Thought of the Week:
Two things that most young
girls heed: the telephone bell
and the automobile horn.
VOLUME 15. NUMBER 40
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
PALMER. ALASKA, THURSDAY. JUNE 27. 1963
TEN PAGES
;;:iety 9
LeaJn Zip Code Numbers
PALMER—99645
WASILLA—99687
WILLOW—99688
PRICE 15 CENTS
Reporters—
Notebook
Mrs. Leo Lucas and Mrs.
Louis Burcher left Palmer on
June 13 for Chicago, where
they received their College of
Regents degree at the national
convention of Women of the
Moose. Mrs. Lucas returned
here on June 23 after visiting
her parents in Dtnver, while
Mrs. Burcher plans to be away
about six weeks. (Editor’s
Note: The above item appeared
in last week’s Reporter’s Note
book with the first line missing
producing a real “Read ’em
and Weep.” Our apologies!)
* * *
Army Specialist Four Gary
E. Huckaby. whose wife, Kar
en. now in California, plans to
return to Palmer soon, was as
signed to the Armv element of
the Military Assistance Advis
ory Group ;n Vietnam on June
17 as a field radio repairman.
MAAG. Vietnam, is an Ar
ny -Na’ y-Marine-Air Force or
ganization w'-hich advises the
armed forces of the Republic
of iVetnam on training, use of
equipment and tactical opera
tions.
Specialist Huckaby entered
the Army in March, 1962, and
completed basic training at Ft.
Ord. Calif.
The 25-year-old soldier, son
of Mrs. Arles J. Huckaby, Sut
ter Creek. Calif., is a 1956
graduate of Amador Union
high school in Sutter Creek.
His father. Albert E. Hucka
by, lives in Jackson, Calif.
* * *
Mary Johnson, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Willard Johnson
of Palmer, was one of 94 stu
dents at the University of Pu
get Sound in Tacoma, Wash, to
achieve the Dean’s Honor List
in the semester just completed,
according to Dr. Norman F.
Thomas, dean of the Under
graduate School.
Eighteen students scored per
fect (4.00) grade point averages.
Lowest score on the list was
3.63. There were 68 women and
26 men on the list.
Mary's grade average was
3.79.
* * *
Elaine Kilian, star of Ger
man opera, and small daugh
ter Simone are visiting the
Ronald Mclntires of Lazy
Mountain Road and Ray Holtz
of Wasilla. Mrs. Kilian is cur
rently appearing at Leo’s Sup
per Club in Anchorage for a
limited engagement.
* * *
Army PFC George A. Sharp,
25. son of Mr. and Mrs. W. O.
Sharp, Palmer, is participating
with other members of the
First Armored Division in a
support mission for the nation’s
largest Army Reserve Officer
Training Corps (ROTC) en
campment at Indiantown Gap
Military Reservation, Pa. The
mission will continue until
early August, when the divi
sion members will return to
their regular assignment at Ft.
Hood, Tex.
Sharp, who entered the Ar
my in November, 1961, is a
driver in Headquarters Com
pany of the division’s First
Battalion, 46th Infantry. He
completed basic training at Ft.
Ord, Calif. Sharp was gradua
ted from Palmer high school
in 1956 and attended the Uni
versity of Alaska.
* * *
Mr. and Mrs. Dick Ingle end
son Ralph of Oakesdale. Wash,,
have been renewing acquaint
ances in the Valley during
their stay with Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Elton and Sue Hill of
Palmer. Mr. Ingle returned to
Washington yesterday, while
Mrs. Ingle and Ralph will re
main here for another week.
Ingle was the first governor of
the Moose Lodge in Palmer.
* ♦ *
Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Soltes
of Los Angeles are visiting at
the Frank Clark home. Mrs.
Soltes is a sister of Mr. Clark,
and Mr. Soltes was an em
ployee of the Co-op here in
*1955. The couple visited Mr.
Clark’s daughter in Seattle en
route to Alaska.
* * *
Donald E. Harris, sonarman
third class. USN, son of Mr.
and Mrs. John D. Harris of
Palmer, is serving aboard the
guided missile frigate USS
Contz, a Pacific Fleet unit
which recently participated in
First Fleet exercises off the
coast of California during the
President’s two-day visit June
Petitioners Make Last Try For Hearing
Arden Move Will
Increase Market
Competition Here
More intense competition for
the milk products market in
! this area will result from the
Arden Farms Co. purchase of
Alaska Creamery Products, Inc.
