year, deep snow
and the' lateness of the season
prevented it’s completion. Rope
obtained for the tow was found
unsuitable for use with the
present drum. Interest of local
persons has aided the club in
many ways. Old car wheels are
being gathered and permission of
the Sportsmen Club, who own the
motor, to make necessary adjust
ments have all helped the club
in their attempt to get the two
in operation for the coming sea
son.
All club members and anyone
interested in helping the club, are
asked to meet at the Palmer
Fountain Sunday morning at ten
o’clock. Machetes, axes and hatch
ets are needed.
Ralph Wofford Attending
Furniture Show; Will
Fly Small Plane Back
Ralph Wofford, manager of the
hardware department of Koslos
ky’s store left Palmer Wednesday
for Seattle where he will attend
the National Furniture Show. At
the close of the show he plans
to join his wife in Ashland, Wis
consin, where she is now vaca
tioning. The couple will make a
trip to Texas and then go to
Lockhaven, Pennsylvania where
Wofford will pick up a Piper 135
Cub airplane for the Safe Way
Airways of Anchorage.
Planning to leave Lockhaven
August 1, the couple will make
the flight back to Alaska in the
Piper, following the Alaska High
way.
ported Alaska Division present
Dr. Laurence Irving.
The greater part of the confer
ence will be devoted to reports
of the numerous scientific in
vestigations currently under way
in the Territory. In addition to
the presentation of individual
papers, a special forum concerned
primarily with an exploration of
the application of science for de
velopment of Alaska will be held.
Detailed information about the
conference may be obtained by
writing Mrs. Robert P. Simmet,
Box 960, Anchorage.
jjHHHMHHHHHHHMHHHMHHHHMHHH
*
CONSERVATION
NOTES
Lew Hanks
I am beginning to think this
is one of the lousiest summers on
record as regards sunshine ancf
warm weather. The “Fourth” was
a wonderful day. Before and since
then though, we seem to have
more than our share of wind and
cloudy weather. Crops seem to be
coming along only fair. Charles
Wilson tells me that crops seem
to be farther ahead in the Tanan
na Valley than here in spite of
their late start. That’s bad. I’ll
have to write a letter to Congress
and have them do something
about it. We can’t permit any
other part of Alaska to beat the
Matanuska Valley.
Most farmers nave started cut
ting grass hay. The brome is
heading out. For best quality hay
it should be cut by now at the lat
est. A week of nice weather now
would get a lot of cow feed in
storage for next winter. Leonard
Kyger and Bob Burnham have a
pickup baler in the Valley. They
hope to do some custom work
with it. I also read an article in
the COUNTRY GENTLEMAN
telling of some farmers’ success
in barn drying hay in the bale. I
hope we can develop methods of
barp drying hay as it can raise
our hay quality a lot. One good
rain on cut hay can leach out
over half of the feed value. That
applies to oats and peas as well
as brome hay. You can have a lot
of your milk checks laying in the
field by poor hay making. Think
about it.
CITY OBLIGES AFTER
COMMISSIONER "CHEATS"
MAN OUT OF NIGHT IN JAIL
Samuel W. Wilson was found
guilty in U. S. Commissioner’s
Court of a Highway Patrol charge
of driving while under the in
fluence of liquor on June 26 in
spite of his non-2uilty plea.
He was found guilty after bol
stering his defense with an esti
mate of the actual number of
drinks he had had. He was fined
$100 and had his driver’s license
suspended for 60 days, but he was
not jailed.
Claiming that he was entitled
to be put in jail, Wilson forthwith
embarked upon an exhibition
calculated to put him in jail. City
Police Chief Bemie Bouwens ob
liged by charging with disturbing
of the peace that evening and
placed him in the city jail to
await trial the next morning. Ap
pearing in City Magistrate’s Court
the morning of June 27, he plead
ed guilty to the charge of disturb
ing the peace and was fined $20.
INSURE TODAY—SEE RAY!
BETTER STILL—SEE BILL!’
