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PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST? Or THE MATANUSKA V \LLEY
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VOLUME 5. NUMBER 31
PALMER. ALASKA THURSDAY. APRIL 10. I0&2
PRICE TEH CENTS
Valley's Easter Parade Leads to Churches
Double Present Power
Practically Assured
For MEA Next Winter
If the CEA-ARR steam plant i<
completed as scheduled by No
vember of next fall and if the
Bureau of Reclamation is giver
the job of managing the plant
Matanuska Electric Associatior
consumers will be assured of 2,
000 KWs of power next wintei
instead of the present 1.000 allow
ed under the present contrac
with Anchorage Public Utilities
Such was the substance of the
report given by Byron G. Felk
ner, construction engineer ir
charge of the Eklutna Project, tc
MEA members gathered at the
Palmer School gymnasium Satur
day night for their annual meet
ing.
Felkner told the members thal
the Alaska Railroad, originally
designated to operate the new
power steam plant* had requested
of the Department of Interioi
that the Bureau of Reclamatior
take over the management of the
power plant. Negotiations art
also under way, Felkner said, tc
speed up the contemplated pur
chase of the old Eklutna Powei
Plant by the Bureau of Reclama
tion. It was intended when the
present Eklutna Project was
begun that the Bureau would ac
quire the old Eklutna powei
facilities as soon as the projecl
was completed. Purpose of the
present negotiations is to effeci
acquisition by the summer. Ar
appraisal Board will negotiate
with the city of Anchorage foi
the purchase.
Under Bureau management o1
the CEA-ARR steam plant ano
the APU facilities at Eklutna, the
Matanuska Electric Associatior
would get the full output of the
old Eklutna plant, which is 2,00C
KWs or more without including
the diesel plant. Then the CEA
ARR steam plant would place or
the APU system in Anchorage uj
to the 2,500 KWs for which ME£
will contract.
With MEA receiving 2,000-2,
500 KWs next winter consumer
in this area should have no wor
ries about “brownouts” However
the receipt of this amount o:
power is contingent on comple
tion of the steam plant.
Over 270 MEA consumers wen
represented at the annual meet
ing, but many more persons were
present. Elected as directors were
incumbents George Small, Jus
tine Parks, and R. B. Graharr
and John E. Lemon of Wasilk
and Arthur L. Smith of Sutton
Incumbents William Head and
Ray McCartney had withdrawn
their candidacy prior to the meet
ing. The balloting gave 206 votes
to Small, 182 to Graham, 158 to
Parks, 152 to Smith, and 124 to
Lemon. Defeated candidates re
ceived votes as follows: Irving
Plitt, 122; Dr. Lee McKinley, 68;
Harry Kendrick, 67, Ed Wineck,
58; John Weisenberger, 47. Martin
Olson and L. M. DePriest each
received one vote despite the fact
that their names had been with
drawn.
All three propositions present
ed to the membership for changes
in the by-laws were okayed in
the voting. The first proposition
received 217 votes for and 18
against. This change in the by
laws provides for seven board
members beginning next year;
three members will be elected for
two-year terms v^nd four for a
one-year term in 1953.
The proposition for area repre
sentation carried by only seven
votes—119 for and 112 against.
Under this change in the by-laws
(Continued o:\ Page 4)
HURLEY ON BOARD
OF REORGANIZED
VALLEY BANK
Robert A. Baker, purchaser of
the reorganized Matanuska Val
ley Bank, announced this week
the new board of directors who
will be responsible for safety of
depositors’ funds and the success
of the financial bulwark of the
Valley.
Heading the list is Baker, him
. self, who is also president of the
bank. Others are Harry J. Hill,
r vice-president; John H. Clawson,
secretary; James J. Hurley, who
represents the Valley; and Dr.
Asa L. Martin. All are well
known business and professional
men of the Anchorage and Pal
mer area. Richard M. Jones is
cashier of the new bank.
In a letter to depositors the
new president solicited their
support and assured them that
the reorganized institution will
render a complete banking ser
vice on a sound business basis.
Capital stock is listed at $75,000,
which represents a substantial in
crease over the former $30,000
capitalization and is the full
amount recommended by the
Territorial Banking Board.
