Basketball at gym at
7:30 p.m. Palmer to
meet Anchorage for
second railbelt confer
ence game.
Malley erntiergman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
PAGES
TODAY
VOL. 4. NO. 13
PALMER. ALASKA, DECEMBER 8. 1950
PRICE 10c
Another Building Project For Palmer
233 Residents Within
Proposed Boundaries
Sign for incorporation
Plans for the incorporation oi
Palmer as a city of the first-class
which got under way here last
week end with leading business
men of Palmer urging the move,
will gather further paomentum
this week end when the steering
committee plans to meet with an
Anchorage attorney to work out
legal aspects of the incorporation.
Petitions circulated by Pal
mer businessmen this week up
*- to press time today had been
signed by 233 residents within
the proposed boundaries of the
city, and an additional 78 resi
dents who, although they do
not reside within the proposed
boundaries, wish to add their
support to the move. Proposed
boundaries are: on the south
the line takes in the south end
of the Fair grounds; on the
west, Lucas subdivision and
part of John Bugge subdivision
also Bailey and Hill streets; on
the north, Swanson street, but
hoes not lake in Sherrod's farm,
and on the east by the Mata
nuska river.
At a Chamber of Commerce
meeting Wednesday, A1 Hagen,
member of the steering commit
tee, gave a report on the status of
the move which brought on a
lengthy debate and discussion
among members present. Mr.
Hagen asked that the Chamber
go on record as approving an elec
tion by the people of Palmer to
settle the long-standing issue of
incorporation. He also asked for
a contribution of $50 from the *
Chamber to help cover costs en
Carl Rasmussen, acting man
ager of the Matanuska Valley
Farmers Cooperating Association,
stated that he felt that a report
on proposed financing of a city,
boundary lines and possible taxes
be given the Chamber before that
body went on record as approv
ing the efforts being made for
incorporation. Mr. Rasmussen
said, in opposing the proposed
motion, that about one-third of
the property that will be taxed
(ii the incorporation carries) is
owned by the farmers here who
will have no vote and that he
(Continued on Classified Page)
FELKNER RETURNS
FROM TRIP OUTSIDE
Byron G. Felkner, head of the
Eklutna project here, returned to
the Valley Tuesday after spend
ing three weeks on a business
trip Outside. Mrs. Felkner ac
companied her husband here,
from the couple’s former home at
feoysen Dam, Wyo. They plan to
soon get settled in Palmer and
will reside at the former home
of Dr. Cates. This is Mrs. Felk
ner’s first trip to Alaska.
“I’m glad to be back in Alaska,”
Mr. Felkner, construction engi
neer for Eklutna project, said on
his arrival here, adding that at
Boysen Dam the temperature
was 15 below zero.
While Outside Mr. Felkner also
attended a conference at the of
fice of the chief engineer of the
Bureau of Reclamation at Den
ver, Colorado.
S
Piciuxed here is the artist's sketch of the Hagen building which is scheduled for construction
here next year. The three-story modern office building will offer a novel feature for merchant
displays with an arcade that is to extend from one end of the building to the other. The building
should be expedited next year as excavating, and other preliminary work was completed here this
August.
IS CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE TO BE
CONTINUED HERE?
Is there sufficient interest in
Palmer’s Chamber of Commerce
to keep it alive, was the question
put by President Clair Stock to
members in attendance at the
regular meeting of the Chamber
here Wednesday. Mr. Stock
pointed out that time and time
again it is impossible for the
Chamber to transact important
business due to the lack of the
proper quorum at the meetings.
New officers for the Chamber
will be elected at the December
20 meeting, if there is a quorum
present. If not, and the decision
is to let the Chamber lapse, the
elections will probably not be
held.
Nominations were made at the
meeting Wednesday to add to
those made at the last meeting in
November. Carl Meier, Carl Ras
mussen and Jack Maze were
nominated for president; Matt
Perkins, and M. D. Snodgrass,
vice president; Eugene Kirsch,
Louise Kellogg and Don Irwin,
recording secretary. For board
of directors Steve Ward, Matt
Perkins and James Hurley. Fur
ther nominations may also be
made from the floor at the De
cember 20 meeting.
Further action on the recently
formed Palmer Chapter of the
Good Roads Association is pend
ing receiving material from Herb
Hilscher, Mr. Stock also stated at
the meeting.
FERMAN STRICKLANDS
HAVE NEW DAUGHTER
Mr .and Mrs. Ferman Strick
land have a new baby daughter.
The little girl was born at Valley
hospital December 4 at 3:15 p.m.,
weighing six pounds, two ounces.
Penny Louise is the name chosen
for her by her parents. The fam
ily makes its home on the Palmer
highway. Mr. Strickland is em
ployed as a truck driver.
Community to Attend
Big Hospital Benefit
Party at 8 Tonight
Not only Palmer merchants but
also several of Wasilla have made
generous contributions to be used
as awards at the big community
Valley hospital benefit party
which will be held tonight, Don
Ingalls, governor of the Moose
lodge announced this week. The
local Lodge is sponsoring the
benefit to raise money for the
purchase of new beds for the
Valley hospital. “Alaska’s Fa
vorite Game” will be the attrac
tion at the party which will start
promptly tonight at 8 o’clock at
the school gymnasium.
