Thought of the Week:
What the nation needs is
more "lemme" and less "gim
mee."
VOLUME 16, NUMBER 7
THE FRONTIERSMAN
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
PALMER, ALASKA. THURSDAY. NOV. 7, 1963
TEN PAGES
ST. MICHAEL'S
BAZAAR and CARNIVAL
Saturday, November 9
Moose Hall
PRICE 15 CENTS
M B Contractors Submit Low Bid For Bridges
: Reporters—
Notzbaok.
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Palmer
have returned to Palmer after
a five weeks’ vacation to the
South 48. They visited rela
tives and friends in Colorado,
California, and Oregon, includ
ing Mr. and Mrs. Edgar De
Land, former Valley residents.
Mrs. Palmer’s daughter, Evon
Colemon, returned over the
highway with them for a short
visit here, her first trip home
in eight years. She flew back
to Denver on Saturday, Oct. 26,
to join her husband and three
daughters. She works for a
telephone company in Denver,
where she has been employed
for the past five years.
* * *
Charles Wilson left today for
Fairbanks, where he will rep
resent the Matanuska Valley
Order of Eastern Star at the
50th anniversary ceremony of
the Fairbanks chapter. He is
worthy patron of the local
chapter. He plans to return to
Palmer on Sunday.
Mrs. Wilson will return this
weekend from Portland, where
she has been visiting her sis
ter, Mrs. William E. Luhr for
the past two weeks.
» * *
Edward E. Jones of Minooka,
111., a tourist who visited the
Don Irwin home last summer,
recently wrote Mr. Irwin to
thank him for the seed pods
from Don’s garden roses and
an unusual variety of multi
plying onion which the local
gardener sent him.
“In our trip to Alaska we
met the most wonderful peo
ple,” Mr. Jones said. “My wife
and I have traveled in every
state except Hawaii and met
friendly people all over, but
Alaskans topped them all.”
Mr. Jones reported that Illi
nois had a good crop in spite
of the drought. He also men
tioned growing oats, soybeans,
and com.
* * *
Mrs. Joe Kircher left Palm
er for Germany last Sunday,
flying by SAS to Copenhagen.
From there she flew to Dort
mund in the Ruhr Valley,
where she will visit her moth
er, Mrs. Paule Berletmann, for
several months. Mrs. Kircher
promised her mother seven
years ago that she would see
her when she turned 80 years
old, and this trip will fulfill
the promise.
* * *
Staff Sergeant John P. Pettit
of Slidell, La., has arrived at
Elmendorf AFB for assignment
with a United States Air Force
support unit. The sergeant, son
of Paul K. Pettit of Route 1,
Slidell, attended Slidell High
School. He is married to the
former Jean A. Hamann,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Le
Roy Hamann of Mile 52, Glenn
Highway.
GRADE SCHOOLS
PLAN OPEN HOUSE
In observance of American
Education Week Nov. 10-16,
Central and Swanson schools
will have an open house for
Darents on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
The program at Central will
begin at 7 p.m. and end at 8:45
p.m., while visiting hours at
Swanson will be from 7:30 to
9 p.m.
Parents who have children
in the elementary grades, first
through sixth, may see their
children’s displays and will
have an opportunity to get
acquainted with their teachers.
Parents of junior high stu
dents will follow their chil
dren’s daily schedule, with
classes to begin at 7 p.m. They
will terminate at 8:10 p.m., giv
ing these parents time to visit
the elementary grades.
Following the progr a ms,
there will be a short PTA
meeting at Swanson school at
9 p.m. Refreshments will be
served.
Queen For Day To
Come To Williwaw
Viewers of Jack Bailey’s
popular “'Queen for a Day”
program, broadcast daily from
Hollywood by more than 130
TV stations affiliated with the
ABC television network, wat
ched with interest the selection
of the queen who would re
ceive, as one of her prizes, a
vacation trip for two to Willi
waw Lodge on Lake Wasilla.
On Friday, Oct. 25, master of
ceremonies Jack Bailey an
nounced the name of the per
son chosen for the vacation —
Mrs. Barbara Stone of North
Hill Ave., Pasadena, Calif. Mrs.
Stone was one of four women
selected from the studio aud
ience to appear on the video
taped program and be inter
viewed by Bailey. She was se
lected queen by audience ap
plause with her wish for a pi
ano for her nine-year-old sis
ter, Jane Kuhlberg.
