i
VALLEY FRONTIERSMAN
PRINTED AT PALMER. ALASKA. EACH FRIDAY
By the MaUnuska Pre*». Inc.
Entered as second etas* matter on Oct. 21. 1M*. at the pout office at
Palmer. Alaska, under the Act of March I, 107®
Publisher. Business Manage?
A1 J. DeJulio
Editor
Lucille Kennedy Mick
Associate Editor
Virginia Gallant
Barbara Carter
WasiUa Correspondent
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Mailed to all points in Alaska and the United States
EDITOR'S COMMENT: This week we are happy to have a guest
editorial by Mrs. Margaret Miller, who has long been considered
the authority on United Protestant Church history. Until recent
ly. whep she left the Valley for a year in Juneau- Mrs. Miller
had been church secretary since its founding IS years ago. At
present, she is an elder of the church and holds the position of
Stated Clerk of the Yukon Presbytery.
Altsen Family Leaves Palmer
After almost eight years as pastor of the Unitea
Protestant Church of Palmer, Rev. Victor Alfsen is
leaving, to further his education and prepare himself
for teaching in schools under the jurisdiction of the
Presbyterian Church.
Rev. and Mrs. Alfsen came to Palmer in October
1943, immediately following his graduation from
Princeton Seminary. This is their first pastorate, and
they can well be proud of its accomplishments.
During their pastorate the church property has im
proved, and the church building doubly expanded to
meet the growing demand for extra room. A church
building has been erected at Wasilla, where Rev. Alf
sen has held weekly services.
Probably most outstanding in his community ser
vices, has been his work with the Boy Scouts—not only
as a leader of the local group, but also holding office,
and receiving special honors for his work in the Terri
tory. Other organizations in which he has been active
are the local Ministerial Association, King's Lake
Camp Inc., the Valley Hospital Board, and the Library
Board. He was instrumental in organizing the local
branch of the Chamber of Commerce, and much cred
it can be given him for interesting the National Mis
sions Board of the Presbyterian church in giving the
much needed assistance to the local hospital.
For the past several years Rev. Alfsen has been
Stated Clerk of the Yukon Presbytery, and one year
was pastor delegate from that organization to the Gen
eral Assembly.
Mrs. Alfsen has won our acimiration for her quiei
demure way. Besides caring for the three children—*
Christine 7, Victor 4, and Karen 9 months—keeping
them sweet in behavior, as well as sweet to look at, she
has found time to sing in the choir, act as assistant
organist, teach a Sunday School class, and be Sunday
School Secretary. She has also been active in the Wom
en's groups, and held offices in the Presbyterial of the
Yukon Presbytery.
While the Alfsens' move is a loss to this church and
community, we are happy for them that they have, at
last, found a way to realize a long-time wish to get in*
to the work of Christian Education. We wish them Goa
Speed, and success in their new life.
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When In Valdez Stop At
MODEL HOTEL
Clean Rooms and Dormitory Beds
FRED and NATHALIE NASLUND
2
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Butte Grasshoppers on the March
In Food Foray of Field and Garden
Butt** grasshopper*, contented
for years with their fortrew home,
have suddenly hopped their bor
ders to trespass on farms of
neighboring humans.
According to Dr Richard Wash
burn. Experiment Station ento
mologist, the grasshopper infes
tation around the Butte followed
the usual stretch of hot weather
that ended about two weeks ago.
During that hot period, the grass
hoppers multiplied abnormally
and population pressure threat
ened the usually ample food sup
ply
Soon ravenous grasshoppers be
gan their migration. They devour
ed completely the Butte hillside
pasture of the Nelson farm. Then
they turned to the garden. Dr.
Washburn says the insects prefer
a diet of radish tops and young
cabbage, with rhubarb and rasp
berry leaves for dessert. In this
emergency, however, they stripp
ed bare a three to five foot strip
of the Nelson oat field. They also
found nourishment in the I. M.
Sandvik garden nearby.
This is the first time grasshopp
ers have been known to do any
damage in the Valley, Dr. Wash
burn said. They are always pre
sent at the Butte and around va
rious river valleys. Higher tem
peratures in the Tanana River
Valley make them more numer
ous there than in the Matanuska
Valley.
Spread of the present infesta
tion will depend on the weather.
