American Legion
April Fools' Dance,
School Gym, 9:30 p.m.
March 31
Malley Wrontiergman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
U PAGES
TODAY
VOL. 4, NUMBER 29
PALMER, ALASKA, FRIDAY. MARCH 30. 1951
PRICE IOC
Incorporation Fight Sweeps Palmer
PALMER READY TO MOBILIZE CIVIL
DEFENSE IN WAR-GAME "FIRESTEP"
In the Territory-wide maneuv
ers “Firestep”—the first in Alas
ka involving all military of the
three Armed Forces— Palmer
stands ready to follow any action
required of Civil Defense organi
zations.
“So far we have received no
instructions, but no doubt we will
be required by the Military to do
certain things,” William T. Zah
radnicek, deputy director of the
Civilian Defense Committee, said.
“We have an efficient organi
zation set up, and we have met
all requirements to date. There
probably will be blackout regu
lations or tests. As soon as we get
instructions, v.e will call our
heads together.
* "In case of emergency, every
one will be notified and given
instructions."
Exercise "Firestep"
Dates for the military exercise
“Firestep” are April 2—25. The
maneuvers will involve all mili
tary of the three armed forces,
troops from Outside Alaska, and
possibly civil defense organiza
tions, according to Lt. Gen. W. E.
K e p n e r , commander-in-chief,
Alaskan Command.
The extensive pretended war
^covering all Alaska will encom
pass all elements of the U. S.
Army, Alaska, the Alaskan Sea
Frontier, and the Alaskan Air
Command, the three compon
ents which make up the Unified
Alaskan Command. Col. Branner
P. Purdue, USARAL, has been
assigned as maneuver director.
For the first time in the history
of Alaskan war-games, airborne
troops will participate.
None of the multitudinous
phases of actual warfare will be
by-passed. Evacuation of military
dependents will be practiced and
plans for evacuation of military
hospital personnel and patients.
Military traffic control and co
ordination with civilian traffic
control agencies will be included;
also protective measures against
sabotage.
Civilian Defense Agencies
Gov. Ernest Gruening has been
invited to call upon civil defense
agencies to assume the conditions
of actual warfare, to test their
own capabilities in the over-all
war game. In actual hostilities
such organizations would perform
functions in connection with
damage control, fire control, med
Conlinued on Page 13
Fire Assn. Buys
New Fire Track
Needs Volunteers
Palmer’s new fire truck has
been shipped from Seattle and is
due any day, O. R. Mitchell, chief
of the Fire Association, said yes
terday.
As soon as it arrives, the Royal
Bean high pressure pump and 400
gallon water tank will be mount
ed on the new chassis and the
equipment will be ready for ac
tion. The new fire truck probably
will be used mostly in the outly
ing areas.
This gives the Palmer district
[three efficient fire trucks and
makes it possible to maintain the
present insurance rating.
According to the Pacific Board
of Underwriters, no truck 10 or
more years old can be considered
in rating a town. Hence the deci
sion of the Fire Association Board
to sell their outmoded truck and
buy the new one. The Palmer fire
district now is in class 7 (the
same that Anchorage held until
about 6 months ago). Before the
organization of the Fire Associa
tion the rating was clear up in
class 10—showing a decided drop
in fire insurance rates. Rates are
higher outside the fire district.
The inner fire district includes
most of the business part of town
Calling More Fire-Fighters
One emergency which con
| fronts the Fire Association and
i affects the safety of the entire
; community is the lack of fire
! fighters.
| It’s a volunteer job and a hot
■ one.
Property may be at stake and
I perhaps lives.
Many of the volunteers who
Continued on Page 12
a
HERE ARE YOUR
CANDIDATES FOR
CITY COUNCIL
Palmer electors have a wide
choice in voting for city council
men April 10. Seven will be'el
ected.
Citizens of varied occupations
have filed. All fundamentally
want to see Palmer prosper and
grow and be the right kind of
city in which to make a living
and raise a family. Most have
been active in civic, community
and welfare projects. All are
property owners.
All realize the job is going to
be tempestuous, tough, with
much blame and little praise—
and with no pay. The candidates
who have filed have done so
mostly without self interest and
because they are whiling to give
their time and services for the
common good.