(North Star Dairy of Anchor
; ape), Ed Haynes, creamery
manager at Matanuska Maid.
Inc., said this morning.
“In pursuing plans for con
struction of our new creamery,
we are already preparing to
meet increased competition,
which now centers in the Se
atile area,” Haynes said.
The manager added that it
would be premature to say
what effect the North Star ac
quisition by Arden will have
on local dairymen’s market
possibilities. For the past year,
the local cooperative has had a
pooling arrangement with
North Star Dairy, whereby the
Anchorage firm purchased sur
plus milk from the Valley area.
“We have no way of know
: ing whether Arden will con
tinue this policy or whether
the company will import milk,”
Haynes stated.
He said that Stewart A. Dur
rant, general manager for Mat
anuska Maid. Inc., is in Seattle
now. Durrant made the trip to
discuss closer coordination be
tween North Star and other
plants in pooling ararngements,
Haynes said, noting that the
Arden announcement was
i made after Durrant's arrival in
Seattle.
The general manager will re
turn here tomorrow.
The acquisition will give Ar
i den its first processing plant in
I Alaska. The firm has had a dis
! tribution plant in Anchorage
I since 1959.
CAROL WILSON IS FIRST ENTRANT
IN THIS YEAR’S FAIR QUEEN CONTEST
First entrant in the 1963 Al
aska State Fair, Inc. queen con
j test is Carol Jean Wilson, 18
year-old daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. James Wilson of Palmer.
Carol, who was born on
March 25. 1945. in Hood River.
Oregon, is a 1963 graduate of
| Palmer high school, where she
was a cheerleader for four
! years; a member of the Girls’
I Athletic Association, pep club,
and band: and student council
secretary.
Queen contests are not new
to Carol, for she was chosen
Sports Queen in 1962 and
queen of the Senior Ball last
Christmas.
An active young woman, she
enjoys swimming, snow skiing,
water skiing, dancing and
sewing. She plans to attend
business college this fall.
Carol has brown hair, green
eyes, and a medium complex
ion. She is five feet, five inches
tall and weighs 116 pounds. Vi
tal statistics are 34-24-36.
Eligible young women from
throughout the state of Alaska
may enter the 1963 contest, ac
cording to queen committee
chairman Libby Martin. Ent
rants must have been high
school graduates and 18 years
j of age on or before Sept. 1.
; 1964, but may not be over 28
! years of age.
Girls who wish to enter the
contest may pick up entry
blanks and copies of the con
test rules and regulations at
the fair office at the entrance
to the fairgrounds, from Mrs.
Joanne Kogele, Palmer, or by
writing to the Alaska State
Fair, Inc., Box 1736, Palmer.
The winner will receive a
FRONTIERSMAN TO
PUBLISH JULY 3
The Frontiersmen will be
published on Wednesday.
July 3, next week because
of the July 4 holiday, which
falls on the regular Thursday
publication day.
News items and advertis
ing should be submitted to
The Frontiersman office by
Tuesday noon next week to
insure publication in the
July 3 issue.
Palmer, Wasiila ZIP Code Numbers
Listed By Mrs. John, Mrs. Garter
Palmer's five-digit ZIP code
is 99645, and Wasilla’s is
99687, postmasters Bea John
of Palmer and May Carter of
Wasilla announced this week.
“Everyone in the two com
munities will use these ZIP
codes on all their correspond
ence to speed mail deliveries
and reduce the chance of mis
sent mail,” the two officials
stated.
ZIP code, the post office de
partment's revolutionary new
system of improved mail dis
patch and delivery, goes into
effect nationally on July 1.
The postmasters stressed the
Fishing In Area
Lakes Reported
Fair To Good
Rainbow trout fishing is at
present very good at Bonnie
Lake. Mile 83.5, Glenn High
way, D. W. McGinnis, fishery
biologist, said this week.
Angling remains fair for
landlocked silver salmon to 15
inches at Falk Lake, and for
rainbow to 18 inches at Echo
Lake, McGinnis said, adding
that Rocky Lake is fair to
good for rainbow between 16
and 19 inches.
