o UiluAy »
A ur. .. M
Thought of the Week:
The people of this coutry
will find that freedom, like
oeace. has its price and it can
not be paid in coin of the
realm.
VOLUME 15. NUMBER 41
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
PALMER. ALASKA. WEDNESDAY. JULY 3. 19G3
EIGHT PAGES
OBSERVE SAFETY RULES
DRIVE WITH CAUTION
HAVE HAPPY HOLIDAY
PRICE 15 CENTS
.416 Visit
P
Museum in
First Month
Open to the public since
June 1. 1963, the Matanuska
Valley Historical Society Mus
eum has attracted 416 visitors
during its first month of op
eration. members of the So
ciety have reported.
Of those registering in the
guest book, 330 were from Al
aska. with all areas represent
ed. Visitors from other states
totaled 81, and five guests from
foreign countries were listed.
Of the latter, two were from
Canada, two from Germany,
and one from Cuba.
The museum is open Wed
nesdays through Sundays,
from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and is
located in the basement of lhe
Frontier Cafe building. An at
tendant is on duty each day to
give background information
and to answer questions.
Simporting the operation of
ARMY RESERVES
TRANSFER MERE
FORT RICHARDSON, AL
ASKA—A segment of Anchor
age's Army Reserve group was
transferred to Palmer early
this month, U. S, Army, Alas
ka. announced June 28.
Acording to Colonel Carlyle
P. Woelfer, Chief of the Alaska
Military District, the 2nd Plat
oon of Company B, 813 Engin
eer Battalion (construction),
was moved to Palmer on July
1.
The Palmer unit will now
conduct its weekly training
drills, on a temporary basis, at
the Alaska Railroad Depot.
During July and August, the
platoon will be engaged in pre
oaring a site, located on the
Palmer Fairgrounds, and er
ecting a prefabricated building
which will be the permanent
home of the reserve unit. It is
anticipated that this building
will be ready for usable occu
oancy by September 1. During
the fall drill periods, members
of the unit will complete the
interior of the building as part
of a training project.
Transfer of this unit to Pal
mer expands the mobilization
capability of the 813 Engineer
Battalion and will permit the
voung men of the Matanuska
Valley area to participate in an
active reserve unit.
Information regarding activ
ities of the U. S. Army Re
serve Program in Alaska may
be obtained by contacting the
Anchorage Area Reserve Cen
ter on the Davis Highway,
-iCort Richardson or by calling
362-8148.
Fishing Good
At Bonnie lake
Rainbow trout fishing re
gains good at Bonnie Lake
Mile 83.5, Glenn Highway, foi
fish averaging 11 inches in
length, according to D. W. Mc
Ginnis, fisheries biologist al
the Palmer station. Flatfish
and single eggs are preferred
bait.
Fishing is also good at Bi{
Lake for rainbow and Dollj
Varden averaging 10 inches
and running to 17 inches, Me
Ginnis said. Single eggs a r <
being used.
Grayling fishing is good a
Seventeen Mile Lake in t h i
Jonesville Coal Mine arei
with small flies, and fair t<
good in the midlde reaches o
Willow Creek.
King salmon success re
mains low in the Montana
Sheep Creek area, but is pick
ing up in the vicinity of t h'
railroad bridge at Willo\
Creek, the biologist stated.
the museum for the summei
months with their contribu
tions are Matanuska Electru
Association, Matanuska Tele
phone Association. Matanusk;
Maid, Inc.. Alaska Dairy As
sociation, the Matanuska Va!
ley Bank, Mrak Coal Co., an:
Evan Jones Coal Co.
There are 162 individual ar
tides in the museum. Thos<
who have contributed artifact:
are Mr. and Mrs. L. D. Elex
■a n, John Bugge. Pete Johnson
Ed Ueeck, Stanley Herning
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Duff. Mis:
Louise Kellogg, Leo Lucas
William Forest. Jr.. Mr. anc
Mrs. John Dryden. A1 Kirsch
Mrs. J. C. Murray, “Red Jacl
of Knik.” and Mr. and M-s
Lloyd Hill. Many of the arti
cles on display have been do
nated anonymously.