MAYOR GOES OUTSIDE
FOR MEDICAL CARE
Mayor Carl Meier left Pal
mer Tuesday evening to fly
outside for medical treatment
at Seattle’s Virginia Mason
Clinic.
Before leaving, the mayor
expressed his gratitude and
appreciation for all the nice
things Palmer people have
done for him during his ill
ness.
He said he would see every
one soon.
“I’m coming back all well
and happy,” he said, “and I
may run for Mayor next fall.”
Palmer Teachers Ask
Salary Increase In
Line With Anchorage
Because of increased costs of
living due to rise of food prices,
rent, clothing and income tax,
the Palmer Teachers’ Association
at a special meeting Tuesday,
April 8, decided to request a sal
ary increase for administrators
and teachers from the Board of
Education.
During the lengthy discussion
leading to the decision many
other reasons for a raise were ad
vanced. Among these were the
fact that teachers cannot save for
the future out of present salaries.
The Territorial pension is not
adequate to support a teacher in
retirement.
Any savings accumulated must
be spent for attending summer
school every five years in order
to meet requirements set up by
the Board of Palmer Public
Schools. It was roughly estimated
that it costs about a minimum of
two thousand dollars for a sum
mer of study.
It was pointed out that Anch
orage has helped meet the prob
lem by paying an additional $800
per year above the territorial
salary scale to each teacher. Like
wise Fairbanks has taken a step
in a similar direction by grant
ing a raise of $1,000 to all teach
ers and administrators.
Superintendent William T.
Zahradnicek was questioned
about the financial status of the
school system, and he stated that
at present the school district is
not indebted or bonded.
It was also brought out that
Palmer can not hope to keep the
present good teachers willing to
teach in Alaska when Anchorage
and Fairbanks have granted such
substantial salary raises.
The special meeting called by
Gottfried Stevahn, president oi
the Teachers’ Association, was
held in the school library.
A committee consisting of Fred
Stassel, Chairman; John DeVries,
Continued on page 4
Chamber Mulls Alaskan
Animal Industry
Progress and Problems
The new Chirikof Island Cat
tle Assn, slaughter house plan
ned for early construction on
Chirikof Island by Harry Ryan,
Walter Cooper, and Charles Wal
ler will be the first approved
slaughted house in the Territory
under the new Territorial regula
tions, Commissioner of Agricul
ture Clyde Sherman told the
Chamber of Commerce yesterday.
He said that plans have already
been approved by the Alaska De
partment of Health and the Com
mission of Agriculture.
Sherman reported no dissention
among the Matanuska Valley
Breeders Association members
who heard him explain the new
slaughtering regulations Tuesday
night. The regulations, he said,
apply only to meat sold through
commercial channels in cities
having ordinances requiring meat
inspection. There is no Territorial
inspection law. He said that the
inspection service, which is ren
dered by the Territorial veterin
arians free of charge—at present,
is also offered to farmers butch
ering for private use and sales if
they request it.
“Three years from now,’’ the
commissioner said, “we can prob
ably write Bang’s disease off the
books.”
With the vaccination of calves,
the regular testing of cattle, and
quarantine to premises of all
positive reactors it is expected
that the disease will be non exis
tant by that time, Sherman said.
Action by the breeders should
lead to introduction into the Ter
ritory of vaccinated heifers only.
Contemplated Chamber action
regarding the awarding of recom
bined milk contract for Ladd and
Eielson AFB to the Internation
al Dairy of Oakland, California,
fizzled out when wires were read
from Generals William E. Kep
ner and William D. Old. The tele
grams stated that all proposals
received so far have been deemed
Continued on page 4
FARMERS’ MARKET
ASSN. PLANS FOR
BIG SEASON IN 1952
Members of the Farmers’ Mar
ket Association met last night at
the Spring Creek Dairy Farm for
their first meeting of 1952 to plan
for their second season.
The opening of the Farmers
Market at its site across from
the railroad depot on July l-i
last year marked the first time
in Alaska that farmers so organ
ized to sell their own farm pro
ducts. The market was opened
Saturdays and Sundays from thai
date until September 15, and dur
ing that time the five to seven
regular sellers and occasional
group sellers grossed a total oi
$3,387.07 in sales, netting the as
sociation $238.47. All but $25 of
this amount remains in the trea
sury to promote a better market
this year.
