Next Week's Edition of
The Frontiersman will be
Published on November 26
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
TRY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD for that
item you may have for sale,
rent or lease.
VOL. 6 NO. 9
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. NOV. 20. 1952
PRICE TEN CENTS
CITY COUNCIL ASKS
BOURNE ASSOCIATES
MAKE ADJUSTMENTS
Following a lengthy reading of
past city council minutes, council
members passed and approved
eight motions at a busy council
meeting held November 13.
Committee reports included
those from Budget and Finance,
headed by Councilman Kincaid,
request was made by Kincaid
that all departments submit pro
posed budgets within the next
week.
Visitors to the meeting includ
jnd Douglas M. Stone, engineer
ed Ray Mathews, APW engineer
with Thomas B. Bourne Associat
es.
Members of the city council
were frank in their opinion that
the original plans drawn by
Bourne Associates for the city
water and sewer system contain
many errors in calculation. Alaska
Public Works has requested the
city furnish information as to
size, grade and condition of the
present sewer system and its out
fall. These facts were not indi
cated in the drawings made by
the engineering firm. Members
felt that had Bourne carefully ex
plored the system before drawing
the plans, they would have been
aware of many pertinent facts
that are necessary for proper
functioning. City Attorney But
cher was instructed to prepare a
letter for the Mayor’s signature
to Bourne Association citing all
known errors in the plans and
ask that adjustments be made.
Following the approval of bills
presented to the council many
•city salaries were placed on an
automatic payment plan with an
every two months,
itemized list to be presented
Water Rights
Resolution No. providing
free domestic water use, under
certain conditions, was adopted
as read. This concession will be
made to those property owners
whose land is being used for the
city water system, because work
was started on their lands with
out easements being executed.
Continued on page 10
Hoad Commission
Reports on Condition
Alaska’s Highways
Construction and reconstruction
-activities of the Alaska Road
Commission are rapidly drawing
to a close for the current season
and operations will then be en
tirely on a maintenance basis,
aimed at keeping roads open to
winter travel, according to Wil
liam J. Niemi who recently made
the announcement.
The following is a general re
port on Alaskan highways.
Alaska Highway
Open from the Canadian boun
dary, Mile 1221, to Big Delta,
Mile 1428. This route is in good
condition and is paved from Tok
Junction, Mile 1318, to Big Delta,
Mile 1428.
Glenn Highway
Open from Anchorage to junc
tion with Alaska Highways at
Tok. In good condition and paved
from Anchorage to Big Timber
Jnuction, Mile 203.
Taylor Highway
Tetlin Junction—Eagle & Dawson
This highway will close for the
winter very shortly as mainte
nance for the season has now
been discontinued. Persons desir
ing to travel this road should first
inquire as to its condition at the
Tok Junction office of the Alaska
Hoad Commission.
Seward to Anch. Hwy.
This highway is in good condi
(Continued on page 10)
VALLEY TO HAVE
HEW DOCTOR SOOH
Dr. C. C. Bailey announced this
week that Mark G. Woodward,
M. D. of Portland, Oregon will
arrive in Palmer the latter part
of November and will be associa
ted with him in the practice of
medicine and surgery.
Dr. Woodward was born at
Wellsville, Utah and attended
elementary and high school at
Baker. He received his Bachelor
of Science degree from Oregon
State College in 1947 where he
received the Tipman Wolfe schol
astic honorary award; the Arkle
Clark scholastic award from the
national fraternity Alpha Tau
Omega and was a member of the
Scabbard and Blade, Rho Chi,
Kappa Psi and Phi Kappa Phi,
honorary societies, s
Graduating from the Univer
sity of Oregon medical school in
1951, Dr. Woodward took his in
ternship at Muetnomah County
Hospital, a University of Oregon
hospital affiliate. Post graduate
work in surgery was done at the
Veterans Hospital in Portland.
His military service began in
1943 as an enlisted man from
where he attended and complet
ed officers candidate school in
1944. He taught communication
and later intelligence classes, fi
nally transfering overseas to the
ETC) as Counter Intelligence Corp
Operation Chief. He was separat
ed from the service in 1946.
Dr. Woodward is married and
the father of two daughters, one
who is one and one half years
old, the other one month. Mrs.