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmhmhhh?
*
J. VIC BROWN & SONS
"The Alaskan Jewelers''
523 Fourth Ave., Anchorage Phone 22061
<<<<■*.<■
WATCHES DIAMONDS
SILVER NUGGET AND JADE JEWELRY
Prompt Attention to Mall Orders
Serving Alaskans for 35 years—ask any old-timer
NOTICE TO TELEPHONE SUBSCRIBERS
On or after this date, July 10, service will
be discontinued on all delinquent accounts
unless satisfactory arrangements for
payment are .made at the City Clerk's
office.
CHILDREN’S HOMES
ENJOY ANNUAL PICNIC
Each year on Independence
Day, the childrens’ homes of the
Matanuska Valley area get to
gether for a picnic. This year, the
occasion was observed at the
Children’s Farm Home, directed
by the Ray Cathers. located
several miles out of Palmer on
the Willow Creek road.
Other homes represented at the
picnic were the Lazy Mountain
Children’s Home under the direc
tion of Rev. and Mrs. Kenneth
Hughes; The Haven, directed by
Mr. and Mrs. Ulrich; The Turn
again Arm Children’s Home and
The Faith Hill Home, directed by
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Pinkham.
Ideal weather contributed tc
the enjoyment of the gathering,
i estimated at over 200. A tasty
lunch, served among the trees
bordering the farm, started the
activities for the day.
Following the noon meal, the
group assembled on a nearby
grassy field for the usual races. A
loud speaker and mike were sel
up on a bank overlooking the
farm and helped keep things
moving. The sack races, three
legged races and pie eating con
tests were enjoyed by everyone
, It was especially amusing tc
watch the husbands and wives ir
their respective races. Even s
little evidence that age is creep
ing up on some didn’t defer the
fun. Fireworks were awarded tc
the winners.
Meet for Discussion
During the evening, represen
tatives of the various homes gath
ered in the Cather residence foi
a meeting to discuss plans foi
future advancement and coopera
l tion. Marvin J. Hurt, missionary
worker at the Lazy Mountair
Home brought out that these
homes were established to aid the
needy children of the Territory
and through work at the homes,
help bring Christianity into their
TIP-TOP-INN
CAFE
Featuring
Steak, Chops, Chicken
Prawns, Fish and Frog
Legs or Special Salads
Ralph and Alice Horton. Prop.
lives. Mr. Hughes acted as moder
ator for the meeting and those
attending agreed the evening wai
profitable.
Refreshments were served be
fore the group departed, wit!
many thanks to Mr. Cathers anc
his staff for their warm hospital
ity.
CITY CLERK SWORN IN
AS CITY MAGISTRATE
; John D. Shaw was sworn in as
.City Magistrate Monday by
Mayor Carl Meier in the presence
i of witnesses.
The new City Clerk will now
■ hear city cases in his office in the
Severns Building.
Frontiersman Classifieds Get Results
Chitna Limousine Service
LEAVES PALMER FOR VALDEZ
10:45 a. m. each Monday (leaves Anchorage at 9:15 a. m.)
RETURNS TO PALMER AND ANCHORAGE
8:30 a. m. Tuesday
LEAVES PALMER FOR CHITINA
10:45 a. m. each Thursday (leaves Anchorage at 9:15 a. m.)
RETURNS TO PALMER AND ANCHORAGE
8:30 a. m. Friday
ALL THROUGH ONE-DAY SERVICE—NO STOP OVERS
WHAT’S A BANKING
CONNECTION
WORTH?
You'll find that a good banking connection is worth
a great deal when you are traveling on business, when
you are buying property .... or even when you're just
visiting in a strange town. It's one of the reasons you
should open an account here .... now.
Qei AcXffUaUited
with
lltti MODERN fcastk
MATANUSKA VALLEY BANK
Palmer, Alaska
OPEN FRIDAY EVENINGS 5-7 P.M.
DAILY 10 A.M.—3 P.M.