To date 16 candidates have
filed. More may enter before the
filings close March 31. Candi
dates who have filed up to the
time the Valley Frontiersman
goes to press are:,
Ray Adams
Bernard R. Bouwens
A1 J. DeJulio
A. V. "Al" Hagen
A1 King
Mrs. Belly Mears
Dr. Allan Mick
Carl H. Meier
Oliver Onkka
Matthew Perkins
Robert "Bob" Peterson
C. A. "Chet" Sandvik
Lloyd W. Severns
John L. Sullivan
Steve Ward
Mrs. Kaiheryn Wilson
l The Frontiersman has in
vited each candidate to make his
own statement in his own words.
These statements will appear in
our next issue.
RED CROSS CAMPAIGN
ORGANIZATION STARTS
First materials for Palmer’s an
nual Red Cross drive wrere re
ceived this week by William
Bouwens, deputy marshall, Red
Cross representative.
Plans for the campaign, and
appointment of chairmen wall
begin at once.
“There can be no question of
our need for the Red Cross wuth
the w'ar situation as it is,” Bouw
) ens said.
FACTIONS SPLIT OVER TOWN'S NEEDS
ARGUMENTS HOT AS ELECTION NEARS
FRONTIERSMAN'S STATEMENT: The remarks and opinions
expressed by the following well-known Valley residents, pro
and con regarding the incorporation of Palmer are not to be con
strued as reflecting the views or influencing the thoughts of the
Valley Frontiersman. We firmly assert on our own that only
through incorporation which results in organization and unity
can Palmer progress and advance to its rightful place in the Ter
ritory. Our question, "Do You Believe In Incorporation of Pal
mer?" has been answered by the two authors expressing their
opinions.
NO
BY CARL R. RASMUSSEN
Acting Manager of Malanuska
Valley Farmers' Co-Op Assn.
The writer has been asked to
set forth reasons why he believes
the proposed incorporation of the
town of Palmer is not feasible at
this time. It was with some mis
giving that the writer agreed to
write this letter for he well un
derstands at least two elements
in favor of incorporation have
fully made up their minds and
regardless of what anyone says
their votes will be cast for or
against on a predetermined ba
sis. Everyone who disagrees with
them will be accused of having
ulterior motives. One of the fund
amental principles of American
Democracy is the belief that ev
eryone is wrong except me. But
there are quite a few people who
are anxious to hear both sides
of the case and to those people
this letter is dedicated.
To be fair the writer feels that
the farmers interest in the matter
should be considered. The writer
disagrees with the belief that
some people have: that the people
who have moved in near the
farmers’ agency, the Co-Op, and
who have benefited by that con
nection are parasites. In a way
we feel that this is wrong and
that everyone benefits by in
creased population if it is made
in orderly manner and the town
is able to assimilate the newcom
ers without economic confusion.
I In this respect Palmer has been
I fortunate as it has had a small
{but steady boom for the last five
years.
Population And Housing
One of our citizens who always
overestimates in his statements
Continued on page 2
YES
BY WILLIAM W. HEAD
A Property Owner
In pursuit of public opinion re
garding the proposed incorpora
tion of Palmer as a city, I have
heard many discussions on the
topic, listened to many excuses
but few reasons why some oppose
the move. I have found however,
that the minds of a number of
people are like concrete, thor
oughly mixed up and set just as
hard, many have been mislead by
rumor, mis-statements and claims
which border on the ridiculous.
To a thinking person, the reas
ons for incorporation are many,
and advantages outweigh the dis
advantages. The purpose of this
letter is to express a few reasons
why incorporation of the area
should be an advantage. Enumer
ation of good reasons are as fol
lows:
Authority Needed
Palmer has reached a point in
its progress and growth where it
is necessary that an administra
tive body be elected to be the fo
cal point for handling the many
problems extant in the commu
nity. We may see every day
wherein small groups attempt to
cope with problems of a city,
have no authority to act, and
while sincere in their effort, do
not represent anyone but the
group actually participating in
the effort. A common council, el
ected by the residents, would
handle these problems and have
authority to cope with them.
Policing
The matter of necessary polic
j ing the city is ever before us, and
constitutes a matter which shall
i become more urgent when con
| struction crews use Palmer as a
; headquarters for work and play.
Continued on Page 3
■ - - —i
Presents
AT NO ADVANCE IN PRICES
Sat. Mar. 31, Mat. 2; Eve. 7,9:30; Sun. April 1, Mat. 2, Eve. 7,9; Mon. April 2, Eve., 7, 9:30