During her interview, Mrs.
Stone told of an automobile ac
cident last August which caus
ed the death of her father and
' injury to four of her brothers
and sisters. Jane, the most ser
iously injured, is still in the
hospital and is paralyzed from
the waist down.
Mrs. Stone told of Jane's in
terest in music, and said that
the youngster, although para
lyzed, takes piano lessons and
“loves music.”
Immediately after her coro
nation. her wish was granted
and Mrs. Stone was presented
with furniture, a new ward
robe for herself and other gifts.
Then, at the close of the pro
gram, M. C. Bailey announced
that she was to receive yet one
more gift.
The stage curtains were
opened and one of the page
models who assists Bailey on
the show stepped out to the
center of the stage wearing an
authentic Alaskan fur parka.
Bailey told her that the par
ka, made by Swedish craftsmen
for the Alaska Fur Factory in
Anchorage, was another ward
robe item she might need . . .
“our way of telling you that
you and your husband will
soon be on your way to an Al
askan vacation at the famous
Williwaw Lodge.”
Bailey then described the
holiday set for the delighted
Mrs. Stone. She will fly to An
chorage, where she will be met
by Mrs. Reed of Williwaw and
transferred to her own private
LOVELY MRS. BARBARA STONE, chosen “Queen for a Day"
on the Oct. 25 ABC television show, is shown here with
Jack Bailey, master of ceremonies on the popular day
time show.
helicopter furnished by ERA
Helicopter Service of Anchor
age for her trip to Lake Wa
silla.
As Bailey described the scen
ery and points of interest she
could be expected to enjoy, full
screen photos were flashed on
the receiver showing Williwaw
Lodge, the queen’s “home”
during her Alaska stay.
Queen Barbara was born in
Chicago, 111., and moved to
Howell, Nebr., in 1953. S i x
Three File For
Borough Chairman
Last-minute filings pushed
the number of candidates for
borough chairman in District 7
to three, although Robert Vro
man's petition had been the
only one in circulation until
last Thursday. Opposing him
in the race will be Henry Lew
is Jordan of Rocky Lake and
Jan M. Koslosky of Palmer.
Filing for borough assembly
were Milton A. Wetherington,
Willow; Lemuel J. Smith, Sr.,
Wasilla; Noel William Woods,
Palmer; Robert Vroman, Hous
ton; James Steven Hermon,
Palmer; V. Louise Kellogg,
Palmer; Janies A. Cottrell, Pal
mer; John L. Weisenberger,
Palmer; Rose Palmquist, Hous
ton; Lorenzo F. (Joe) Martin,
Wasilla; Laura Barnes, the
Butte; and Albert A. Hibbard,
Big Lake.
Of the 13 candidates, three
will be elected on Dec. 3.
Seven candidates filed for
i the five positions on the Dis
trict 7 borough school board.
They are May C. Carter, Wa
silla; George E. Smith, Palm
er; Harlow J. Hodgson, Palmer;
Kenneh R. Gillow, Wasilla;
Emiiie St. Pierre. Palmer; and
Joyce Kerttula, Palmer.
Participate in Big Lift
Army Sgt. Roy M. Hall,
whose wife, Beverly, lives in
Wasilla, is participating in the
second phase of Operation BIG
LIFT in Germany, a NATO
field training maneuver which
was slated to end Nov. 5.
Sgt. Hall and other members
of the 2d Armored Division
were airlifted to Germany pri
or to the NATO maneuver. Op
eration BIG LIFT is scheduled
to end in late December.
Sgt. Hall, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Othor M. Hall, Route 1, North
Tazewell, Va., is assigned to
the 6th Battalion’s Battery C
years ago she married Daniel
Stone, a tool repairman, and
shortly afterwards they moved
to Pasadena. Mr. Stone is now
employed by the Ingersoll
Rand Co. in Los Angeles. Bar
bara is a student nurse and
will graduate in 1964.
Mrs. Stone will arrive at Wil
liwaw Lodge about the middle
of December.
Mrs. Reed said that several
delightful surprises have been
arranged to make Queen Bar
bara's vacation more interest
ing. Business and Bush Air
craft will show her Alaska by
air. including Mt. McKinley. A
night club tour is planned, as
well as TV appearances, a vis
it to the Native Service Hos
pital, a dog sled ride and other
activities.