Grayling fishing is fair to
good in the middle reaches of
Willow Creek, and a few kings
have also been taken near
the railroad bridge.
The biologist reported that
Sheep Creek and Montana
Creek are dropping and clear
ing after the recent heavy
rains, and the catch of kings is
increasing, with fair success
at present.
$500 scholarship to the col
lege of her choice, the first run
ner-up a $300 scholarship, and
the second runner-up a $100
scholarship. Miss Congeniality
will be awarded $25.
The Palmer Emblem Club is
in charge of this year’s contest.
Confirm Fair Booth
Rentals by July I
Organizations which tradi
tionally use booth space at the
Alaska State Fair in Palmer
should confirm their reserva
tions by July 1, fair manager
Curly Sutton said this week.
After July 1, reservations for
booth space will be made on a
first come, first served basis,
the manager stated.
Sutton asked that any wom
en’s organization interested in
handling the dining room con
cession for fair weekend (Aug.
30-Sept. 2) get in touch with
him to arrange details.
Construction of the new mid
way and a new rest room fa
cility on the fairgrounds is be
ginning this week, according
to the manager.
Council Backs Borough Stand
The Palmer City Council
moved at last Tuesday’s meet
ing to approve the Matanuska
Susitna petitioners’ request to
the Local Affairs Agency for a
hearing on or before July 1,
and directed that copies of the
motion be sent to the Governor,
the Attorney General, the
Secretary of State, Don Berry
(executive director of the Alas
ka Municipal League) and the
Anchorage newspapers.
The action followed a discus
sion with Robert Vroman,
chairman of the borough com
mittee, on the possibility of get
ting the hearing.
Street Improvement Program
Following the reading of
minutes of a special meeting
held on June 13, councihnen
stated that they would be in
importance of all citizens of
Palmer and Wasillu learning
their city’s ZIP code and using
it in their return address on all
correspondence. In answering
mail, they said, ZIP codes tak
en from return addresess on in
coming mail should be used.
‘‘The ZIP code is literally the
last word in mailing." it w a s
stated. "It should follow the
city and state in addresses."
The following was cited as
an example cf the proper use
of ZIP code:
Bea John
Postmaster
U. S. Post Office
Palmer, Alaska. 99ti45
The new ZIP code will, for
the first time, permit the post
office department to short-cut
repeated address reading.
"The address on mail must
often be read as many as eight
or ten times by postal employ
ees, to get it to the proper des
tination." the local postmaste-s
said. "Each handling slows the
proc ess of mail dispatch a n cl
adds to the opportunity for
human error.
"With ZIP code, a clerk
needs only to glance at the
code to know immediately to
what national area, state and
post office the letter is destin
ed, and to speed it on its way,
cutting up to 24 hours off the
time between deposit and de
livery.”
Mrs. John and Mis. Carter
said that when ZIP code is in
full swing, the United States
will have "the most modern
system of mail distribution and
delivery in existence.”
Anchorage Firm
Is Low Bidder
American Service Co. of An
chorage was the apparent low
bidder for construction of the
Matanuska Electric Associa
tion’s headquarters building
addition, Willard H. Johnson
chief engineer, announced yes
terday.
The low bid was in the
amount of $168,308. Other bid
ders and bids submitted were
Curtis and Hage. Anchorage.
$181,300; Industrial Commer
cial Construction, Fairbanks,
$202,728; a n d Schowenwald
Construction Co.. S p e n a,rd
$203,372.
Included in the headquar
ters building addition will be
an assembly hall, and manage
ment and accounting offices.
Johnson said. Remodeling wTork
will also be done in the engi
neering and operations depart
ment.
The chief engineer stated
that construction will begin
within the next month.
WEATHER OUTLOOK
The five-day outlook for the
Upper Cook Inlet area, today
through Monday, is for general
ly cloudy weather with temp
eratures below normal. Precip
itation is expected to be much
above normal, with rain likely
on Friday and again on Sunday
and Monday.
favor of a street improvement
project adjacent to any busi
ness building site in the city
that would be of help to the
city or the valley as a whole.
At the June 13 meeting, a mo
tion was passed to initiate ac
tion for blacktopping the street
areas in the vicinity of the
Sims property on which the
Post Office Department has an
nounced it has an option.