Woodward is a native Oregonian,
bom and raised in Portland. She
(Continued on Page 10)
COL. ROBERT FULTON
KIWANIS GUEST SPEAKER
Guest speaker at the annual
Kiwanis Club dinner, scheduled
for this evening at Moose Hall,
will be Colonel Robert F. Ful
ton, Base Commander at Elmen
dorf Air Force Base. His subject
will be “Citizenship.” Col. Ful
ton has been in Alaska since June
of this year, having transferred
from Scott Field, Illinois.
More than 40 guests have been
invited to attend the annual af
fair, Bill Remple, dinner chair
man announced. A special invita
tion has been extended to all Pal
mer school teachers, school board
members and their respective
guests. Master-of-ceremonies wil]
be Rev. Edward Imme, Kiwanis
board member.
Dinner, to be served by Women
of the Moose, will start at 6:3C
p.m.
CO-OP MANAGER
AIDS IN GETTING
SHIPPING RELIEF
Progressive development in
the Seattle waterfront dispute
have advanced to the stage where
union conferencees agreed yester
day to release two Alaska Steam
ship Company vessels, the M. V.
Susitna and the M. V. Coastal
Rambler to serve southeastern
and westward ports of Alaska.
These developments are said
to have come about largely
through forceful presentations
made by Fred M. Zieke, manager
of the Matanuska Valley Farm
ers Cooperating Association and
other Alaskan representatives, ac
cording to the Seattle Chamber
of Commerce who advised Gov
ernor Ernest Gruening of the de
velopment.
The ships were cleared by of
ficials of the American Federa
tion of Labor as “relief ships.’
Primary purpose is to give Alas
kans vital materials and staples
Meanwhile Alaska business
firms have called on Portland tc
hep solve the supply problems
and attempt to avoid future tie
aps at Seattle docks.
Eight Alaska Steamship Com
pany ships have been idle at thf
Seattle docks since last weel
Continued from page 10
“Heinie” Snider
Mentioned For
Alaska Governor
Twelve names have been pro
posed throughout the Territorj
for the position of Governor o:
Alaska, according to the lates
tabulation. Each appears to hav<
friends boosting for him witl
Ralph and Lomen and B. Fran!
Heintzleman seeming to hav<
supporters in Seattle as well.
Among those suggested foi
Governor from the local area i:
Gerritt “Heinie” Snider of Wasil
la, current member of the Senate
“Heinie” is well known in th<
Valley and was a delegate t<
the Republican Convention ii
Chicago at which time he cas
the only Alaskan vote for Eisen
hower. In 1947 he was a membe:
.1. the House of Representatives
has served ten years on the Was
ilia school board and held office;
in the Pioneers of Alaska.
Among other area men discus
sed in political circles for thi
position are J. C. Morris, Waite:
Hickel, Bob Reeve, E. Wells Er
vin and John Manders, all o
Anchorage.
Joseph Gallant
Appointed New
City Councilman
Joseph H. Gallant was elected
by members of the Palmer City
Council to fill the council vacancy
at the regular meeting held No
vember 13. He will serve the
balance of the one-year term of
office left vacant by an accident
to Councilman-elect Robert L.
Bettine.
According to Territorial sta
tutes, “whenever a vacancy oc
curs in the council the remaining
members of the council may elect
some qualified person to fill such
a vacancy, which person so elect
ed shall hold office until a suc
cessor be elected at the next an
nual election and qualified” ....
a vacancy may also be created if
he shall fail after his election to
qualify within 30 days after such
election.”
Bettine was injured October 9
in a fall at Goat Mountain and
has been under medical care
since. At present he is hospitaliz
ed at Portland, Oregon.
Gallant was a candidate for
the one year term in the city
election held October 7, polling
one less vote than Bettine. Fol
lowing his election by the coun
cil, City Magistrate John Shaw
administered the oath of office
and Gallant immediately started
his duties as councilman by at
tending the balance of the meet
ing. He was later appointed by
Mayor A1 V. Hagen to serve on
council committees.
Mayor Announces New
Council Committees
A revised list of committees
: within the city council was an
: nounced by Mayor A1 V. Hagen
f at the regular meeting November
l 13. Mayor Hagen had been serv
: ing on two committees, pending
! the filling of a council vacancy.