Present plans are to re-labe
all items, with an explanatioi
of their use and, where pos
sible, when they were brough
into Alaska and who donate!
each item.
Maps and pictures of th<
early days in the Matanusk
! Valley will be mounted am
: displayed for interest and fo
educational value. A section c
! the museum is being prepare
for display of raw material
available in the Valley. Thes
will include samples of lumj
nut and steam coal, samples c
limestone, timber products an
also displays of products no\
being manufactured or proces
sed in the Valley. These wi'
include agricultural, mineral:
concrete, and timber product:
Members of the Histories
: Society emphasized that th
! oublic is invited to visit th
; Museum, sign the guest regis
ter, and get a glimpse of wha
early settlers in the Valle
used and in many cases in:
provised) to make their livin
in a new country.
There is no admission chai
ge, and a special invitation i
extended to Alaskan tourist
to see the museum as guests c
the people of the Matanusk
Valley.
AMBULANCE DRIVE CHAIRMAN SEES
MEA DONATION AS COMPANY INSURANCE
the MatanusKa valley am
bulance drive took a big jump
this week through a $2,000
donation from MEA, according
*o William Hermann, chairman
of the drive.
MEA. one of the area’s larg
est employers, had earlier
pledged to match any large do
nation up to $2,000. Accepted
as the matching contribution
was the more than $3,000 do
aation from the Palmer Volun
teer Firemen's welfare fund.
“Our thanks and apprecia
tion go to MEA for their in
telligence and foresight in par
ticipating in this community
i endeavor,” Hermann said. “The
new ambulance will provide
| speedy and efficient service by
i experienced personnel for
their many employees. Since
the service areas of the elec
j trie cooperative and the am
; I bulance are identical, MEA is
i instrumental in helping pro
, ' ide emergency service to all
ds members in the entire ser
; vice area.
"Amortizing the $2,000 m
; vestment premium over the es
! timated 10-year life of the am
t bulance would bring the an
i nual cost of this service to
f MEA and its more than 2,000
members to $200 per year, or
- an overall cost of only $1 per
■ member. A cheap and intelli
- gent ambulance insurance pro
; gram!”
j Hermann suggested that
ther employers of the area
consider a contribution to the
ambulance fund in this light.
“"Few, if any, employers cun
consider purchase or up-keep
of an ambulance of their own.
Only together, by sharing tne
cost, can we afford it,” he said.
Important contributions were
made during the past week
by Mr. and Mrs. H. T. Clon
i gcr. Mrs. Dorothy Nelson of
Wasilla, Patricia Birch of An
chorage, and Mrs. M. B. Mar
tin. A $25 donation was also
made by a Palmer couple who
wish to remain anonymous.
Palmeriles Asked lo Participate
In "Let Freedom Ring" Project
William W. Elliott, president
of Anchorage Chapter of Sons
of the American Revolution
(descendants of patriots who
fought in the War of Independ
ence in 1776) has issued an ap
neal on behalf of chapter mem
bers for statewide and commu
nity participation in the “Let
Freedom Ring” national project
on July Fourth.
Gov. Egan and the mayors
of all towns and cities have
been asked to issue proclama
tions requesting the ringing of
all church bells, all bells in
MEA MANAGER
TO MEET WITH
REA OFFICIALS
Mason LaZelle, MEA mana
ger, will meet with REA offi
cials in Washington, D.C., on
July 8 to discuss the loan ap
plication which the Matanus
ka Electric Association has
submitted to REA for funds to
construct a mine-mouth steam
plant at Sutton. LaZelle will
be accompanied by a consult
ing engineer from the Parsons
’ Co
A supporting factor in con
sideration of the ioan will be
an agreement between the
City of Anchorage and MEA.
whereby the City has agreed
I to t uy power from the mine
mouth plant and to furnish
reserve from its gas turbines,
; and MEA has agreed to buy
' | power from the City during
■ tlie plant construction period.