Sports Car Racing
Rudy Kreybig, Sports Car
Association representative whc
appeared before the council,
was asked to be present at next
Tuesday's meeting of the Lions
Club to discuss possible spon
sorship, also to furnish the city
with a copy of the proposed fi
nancial breakdown on the nexl
race. When this information is
EZRA TAFT BENSON
BENSON MAKES
PALMER VISIT
Etna Taft Benson, in Anchor
age last weekend for the Alas
ka Stake conference of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Lat
ter-day Saints, visited briefly
in the Matanuska Valley last
Sunday afternoon and eve
’ ning.
The former Secretary of Ag
riculture made a short tour of
the Matanuska Valley, visiting
<. number of farms, then met
with a group of farm people
in the home of Stewart A. Dur
rani for an informal discus
sion.
Benson commented on the
progress and changes which
have been made since he visit
ed here in 1945. He stated that
even though he had visited ov
er 45 foreign countries during
his eight-year term in Presi
dent Eisenhower’s Cabinet, he
i was deeply impressed with this
area and its potential growing
possibilities.
Benson, an authority on
Communism and its effect in
the world, has written several
books on the subject and is
very outspoken concerning its
dangers.
The former Secretary and
Mormon church leader was ac
companied to the Valley by Z.
Reed Millar, Boise, Idaho; Wil
ford H. Payne, Seattle. Wash.;
and Orson Millet and Lloyd
Owens of Anchorage.
Local residents who met
with Benson were Eugene Reid,
M. D. Snodgrass, Roland Snod
grass, A. Q. Stine, James Wil
son, Daryl Bohman. and Will
iam Hecker.
LITTLE SUSITNA
THEFT REPORTED
Proprietors C. W. and Marie
Betts reported this week that
the Little Susitna Lodge has
again been burglarized, for
the third time in the past few
months.
The owners discovered last
Sunday that the lodge had
been entered, and that quanti
ties of household goods such as
linens, cooking utensils, and
dishes had been stolen.
State police are investigating
the thctt.
furnished, the council will
make a decision, he was told.
A committee was appointed to
work with the racing associa
tion. Members are Jack Maze,
Willard Johnson, and Dick
Geiwitz.
Employees Living Outside City
A motion was approved to re
vise the personnel regulations
to allow city employees to live
anywhere in the Matanuska
Valley, as long as they are able
to satisfactorily perform their
duty. One negative vote, Coun
cilman Long’s, was cast.
Flowage Fees at Airport
Ordinance 110. providing for
the establishment and collec
tion of flowage fees at the
Palmer airport, was approved
unanimously, and a resolution
If Not Granted,
Suit Will Follow
In a last-ditch stand to ob
tain a hearing for the Mata
nuska-Susitna borough peti
tion. the borough committee
this week sent a letter to the
Local Affairs Agency, request
ing that a hearing be held on
or before July 1 (the deadline
set by Secretary of State Hugh
Wade, to allow sufficient time
to set uo elections before Oct
1.)
Granting of the hearing ap
pears to hinge on the possibil
ity of getting a sufficient num
ber of boundary commission
members together to hold a
hearing, according, to state
ments made by government
officials in Juneau to a Mata
nuska Valley delegation last
week.
Robert Vroman. chairman of
the Matanuska-Susitna peti
tioners, told a meeting of the
Palmer City Council on Tues
day, June 25. that if the re
quest for a hearing is not
granted, the petitioners will
take steps to file an aggriev
ance with the Supreme Court
of the State of Alaska.
The petitioners will ask that
the decision of the Boundary
Commission to enlarge the
boundaries of the proposed
Captain Cook borough to in
clude District 7 be declared
null and void. The committee
argues that the Boundary
Commission action is in viola
tion of the State Constitution.
On June 17. the director of
the Local Affairs Agency, Ron
ald Cease, informed newspa
pers of the area by wire of the
Boundary Commission’s deci
sion to extend the boundaries
of the Captain Cook borough
The following day, Vroman.
Ralph Moore, mayor of the
city of Palmer, and R. C. Car
ter, Palmer Independent School
District superintendent of
schools, went to Juneau to pro
test the decision and were told
by the Governor, the Secretary
of State, and Cease that a hear
ing on the Matanuska-Susitna
petition would be granted if
sufficient members of the
Boundary Commission could be
asesmbled.