Existing committees now in
• eluded: Building, Plumbing and
i Zoning: Betty Mears, chairman;
• O. K. Kincaid and Russell Fel
■ zien. Finance and Budget: O. K.
: Kincaid, chairman; Betty Mears
> and Don McKechnie. Fire: Rus
l sel Felzien, chairman; Betty
t Mears and O. K. Kincaid. Public
■ Health and Safety: O. K. Kin
• caid, chairman: Donald Moore,
, and Betty Mears. Streets: Donald
■ Moore, chairman; Don McKech
s nie and Joseph Gallant. Police:
Joseph Gallant, chairman; Donald
• Moore and Don McKechnie. Tele
! phone: (Chairman to be announc
: ed); Donald Moore and Russell
- Felzien. Water and Sewer: Don
E McKechnie, chairman; Russell
Felzien and Joseph Gallant.
Police Chief Warns
Police Chief Bernard Bou
wens this week issued a warn
ing to all dog owners, “Keep
your dogs from straying or we
will be forced to take mea
sures,” he said.
His warning was made nec
cesary by large packs of dogs
running loose in the school
yard and on the streets. “I’m
afraid some youngster is go
ing to be seriously injured,”
Bouwens said. One boy was
knocked to the ground this
week but fortunatey escaped
injury when his cries attract
ed the attention of Police Chief
Bouwens and U. S. Deputy
Marshal William Bouwens.
Voters Reject
Sewer Proposal
In a decisive way, the few prop
erty owners who turned out No
vember 18 to state their wishes
concerning the city sewer bond
proposal, turned down the $250,
000 proposal with a 58-52 vote. A
majority of 65 percent approval
cvas necessary for a favorable
vote. There was a 53 percent op
posed vote. Total number of votes
cast was 110.
The issue was to have been
flsed to finance an extension to
the existing sewerage collection
system in the city. If approved,
the amount would have paid for
one-half the cost of the proposed
wer project.
This was the second time the
bond issue had been turned down
by the voters. On October 4, the
issue was voted down by a major
ity of three votes. City officials
do not contemplate another elec
tion because their names do not
appear on the tax accessment roll;
in that tax payments were made
under the husband’s name and
not as a joint husband-wife re
turn. It was suggested that joint
property owners see that their
names do appear on the tax pay
ment records to avoid similar sit
uations in the future.
ROBUNG'S CAFE
ROBBED AT GUN-POINT
Approximately $50 was taken
in the robbery of Robling’s Cafe,
located at Mile 40 on the Anch
orage-Palmer Highway around
midnight on November 15.
Mrs. Robling reported that two
men entered the cafe and de
manded the money at gun-point.
She handed it over and they left
quickly, driving away in a car,
she said.
Bureau of Nines Ends Seasonal Field Work
The Bureau of Mines staff e
working in the Matanuska and
Houston areas have wound up
their exploratory work for the
season and field erews have been
laid off, it was announced this
week by Robert R. May, engineer.
Winter activities will now be con
fined to mapping and correlating
field work from engineering data
acumulated during the past sea
son.
Houston Area
During the past season the
Bureau of Mines field crew have
had test holes down in the Hous
ton area. Operations on a hole put
' down last year in that area were
suspended at that time when gas
and artesian water was found.
Freezing weather prevented any
further work and the 480 foot hole
was plugged. Subsequently, this
summer, the crew put down ad
ditional holes with the total
depth of 1528 feet. In other work
in that area the crews encounter
d approximately 15 coal beds of
which three may have future ec
onomical importance May said.
The primary object in drilling this
particular area he said, was to
prolong the life of mining opera
tions now under way and to at
tempt, if possible, to find better
grades of coal.
The character of gas present in
some of the test holes is still
being evaluated for possible com
mercial production.
Active commercial mining has
been conducted in the Houston
area although operations were
suspended for the winter approxi
mately ten days ago.
Wishbone Hill Area
Test holes were also driven in
the Wishbone Hill area of the
Matanuska coal field.