Members of the Anchorage
| City Council last night ap
■ pi oven a Westinghouse Elec-:
1 trie Corp. proposal to con
• struct a second 15,000 kilowatt
I gas turbine generator for the
• City of Anchorage.
\V*>stinghouse has offered to
■ build the gas turbine generator
■ | undei a five-year contract
plan. Cost of the generator
would be $1.4 million.
ARAB CONSUL IS
t CHAMBER GUEST
* Members and guests at the
Matanuska Valley Chamber of
Commerce luncheon today
i : were given an opportunity to
1 meet Tahseen M. Bassheer of
r Alexandria, Egypt, who was
f t brought to the Palmer meet
i , ing by John Alcantra. aide to
s Gov. Egan.
s i Basheer is assigned to his
i. country’s consulate in San
f Francisco and has also repre
1 sented the United Arab Repub
.• lie in the United Nations.
Featured speaker at the
1 luncheon was Jim Booky, who,
together with his associate,
;. Jim Booky, plan construction
1 of a fod processing plant in the
e I Matanuska Valley.
? Earp and Booky have plans
- for a plant which would begin
t ; as a pea-canning operation,
y then expand to freezing and
-, eventually to processing other
“ vegetables.
Needed by the planners is as
- surance from vegetable grow
s ers of the area of a sufficient
s crop to make the plant feasible,
f Also needed are rail siding,
a electric power, water supply,
ad sewage disposal facilities.
Commission Bound Legally
To Hold Hearings-Phillips
R?.IN, WEEDS,
MOSQUITO DROP
PLAGUE AREA
Cool, wet weather, the first
problem, is creating two more,
according to Paui Pownall. of
the USDA statistical reporting
service—weeds and mosqui
toes.
Plant growth in the Matan
uska Valley was delayed by
the weather during the oast
week, while weeds have thriv
ed, the statistician said. Thv
weather has also contributed
to the superabundant mosquito
crop which has been plaguing
the area.
About 80 per cent of the
crop reporters consider pros
pects for the brome and timo
thy crops below average. Pow
nall stated. Ratings on the
■ respective potato crop were
equally divided between ne
low average and average,
while commercial vegetable
prospects were rated as being
a little better—they were judg
ed to be average by more re
porters than those who thought
them below average.
Pownall pointed out, how
ever. that favorable weather
conditions the rest of the sum
mer could change this situa
tion rapidly. Soil moisture is
adequate to surplus, and given
warmer weather and more sun
shine. all crops can develop
very rapidly.
First cuttings of brome have
suffered from cold w'eather
and lack of moisture early in
the season, then from rain dur
ing harvest.
Flying Club Plans
Breakfast Tomorrow
You can get a good start on
Independence Day by attend
ing the Matanuska Valley Fly
ing Club fly in-drive in break
fast tomorrow morning at the
Palmer Airport, members of
the club said this week.
Serving will start at 6 a.m.
and continue until noon.
Guests are promised all they
can eat of ham, eggs, and hot
cakes.
The charge will be $1.50 fj
adults and 75c for children.
SPEECH THERAPIST
HERE NEXT WEEK
Margaret Hamilton, speech
and hearing therapist for the
Matanuska Valley, will be at
the Palmer ACCA clinic if; the
Center Theatre building on
Monday, Tuesday, and Wed
nesday, July 8, 9, and 10.
Those wishing appointments
should call PI 5-3565 before
Monday. From Monday on, ap
pointments may be made by
calling the clinic number.
PI 5-4811.