If it continues to rain, enough fun
gus disease will develop among
the grasshoppers to keep their
number in check.
In the meantime, Dr. Washburn
recommends that sprays of al
drin (2-4 ounces per acre), chlor
dan (8 pounds per acre), or tox
aphene (8 pounds per acre) should
check the spread of the pests.
Another pestiferous problem
mentioned by Dr. Washburn con
cerns some caterpillars near the
McKecknie saw mill. These cater
pillars are defoliating the spruce
in that vicinity. Their work re
sembles that of the spruce bud
AUGUST WILL Bf
LtGION AUXILIARY'S
BUST, BUST MONTH
Hans for • rummage sale
! *nd a charter member dinner—
both scheduled for August—were
made at the regular meeting ol ;
(he American Legion Auxiliary,
Thursday. July 19
Guests from Anchorage who!
attended the meeting were Mr* :
Edith Dav'is. department first
vice president; Mrs. Nola Camp
bell; Mrs. I. S. Thomasson. presi-;
ient of the Anchorage chapter;
Mrs. Alexander and Mrs. Smith. !
Local president, Ann Demming
announced an executive commit
tee meeting to be held at hei
home July 30 at 8 p. m. Some
very important matters are to be
discussed.
All Auxiliary members are
asked to attend the regular meet
ing next week Thursday, August
2. Entertainment of the American
Legion Auxiliary national presi
dent, Mrs. Willis C. Reed, will be
planned. Mrs. Reed will be in the
Valley August 29.
FLOWER EXHIBITORS
PREPARE FOR SHOW
With the date for the Pioneer
Grange Flower Show drawing
near, entrants have been request
ed to ready their exhibits.
There will be no admission
charge to the show to be held
August 12 at the Fair building.
Judging will be done by six
members of the Anchorage Gar
den club with prizes and ribbons
for the winners. Committee
members are hoping everyone in
the Valley will have an entry.
worm, but it is unknown if that
is the type. Dr. Washburn has
sent samples Outside for identi
fication.
The entomologist stated that ha
would appreciate having any in
sect infestation called to his at
tention.
m
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Gtural Delivery Dial 45235
Vill*7 Fronti*rtm»jn
a
Geoloqicol Survey
Studies Stream Row
The loc»l office of the U S. Geo
logical Survey we* a burv spot
last week with many visitor*
coming and going
Visiting Marvin Slaughter, eng
ineer in charge of surface waters
were Mr J V. B Wells, chief of
the surface water branch of Wa
ter Resources, from Washington.
DC. and Mr Ralph E. Marsh
district engineer from Juneau
They spent two days in the Pal
mer-Anchorage and Eklutna Lake
areas of stream flow before leav
ing Palmer for a trip by rail to
Fairbanks. A study of surface
waters aiong the railroad was
made enroute. The party was to
return by plane, observing the
waters from the air.
The quality of water division
was visited by Mr. S. K. Love,
chief of the quality of Water Re
sources from Washington. D. C
and Mr. F. C. Ames, of the same
department, working on the sedi
ment program in the Albuquer
que. New Mexico area.They are
here in the interest of establishing
a stream sedimentatiort study
of local streams.
Accompanied by Dr. G. W.
Whetstone, chemist in charge of
the division, they made a trip to
Fairbanks by car, conducting a
study and observation of streams
enroute. They plan to continue
their observations from the air on
their return trip.
Mr. B. E. Jones, chief of the
Water and Power branch from
Washington. D. C. andMr. Betts,
chief engineer of the Forest Ser
vice, also from Washington also
were U. S. G. S. visitors last week,
primarily interested in water
power, and, at present are con
ducting water power studies on
the Kenai Peninsula.
Valley
Theatre
Friday, Saturday
JULY 27 and 28
Shows: 7:15 and 9:00 p.m.
Saturday Matinee at 2 p. m.
“LADY TAKES
A SAILOR”
with JANE WYMAN and
DENNIS MORGAN
Sunday, Monday
JULY 29 and 30
Shows: 7:15 and 9:00 p.m.
Sunday Matinee: 2:00 pun.
“INSPECTOR
GENERAL”
With DANNY KAYE
Wed. - Thursday
AUGUST 1 and 2
Shows: 7:15 and 5:00 pan.
JANE RUSSELL IN
“THE OUTLAW”