A wealth of prizes to be dis
played at the start of the party
will be awarded to many fortun
ate recipients during the evening.
Everyone can plan on a wonder
ful evening and at the same time
know that he is doing his bit to
ward bettering conditions at the
Valley hospital, Mr. Ingalls point
ed out.
Contributors of prizes this week,
in addition to those who have
previously made donations and
have been listed in the Frontiers
man, include: Shamrock Bakery,
Valley Cleaners, Palmer Studio,
James Construction, Martin’s
Westside Service, Treasure shop,
Clara’s Variety, Valley tyasheter
ia, Palmer Fountain and Cafe,
Co-Op Garage, Matanuska Valley
bank, Sherrod Gardens, Palmer
Independent Cab Co., Onkka’s
Cab, Graham Service, Hartley
Bros. Garage, Ken’s Electric, Sev
ern’s Cabinet shop, Valley Bar
ber shop; Johnson’s barber shop;
McCool’s barber shop, Trading
Post, Butte Service, Matansuka
Electric Association, Meier-Pal
mer transfer. Contributors from
Wasilla include Teeland’s Shop
ping Center, Hill-Top Cafe and
Cabins, Smith Automotive and
Green Acres. ;
KIWANIANS PLAN
SECOND MINSTREL
SHOW FOR SPRING
The Valley may now start look
ing forward to some wonderful,
hilarious entertainment that is
guaranteed to have “them rolling
in the aisles,” with the announce
ment here this week that plans
are now under way for the second
annual Kiwanis Ministrel show.
President-elect Hugh A. Johnson
said that the show will probably
be put on by the local Kiwanians
some time in April.
A committee was recently ap
pointed for the show that was
pronounced by the community as
a complete success when it was
presented here for the first time
last year. Mr. Johnson heads the
committee which is comprised of
Jack Maze, H. J. Hodgson, John
King, Roy Brock, John Weisen
berger and James Hurley. Mem
bers of the committee met this
week to work out details for the
minstrel show. Dr. C. C. Bailey,
vice-president-elect of the Ki
wanis Club was. also in attend
ance at the committee meeting.
Munseys Take Over
Valley Washeteria
Park Munsey, who, with Mrs.
Munsey, recently came to the
Valley from Laconia, New Hamp
shire, has taken over the opera
tion of the Valley Washeteria, for
merly operated by Alvin Saxton,
it was announced this week. The
Munseys are residing at Lester
Court in the trailer they brought
with them on their trip over the
Alaska Highway, arriving here
in October.
Mrs. Munsey will assist him at
the washeteria, Mr. Munsey said
in making the announcement. He
stressed new features to be of
fred to the Valley, which will in
clude a shirt service, plus free de
livery and pick-up. The wash
eteria will be open evenings for
persons wishing to do their own
laundry. A new Maytag washing
machine, recently purchased, will
be available for that purpose, Mr.
Munsey said.
‘Preliminary Work
Completed This Year
To Expedite Building
A three-story modern office
building at an estimated cost of
$150,000 is to be constructed here
at Palmer next year which will
provide 20.000 square feet of floor
space for commercial stores and
offices, A1 V. Hagen announced
this week. The construction of
the building should be expedited
considerably as it was actually
started this year, Mr. Hagen said,
when excavation, all footings,
pillars and retaining walls were
completed early in August. The
building will be constructed by
a corporation headed by Mr.
Hagen.
The modern new structure to
be known as the Hagen Building
will be located on the main street
The building will extend from
the corner now adjacent to the
Frontiersman to Tost’s garage.
The present fire station will be
torn down to make way for the
new office building, Mr. Hagen
said, but the printing plant will
be left intact to be incorporated
within the building plans.
A novel feature of the new
building will be an arcade to
extend from one end to the
other. The arcade will not only
serve to make the building at
tractive but will also afford
commercial establishments two
fronts for display and entrance
purposes. Mr. Hagen pointed
out. The entire west wall of the
arcade will be comprised of dis
play windows for the merchants
as well as Valley art and Valley
products. Mr. Hagen added.
The exits from the Valley thea
tre will also lead into the ar
cade. he said.
Extensive plans for remodel
ing the Valley theatre are also
a part of the construction
planned, Mr. Hagen said. The
entire front of the theatre will
be modernized to conform with
the outside appearance of the
new building. Interior decora
tion of the theatre, the instal
lation of new projectors and a
new screen will make the the
atre completely modern also,
Mr. Hagen added.
“A number of Anchorage mer
chants and others have shown
great interest in securing space
to include a Palmer outlet in ex
tending their operations,” Mr.
Hagen said. Rental space will be
available to commercial stores on
the first floor with the second and
third floors to be devoted to of
fices. The basement and the
street or first floor are to be con
structed of concrete, Mr. Hagen
said. Architects for the building
are Sherman & Sons of Anchor
age.
ANSWER FIRE ALARM AT
EXPERIMENT STATION
The Valley Fire Association an
swered a call at the Matanuska
experiment station Thursday af
ternoon to put out a conflagration
in the milk house and boiler room
there. Considerable damage was
done to the building which was
gutted by the fire. No other
buildings at the farm were threat
ened, volunteer firemen reported.