Local Affairs Action
Opposes Borough Law
Matanuska Valley residents
have been railroaded in the
handling of the Matanuska
Susitna borough petition. State
Senator Brad Phillips said last
even np ;.t an informal meeting
with represe tatives of the Pal
:: er city council, the Palmer
st hool district, and the borough
committee in the city council
chambers.
The Senator emphasized that
he himself favors a combina- ,
t on borough, but that he feels
that the local people have been
dealt an injustice in the handl
ing of the Matanuska-Susitna
petition by the Local Affairs
Agency.
Pointing out that the Local
Affairs Agency is required by
!av\ to study ail petitions to
determine whether they are in
prooer form, then to make rec
ommendations and turn the pe- j
titien over to the Boundary!
Commission for consideration,
he said. “The Boundary Com- |
miSssion couldn’t possibly have
acted on your petition. They
never had it. All the Local Af
fairs Agency has done in pro- j
cessing your petition is to open
their mail.”
The senator recommended
Caution Asked Of
Holiday Drivers
A plea for caution over the
coming holiday weekend was
issued today by Highways
Commissioner D A. McKinnon
and Commissioner of Public
Safety Martin B. Underwood.
Underwod said that there
have been 18 fatalities so far
I this year—two more than at
j the same time last year—and
drivers should be particularly
careful during the long holi
day weekend when many more
travelers will be on the road.
“Foul weather or fair, we’ve
found that Alaskans spend the
Fourth of July on the go.”
Underwod said. The increased
tourist traffic will add to the !
normally holiday - congested !
highways near the population j
centers.
McKinnon said the numer
j ous construction projects cur
; rently underway will increase
the traffic hazard if caution is
not shown. All sections under
going construction are well
signed for safety’s sake, he
, said, but extra care should be
' shown where traffic is heavy,
i Both commissioners urged
sensible driving on the high
' ways of Alaska for a safe holi
day.
government and business
buildings as well as all carillon
bells at colleges and universi
ties for a period of four min
utes at 8 a.m. on July 4. Radio
and TV stations are being ask
ed to broadcast the ringing of
the bells which will coincide
with the ringing of the Liberty
Bell in Independence Hall in
Philadelphia at 2 p.m. the same
day.
The chorus of bells swelling
across the United States will
be heard by citizens wherever
! Americans gather on the
Fourth. The sound will come
as a thrilling reminder of what
the Fourth of July stands for,
challenging each citizen to re
member the heroic resolve
formed by the men who pledg
ed their lives, their fortunes
and their sacred honor 187
years ago, Elliott stated.
Valley churches are asked
to cooperate by ringing their
bells for four minutes at 8 a.m.
on July 4.
From 1950 to 1955, Elliott
was principal of the Central
elementary school in Palmer.
th;it the petitioners try for a
court order to stop the Cap
tain Cook borough election
until a hearing can he held
on the Matanuska-Susitna pe
tition
(Secretary of State Wade has
been formally notified by the
boundary commission of its
acceptance of the Captain Cook
petition for borough incorpora
tion. with boundaries expand
ed to include District 7. and
has indicated that he will be
gin preparations immediately
for an election on incorpora
tion, to be held in September.)
Burton Biss. Palmer city at
torney. and John Shaw, attor
ney for the Palmer Indepen
dent School District board of
directors, both indicated that
the Matanuska-Susitna peti
tioners have legal grounds to
demand a court order to stop
the election until a hearing
can be held, but asked for more
time iO study the boundary
commission findings on the
Captain Cook petition before
making a recommendation for
acuon.
Phillips asked about the
now-famous exploratory meet
ing held early in May with
members of the city council,
the school board, and Ron
Cease, director of the Local
Affairs Agency, at which a
straw vote was taken. The re
sults of the unofficial poll have
been quoted by Cease as a “5
to 4 vote in favor of a large
borough by the Palmer city
council.”