Members of the commission
are G. G. Alexander of Fair
banks. Ben Fleenor of Ketchi
kan, and Gara Lyons of An
chorage (now on vacation).
Bob Scott of Nome, who re
cently resigned, has recom
mended a successor, although
at last word none had as yet
been named. Paul Choquette of
Homer, has also resigned to ac
cept another post, and has not
yet been replaced.
To make a hearing possible,
at least one of these vacancies
must be filled. The Palmer City
Council has asked Don Berry,
executive director of the Alas
ka Municipal League, to re
quest Governor Egan to make
these appointments immediate
ly
Following the Tuesday, June
18. promise for a hearing, a
rather inexplicable action on
dealing with the disbursement
of funds was also passed. The
resolution provides that all
funds collected are to be turn
ed over to the Matanuska Val
ley Airmen for maintenance
and improvements at the Pal
mer ait port, with the funds ex
pended to be accounted for in
accordance with regulations to
be set up by the city.
Other Business
Payment of expenses for
Mayor Moore's trip to Juneau
were approved, and Mayor
Moore announced the appoint
ment of Bud Haire to the Plan
ning Commission. The appoint
ment was unanimously approv
ed by the council.
Councilmen Long and Frank
were appointed to investigate
conditions at the city park.
the part of Cease was ta.-;en
Thursday, June 20, when he
wired the Anchorage Times
that there would be no hear
ing—that all petitions are en
titled to a hearing except when
the area involved is incorpora
ted in another borough, as was
the case with the Matanuska
Susitna petition. Added w a s
the aside that the Boundary
Commission had disintegrated
anyhow.
The Matanuska-Susitna peti
tioner: will base their suit on
constitutional provisions for
the powers of the Boundary
Commission and the Local Af
fair Agency, contained in Ar
ticle X, Sections 12 and 14:
and Article I, which outline
the inherent rights of the peo
ple of the State of Alaska
The committee members ar
gue that under the constitution
legislative approval is nece-r
ary for Boundary Commission
recommendations, and that Lo
cal Affairs Agency powers
were overstepped by Cease sn
his actions during hearing- n
this area.
REA MEN PUN
JULY 15 MEETING
IN ANCHORAGE
REA officials plan to meet
with the City of Anchorage
and CEA on July 15 to discuss
the area generation question
and power pooling, Mason La
Zelle, MEA manager has been
informed unofficially.
Likely to be included in the
discussion is the proposed CEA
federation, which has already
been outlined at a meeting with
MEA, CEA, and HEA represen
tatives.
The proposal would set up a
federated entity, controlled by
CEA. which would build all fu
ture REA-financed generation
for the three borrowers, w h o
would contract with CEA to
operate the new generation
CEA would continue to oper
ate its own generation.
The cost of service to all
members would be the average
cost, considering all the gener
ation and transmission now
owned by the three borrowers.
Both MEA and HEA object
to the fact that CEA would
dominate the proposed federa
tion. since representatives on
the board of directors would be
determined by each coopera
tive's number of owner-mem
bers, these two co-ops do not
feel that the owner-members of
their organizations are second
class citizens. LaZelle said, but
feel that they should have as
full and effective a voice as
CEA members in determining
what is constructed in the fu
ture. and how the present sys
tem is to be operated.
The federation would con
tract with the City of Anchor
age for the sale of power.
The proposal leaves the pres
ent situation unchanged, La
Zelle said, and provides little
in the way of opportunity to
solve the present problems.
“MEA is highly in favor of
an area approach based on
equity for all members involv
ed,” the manager stated.
MEA directors feel that the
group coming to Anchorage
may have some preconceived
1 ideas in regard to a solution to
area problems, the feeling
based on a telegram to CEA
from Richard Dell, assistant ad
ministrator of REA, which ap
peared in the Anchorage news
media prior to the last elec
tion, and a letter to MEA from
I Gerald Diddle, director of the
western area (electric) for
REA, regarding the proposed
MEA steam plant.
| "If this is true, it would cer
i tainly affect the MEA 22-mega
watt plant application, now in
Washington, which Norman
Clapp, REA administrator as
sured Senator Gruening would
(Continued on page 10)