Good Roads Drive
Steps On Starter
For Palmer Area
Palmer citizens are pushing a
good roads drive.
“Roads build a country—let’s
build Alaska,” is the slogan con
spicuously posjed.
This followed the appearance
of Herb Hilscher, territorial sec
retary of the Alaska Good Roads
Association before the Palmer
Chamber of Commerce.
A special ear-marked appropia
tion of $100,000 for start of con
struction on the Copper River
Highway was pointed out as a
signal achievement in which the
Alaska Good Roads Association
fjlayed a prominent part.
“After being told that not a
dime would be available this year
for the Copper River Highway,
we laid down a barrage of tele
grams and letters on Washing
ton,” Hilscher said. “Bob Bart
lett and the Governor appeared
before the appropriation com
mittee and the combination of
all forces brought about a special
ear-marked fund of $100,000 to
^commence construction on the
road from Cordova.
“If that can be done for Cor
dova why can’t similar road
projects be done for other com
munities in Alaska”, Hilscher
asked.
The Palmer chapter of the Al
aska Good Roads asociation was
formed last November and the
membership drive for 1951 is
'now under way, President L. C.
Stock announced. Betty Mears
is secretary-treasurer. Individu
al memberships are one dollar,
business memberships ten dollars.
Roads for Malanuska
“We believe that by setting up
ek road program that will best
serve the needs of the Matanus
ka Valley and having the Alaska
Good Roads Association carry
the ball for us, we can get much
accomplished in this area”, said
Stock. “We want all business
houses and individual car own
ers to join the association. If
good roads in the area are not
er’s money, they aren’t worth
worth a dollar of any car own
anything. Business houses will
benefit by more business coming
to Palmer through a good roads
program”.
Hilscher has accepted the in
vitation to again meet with the
Palmer Chamber and the Palm
er chapter of the Good Roads As
sociation on May 18.
„ V k. lAa. A A a
LET US HANDLE YOUR
UPHOLSTERING NEEDS
USED FURNITURE BOUGHT
AND SOLD
G. A. KRISE
Basement Palmer Drug
<;
Civil Defense Estimates Asked;
"Firestep" Troops Invade Palmer
What does Palmer need for
civil defenst?
That’s the essence of a ques
tionaire being sent by William T.
Zahradnicek, deputy director, to
all committee chairmen respons
ible for different phases of civil
defense, to determine actual costs
to meet those needs.
Last session of the Territorial
Legislature appropriated funds
for this specific purpose. Zahrad
nicek said needs might range
from gas masks to fire engines.
Sight-Seeing Troops
While spectacular paratroops
were dropped over Fairbanks in
the war maneuver “Firestep.”
Palmer also had a taste of air
borne invasion . . . but it was
peaceful (at least in intent) and
it was by sight-seeing bus.
Air Force personnel arrived in
tours to see personally the fabu
lous Matanuska Valley about
which they had read in Outside
Sunday supplements. They were
looking for globe-sized cabbages
and tea - cup - size strawberries.
They wanted to see the farms
which could raise such produce.
They wanted to talk to people
who had come here as colonists.
They wanted to see a city which
had grown from two or three log
cabins of the original settlers, into
a sprawling tent city, into farms
drawn by lot, into a town here to
stay and voting for incorporation.
They wanted information. They
were thinking about a place they
might want to come back to—
once discharged—and invest their
GI money. They wanted to see
the Co-Op and how it has devel
oped and what it does.
They found nothing . . . but
bars. . .
That might have been primarily
the fault of whoever arranged'
those sight-seeing tours. Palmer |
was given no notice. The covey!
i ASnHHHHBnH
of uniformed young men arrived
without warning. They spent their
money for food, drinks and such
souvenirs as they could find. And
they departed unfavorably im
pressed.
Who's Fault
Individual members of the Pal
mer Valley Chamber of Commerce
and the Matanuska Valley Farm
ers Cooperating Assn, pointed out
they could not be expected to be
around to host sight-seeing mili
tary personnel; that demands up
on their time for civic services of
all kinds drained their energies;
that no appreciable returns could
be expected from a busload of
service men; that the boys prob
ably did not want factual infor
mation anyway.
But the fact remains that about
150 young men from the southern
states — Florida, the Carolinas,
Tennessee, came into Palmer with
an eye to future possibilities, and
left with little or no comprehen
sion of what this great Valley
might offer them when they are
out of the service.
“We brought them to Palmer
as part of our desire that they see
Alaska,” one of the hostesses of
the sight-seeing tours explained.
They saw the main street—and
the highway.
Not a Pretty Picture.
It’s not a pretty picture, but so
long as the law of the knife and
bayonet prevails in the world it
wall be well for Uncle Sam to
whet his weapons well.
SHOE REPAIRING
All heavy sewing of leather
and canvas now done at
LOBERG'S VARIETY
WHEN
A DECISION
IS IMPORTANT
The experience of our bank may prove
helpful.
STOP IN!
MATANUSKA VALLEY BANK
Palmer, Alaska
Open Friday Evenings—5 to 7 P. M.
2 PER CENT ON SAVINGS
Your
Trading Post
' Says'
ANOTHER BIG BUTLER SALE
BARGAINS GALORE!
if DRY GOODS if
Many of our regular store items will be
added to the BUTLER SALE at drastic
ally reduced prices to make this a
BANG-UP BARGAIN WEEK
if HARDWARE DEPT. if
• Baby Cribs
• Bathinettes
• Taylor Tots
• Crib Mattresses
• High Chairs
• Baby Buggies
• Play Pens
if GROCERY DEPARTMENT if
Fresh FRUITS and VEGETABLES
Also a good selection of staple gro
ceries - priced to go along with our
BUTLER SALE
if MEAT DEPARTMENT if
Crown boneless lb.
Pork Roast 86c
Armour's lb.
Slab Bacon 76c
Smelt_66“
Banquet Whole Milk lb.
Cheddar Cheese 65°
ICE CREAM - Pints, Quarts, Gallons