The contractor (Pennsylvania
Drilling Company) has been con
tinuing a project that has been
going on for four years; aiding
in building up known reserves of
additional coal in this region, En
gineer May said. The east end o
the area commences near th<
Jonesville mine with the Premie:
mine located at the west end.
The first test hole started soutl
of Jonesville was put down som<
2114 feet with a second hoi
in that location expected to gi
as deep. Work on the second hoi
was stopped for the season afte
being drilled and cased down t<
1305 feet.
Diamond drilling, such as is re
quired for this type explorator;
work, requires a great deal o
water, May explained. It is en
tirely too expensive to attemp
heating or insulating the pipini
of more than 1,000 feet necessar;
for an adequate working supplj
he added.
Another exploratory hole wa
drilled into the south side o
Wishbone Hill about a mile west
trly from Jonesville. This wa
driven for additional geologies
- information to a depth of 1242
E feet. It is obviously too early to
? say how many tons additional re
: serve can be developed, May
said, until the project is com
i pleted, persumedly next year.
; However, he added, indications
i show there will be very substan
) tial increases in coal reserves of
i a known area.
■ Next year, according to tenta
) tive plans, the Bureau of Mines
will undertake drilling along the
- Moose Creek side of the hill.
r The working season generally
£ ends in mid-October, May said.
- This year they were able to work
t later in the season because of
l mild weather. Active field staff
t this year consisted of ten Bureau
> t>i Mine personnel and a maxi
mum drill crew of eight.
5 L. G. Anderson, chief of Coal
f Branch of Mining Division is in
- charge of coal mining activities
s for the Bureau of Mines with his
1 office located in Anchorage.
UlilL UthtNSt TU
NOTE FACILITIES;
EFFECTIVENESS
There will be a Civil Defense
meeting tonight at 8 p.m. in Room
211 at the Palmer School, CD Dir
ector Edward Imme announced
today.
All Civil Defense committee
chairmen and members are asked
to attend. Final setting up of the
local organization will be com
pleted and plans formulated for
Valley participation in air raid
alerts to be conducted throughout
the entire Third Division.
First phase of the alerts will
come early Friday evening when
a test of air raid warning equip
ment will be made. A three min
ute wailing blast on the fire siren
and the continuous sounding of
the Co-Op whistle will signal the
alert. The all clear signal of three
one minute blasts, separated by
two minute intervals, will also
be sounded.
Director Imme pointed out that
this alert is primarily a time ele
ment test, checking to detei'mine
how much time is involved in the
delivery of the alert message and
its execution.
It will also be a test for the
existing sounding equipment. All
persons living outside a reason
able hearing area are asked to
report whether or not they heard
the alarm.
Early next week simulated
bombings will test the local abil
ity to detect the approach of
enemy planes, send out warnings
and primarily test the civil de
fense organization in Palmer.
Following these tests, Imme
pointed out, we will be able to
iron out any difficulties that ap
pear.
When the warning signals
sound, all civilians are urged by
the director to follow instructions
on Civil Defense posters placed
in various spots throughout the
city. Elsewhere in The Frontiers
man is a recommeneded list. It
has been suggested that civilians
save this form, pin it up and ac
quaint all members of their
families with the recommended
practices.
Go-Op Creamery Head
Resigns; Successor
To Be Named Soon
Fred M. Zieke, manager of the
Matanuska Valley Farmers Co
operating Association announced
last week that Clarence Bell,
manager of the Creamery depart
ment had tendered his resigna
tion as of December 31.
Athough Zieke said no replace
ment has been named, he has
been interviewing applicants for
the position while in Seattle on
a business trip. All applicants are
agricultural college graduates,
actively employed in dairy work
at the present, he added.
Bell has been with MVFCA
since June of 1947 when he start
ed a wholesale milk and ice
cream route in Anchorage. He
has been manager of the local
creamery since May of 1949. He
said he has no definite plans for
the future but expects to remain
in the Territory.
ROBERT BETTINE
ABLE TO SIT UP
Robert Bettine is improving
more each day, according to word
received this week. Twice, during
the week, he has been able to sit
up in a wheel chair for short
periods of time.
A short note, written by him
to his sister Dorothy Saxton, as
sured her he is getting along well.
Exray work was done this week
but Mrs. Saxton has not learned
the (results.