"We are thrilled that Willi
waw Lodge was chosen for
Barbara’s Alaska vacation. We
feel it is an honor for Williwaw
and for the state of Alaska.”
Mrs. Reed said.
Little League
Meets Tonight
All persons interested in the
Little League program for 1964
are asked to attend a Mata
nuska Valley Little League
meeting tonight at the Moose
Hall at 8 p.m.
Several directors will be
elected to the board, and plans
will be made for next year’s
program. A financial report
will also be made at this meet
ing, the last one of the current
year.
Officers of the Little League
organization are Dr. C. C. Bail
ey, president; Dick Geiwitz,
vice-president; Norma Benson,
secretary-treasurer; and Earl
Combs, player agent.
COMMITTEE VOTES
TO RUSH STUDIES
ON STEAM PLANT
The Power Development
Committee in executive session
Tuesday noon voted unani
mously to expedite engineering
studies that will lead to the
construction of a 33 megawatt
mine mouth power plant at
Sutton at the earliest date pos
sible.
The committee, through its
chairman, James Wilson, is no
tifying the Ralph M. Parsons
Company of Los Angeles and
Washington, D C., an interna
tionally known engineering
firm, to proceed at once with
definitive studies and engi
neering data which will be
necessary and preliminary to
construction.
"We have obtained profes
sional information which leads
us to believe that electric pow
er can be generated at Sutton
and be delivered to the load
centers of Southcentral Alaska
for a lower millage rate than
any other power now being
generated, or that is planned
for the immediate foreseeable
future,” said Wilson.
“A large mine mouth power
plant at Sutton will be an eco
nomic catalyst that will put a
firm foundation under the coal
industry in the Valley and that
will attract industry to our
immediate area,” Wilson sta
ted.
“What builds industry and
payrolls in the Matanuska Val
ley is good for our community
and for Alaska,” he emphasiz
ed. “There is no doubt in mj
mind—and I think that I alsc
speak for the entire Power De
velopment Committee—that ;
large size coal-burning mine
mouth power plant generatin;
33 megawatts of energy will bi
built at Sutton.” the chairmar
concluded.
Need for community suppor
to finance the necessary worl
] of the committee was also dis
' cussed at the meeting. Th<
group, which is made up of in
i terested local citizens, has n<
means of financing its activi
ties except through private
contributions.
>6,395,000 Figure Is
Lower Than Estimate
M B Contracting of Anchor
age and Seattle submitted the
apparent low bid for the state
road project involving con
struction of four bridges over
the Knik and Matanuska Riv
ers, Roy W. Jenkins, Anchor
age district highway engineer,
said this morning.
The M B bid was $6,395,038.
67, about a half million dollars
j lower than the engineers’ esti
mate of $6,927,922.50.
The bids were opened this
morning in Juneau at 10 a.m.
(Juneau time). Jenkins said
that construction would prob
ably begin in about a month.
Second low bidder was J. H.
Pomeroy Co.. Inc., of San
Francisco, S6.744.508.10; third.
Green Construction Co., Des
Moines, la.. $6,823,117; fourth,
Manson Osberg Co., Seattle,
$7,062,302; fifth; William A.
Smith Contracting Co., Inc.,
VOTERS REJECT
BIG LAKE CITY
Rejected by a vote of 24 to 23
in Tuesday's election was the
Big Lake area bid for second
class city incorporation.
Of the 78 residents in the
19-square mile area eligible to
| vote in the election, 47 went
1 to the polls.
The petition asking for in
! corporation was signed by 27
1 residents of the area, and was
' followed by a second petition
j asking for a renewal of the
court order calling for the
1 election. Superior Court Judge
■j James Fitzgerald ruled Satur
1 j day that there were no lega
' | grounds for a reversal.
1 Proponents of the incorpora
tion move were seeking police
| and fire protection, roads, and
i sanitation regulations. Oppon
ents argued that these services
I are not yet needed, that incor
poration would damage the
> ; recreational industry in the
i area, and that the area of the
■ ! city would make administra
tion difficult.
Transfer of Experimental Station
Not Intended, University President Says
Transfer of Experiment Sta
tion facilities from the Mata
nuska Valley to Fairbanks is
not contemplated. Dr. William
R. Wood, University of Alaska
president, said in a telephone
call to The Frontiersman Tues
day.