Saturday, July 12, is expected
to be the opening date of the
market this year. Howard Estelle
was re-elected president of the
association at last night’s meet
ing, and Darrell Callison and
Mrs. Richard Washburn will
serve as vice president and secre
tary, respectively. Other direc
tors are Max Sherrod and Robert
Lincoln.
Indications are that there will
(Continued on page 8)
EGGS FOR THE
EASTER HUNT
Marvin Slaughter invites
all persons interested to join
the local Kiwanis Club in the
fun of providing colored eggs
for the children’s traditional
Easter Egg Hunt on the Co
Op commons in front of Pal
mer School. Slaughter is
chairman of this year’s hunt.
Kiwanis members are each
contributing two dozen hard
boiled eggs, all gayly colored.
These and any others contrib
uted should be left at the
Palmer Drug Store Saturday.
Union Sunrise Service
Starts Off Day of
Traditional Rejoicing
Climaxing thii Holy Week the
entire Valley will join in services
this coming Easter Sunday to ob
serve and rejoice in the miracle
of the resurrection with its prom
ise of life eternal.
Tomorrow, on Good Friday,
the doors of St. Michael’s Cath
olic Church will be opened wide
throughout the day for Venera
tion of the Cross. The crucifix
will rest on a purple cushion on
the floor of the sanctuary at the
Communion rail for veneration
of the faithful who will come and
go from early morning until after
evening services. Stations of the
Cross will be made at 7:30 p.m.
Friday evening. The morning
Mass will be said on Holy Satur
day as well as Good Friday.
A Good Friday service will oe
held at the United Protestant
Church during the noon hour.
Rev. Harry Gayley will lead a
period of Scripture reading and
meditation beginning at 12:25
p.m. and concluding at 12:50 p.m.
so that business people will be
able to attend.
St. John’s Lutheran Church
vviil hold special services tonight
and tomorrow evening with
Christ-centered messages begin
ning at eight o'clock.
Union Sunrise Service
On Easter morning, promptly
at 6:30 a.m., the traditional Union
Sunrise Service will be held this
year at the Church of God.
Everyone is invited to participate
in this inspiring service: to hear
the guest speaker. Rev. Went
worth Pike, a missionary' from
Sleitmut; and to join in a fellow
ship breakfast of do-nuts and
coffee after the service in the
basement.
United Protestant
The eleven o'clock Easter
morning services at the United
Protestant Church will feature an
Easter cantata entitled “Redemp
tion’s Song.” The choir is under
the direction of Harry Wimmer.
Soloists are Miss Lois Thompson,
Mrs. Marjorie Brewer, and Art
Stacey. Miss Thompson. Miss
Betty Kreutz, and Miss Margaret
Conway are members of the lad
ies’ trio featured in the cantata.
Other members of the choir are
Mrs. Margaret LeWalters, Mrs.
Lou Sandvik, Miss Neola Sand
vik, Mrs. Marne Hanks, Mrs.
Beatrice Huntley, Mrs. Ann Plitt,
Mrs. Sara Brewster, Mrs. Vera
Rorrison, Miss Elizabeth Meyers,
Duane Huntley, Fred Stassel,
Emil LeWalters, Dick Rempel,
and C. A. Brewer.
Following the cantata Rev.
Gayley will preach on the theme
“The Magnetic Christ.”
St. Michael's
On Easter at St. Michael’s the
Feast of the Resurrection will be
celebrated at the 10 a.m. Mass.
Father James Snead will wear
white and gold vestments to cele
brate the Mass and the altar will
be banked with Easter lilies. Pre
ceding the Mass will be a violin
solo of Handel’s “’Largo” played
by John Zawalnicki. Immediately
following will be the “Ave Maria”
of Bach-Gounod sung by Robert
Pippel. During the Mass, the
choir, under the direction of Wil
liam W. Elliott, will sing Lee
son’s “Chirst the Lord is Ris’n
Today,” ‘‘Alleluia, Alleluia, Let
the Holy Anthem Rise,” and
‘‘Soul of My Savior”. The Bene
diction of the Blessed Sacrament
will be accompanied by two Gre
goriant chants and Haydn’s ‘‘Holy
God, We Praise Thy Name.” Be
fore the Communion Paul Martin
(Continued on Page 8)