It was pointed out to the
senator that there are only
seven members on the city
council: that the vote was tak
en from both school board and
■ouncil members some of whom
did not vote: that the discus
sion had ranged all the way
from a borough the size of the
Palmer Independent School
District to a combination of the
two election districts: and
that the vote was 4 to 4, with
one ambiguaously worded vote,
which was taken to mean fav
oring the large borough; and
that the meeting was explora
tory and an unofficial get-to
gether.
Joe Martin, member of the
Matanuska-Susitna borough
committee, said that a prin
ciple of government is invol
ved in the handling of the pe
tition that can not be over
looked—that an agency of the
government cannot be allow
ed to be remiss in carrying
out its duties.
(Continued on page 9
LOCAL SPONSORS
OF REFERENDUM
HAVE PETITIONS
Mr. and Mr- James D. Frey
of the Butte are: have been
designated by Secretary of
State Hugh Wade as sponsois
of the referendum to repeal
Chapter 52. SLA 63 (the HB
90 amendment to the borough
law. wh’Ch was voted into ef
fect in the last legislature), the
local couple announced this
week
As signers of the original re
quest for a referendum, the
Freys became sponsors of the
referendum, and have peti
tions available for signatures.
Only qualified voters may
sign the petitions. 6,008 sign
ers throughout the state will be
necessary to place the referen
dum on the ballot in the Ne
vember general elections.
Since the petitions must b ■
returned to ’he secretary of
State by July 12. the Frey
urged persons who are inter
ested in signing to get in touch
with them as soon as possible
The HB 90 amendment made
borough incorporation manda
tory in the populated an r
throughout the state
WILLOW CODE
IS 99688
Postmaster Zoa H. Hazel ha
has announced the Willow
ZIP Code as 99688.
The post office department's
ZIP code program went into
effect on July 1. It is designed
to improve dispatch and de
livery. All persons are asked
to include their ZIP code
number in their return ad
dresses. and to utilize the num
bers included in return ad
dresses in incoming mail.
The Palmer ZIP Code num
ber is 99645, and Wasilla's is
99687.
WORD RECEIVED
OF BABB DEATH
Dr. Myron Babb, horticultur
ist at the Alaska Agricultural
Experiment Station from 1948
to 1959. died June 20, in Farm
ington. Maine, after a brief
illness, according to word re
ceived here recently by W:
liam Sweetman of the Expe:
ment Station staff.
Babb, who retired in 1959
has been living in Maine since
then.
5-DAY OUTLOOK
Long weekenders in the
Cook Inlet area can expec
fair weather Thursday and
Friday, with increasing cloud i
ness late Friday. Mostly cloud -
weather is predicted for S:d
urday and Sunday, with oc. s
! sional light rain late Saturday
and early Sunday. Fair weath
er is predicted for Monday
REAL ESTATE UCENSE EXAMS TO BE
GIVEN IN ANCHORAGE ON AUGUST 3
Examinations for salesman
and broker's real estate li
censes will be given in Anch
orage. Kodiak, Fairbanks,
Ketchikan, Sitka, and Juneau,
August 3, 1963. it has been an
nounced by A. H. Romick,
Commissioner of Commerce.
The examinations will be giv
en from 9:00 AM. until 1:00
P.M. in each of the six cities.
Applications and informa
tion regarding the examina
tions may be obtained from
the following members of the
Real Estate Examining Board:
Vernon E. Haik, P. O. Box 1517,
Anchorage; Ray R. Reagan, 431
D*ck Street, Ketchikan; and
Bud F. Meyers, 527 Third Ave
nue, Fairbanks. Interested per
sons may also contact the De
partment of Commerce, 106
Alaska Office Building, P O.
Box 2259, Juneau, for applica
tions and information.
Completed applications on
the form prescribed by the
Board must be received by
: Commissioner Romick no later
| than July 24, 1963. after which
1 applicants will be notified of
the exact place of examination
in each city. Examination fees
in the amount of $15 for sales
men and $25 for brokers
should accompany each appli
i cation.