"The discussion of the Board
of Regents with the U. S. De
! partment of Agriculture provi
j ded assurance on two points,”
Wood said, "that there will be
no reduction in the scope of
j the Palmer operation, and that
there will be no reduction in
support from the federal gov
ernment."
Wood said he was asking
only for a transfer of respon
sibility for the Experiment Sta
tion from the department of ag
riculture to the university. This
was the arrangement, he said,
until 1947. when financial diffi
culties led to the USDA take
over. The only other similar op
eration of a U. S. experiment
(Continued on page 10)
Kansas City, Mo., $7,094,149.75.
sixth Peter Kiewit Sons Co..
Omaha, Nebr.. $7,440,000; and
Morrison-Knudsen Co. Inc. of
Boise. Seattle, and Alaska, $7,
537,817.30.
Earlier this week, highways
commissioner D A. McKinnon
said that more than 70 requests
from different companies for
plans of the big highway and
bridge project had been fulfill
ed—two or three times more
requests than an ordinary pro
ject usually draws.
The work will include con
struction of the four bridges
and 2.58 miles of roadway or.
the Glenn Highway between
Anchorage and Palmer.
The enormous quantities re
quired for this project—nearly
nine miles of piling, 3.700 tons
of structural steel, 1,900,000
pounds of reinforcing steel, and
14,000 cubic yards of concrete
—have attracted interest from
major suppliers from some of
the biggest construction comp
anies in the world. McKinnon
I said.
The new road construction
will cut nine miles from the
, highway distance between Am
chorage and Palmer, and 20 be
tween Anchorage and Wasilla.
highway officials estimate.
Valuable Raffle
Prizes Offered
At Church Bazaar
Several very attractive raffle
prizes and a door prize awarded
every hour will attract the pub
lic to the annual St. Michael's
Catholic Church bazaar and
carnival this Saturday, Nov. 9
Doors at the Palmer Moose hall
will open at 7 p.m., and the
evening’s events will close at
midnight with the raffle draw
ing.
The raffle, for which tickets
I may be obtained for a donation
: of $1, offers as first prize an
: automatic dishw'asher. Other
prizes are a set of car tires, a
i hindquarter of beef, and a swi
I vel rocker.
| Members of the Altar Society
i are in charge of the booths.
| which will include baked
i goods, notions, and gifts. Hot
: dogs, hamburgers, pop and cof
fee will be sold, and youngsters
will find delightful surprises at
the fish pond.
The men’s club will be in
charge of Alaska’s Favorite
Game, prizes for which will be
hams, turkeys, and geese.
The Altar Society will raffle
! a hand-made, bulky-knit sw-ea
| ter.
A1 Metz is general chairman
! for the bazaar and carnival, for
j which no entry fee will be
t charged.
Grand Jury Hears
Committee Testimony
Two members of the Wasilla
youth camp citizens’ liaison
committee appeared before the
grand jury in Anchorage yes
terday and Lorenzo F. (J o e)
Martin testified last night and
this morning.
The committee, meeting
Tuesday, decided to request a
grand jury impartial investiga
tion of the Youth and Adult
Authority program to review
all sides of the problem
brought to light last week by
legislators’ accusations and
newspaper accounts. They were
told, when they placed their
request, that the grand jury
was already in session. The
Rev. William Miller of Palmer
and Mrs. Claude Klaver of Wa
silla testified at yesterday's
session.
Martin, whose suspension
was announced yesterday by
Charles Pfeiffer, Youth and
Adult Authority director, was
subpoenaed to testify yesterday
and this morning.
“I am not completely aware
of what is going on,” Martin
said today. “In the interest of
the Youth and Adult program,
I feel that it is best that I make
no statement for publication
until all the facts have been
ascertained.”
Now at the Wasilla camp is
P. L. Severson, chief of correc
tional services for the state of
Alaska, who said today he has
been directed by Pfeiffer to re
main at the camp and to direct
it until further notice.
Severson was formerly police
chief and director of the state
prison at Juneau. He said he
contemplates no immediate
changes beyond relaxation of
rules regulating visits to the
camp by families. Parents, for
merly allowed one visit a
month, will be allowed visiting
privileges between 1 and 4 p.m.
each Sunday afternoon. He
said he plans to follow the
philosophy for camp guidance
which is outlined in the Youth
and Adult Authority manual.
PRAWN FEED »
Elks Lodge
Elks and (tests