TWO ELECTION DATES
Tues., Oct. 7 General City
Tuej., Oct. 14—Territorial
THE FRONTIERSMAN
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
TRY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD for that
ilem you may have for sale,
rani or lease.
VOLUME 46, NUMBER 2
PALMER. ALASKA, THURSDAY. OCTOBER 2. 1952
PRICE TEN CENTS
Drive For *3,500 Community Chest Goal Starts Oct. 6
DITCHING FOR WATER
DISTRIBUTION LINES
BEGINS ON VALLEY ST.
BULLETIN
The City Council voted last
night for a change in specifica
tions on the water line from five
feet beyond the property line
to 10 feet from the center line
ot the road. The change was
made necessary by the contrac
tor's report of locating obstac
les impossible to overcome id
the line specified by the project
engineers. Ire of the Council
was directed against Thomas
Bourne and Associates, the en
gineers who had specified the
location and should have been
aware of the obstacles, but it
appeared that, short of legal
suit, the city would have to bear
the cost of the $1,000 worth of
digging already completed out
of a contingency fund provided
for in the construction contract.
Digging was begun Tuesday
morning on one of the main dis
tribution lines for the new Palmer
water system.
The advance guard for the back
hoes that moved out onto Valley
Street north and south of Inde
pendence Avenue was Russ Fel
zien with the'city road maintain
ed scraping off the top soil from
the established route of the line,
five feet beyond the property line,
in order to establish the proper
grade level. The pipes will be
placed eight feet below the grade
level. In places where tfht gi^de
has to be raised on Valley Street,
the general superintendent on the
job has agreed to load gravel onto
the city truck to effect the proper
level.
V. M. Worsteu, tne superintend
ent of construction for Arctic
Plumbing and Heating, the con
tractors, set up an office in
the quonset hut at the side of the
Matanuska Hotel. Those in
dividuals who wish to have the
contractors do the extra digging
for the tie-in with their own
water pipes may see Mr. Worstell
and make arrangements. The con
tractors have agreed to do this
work for all those who desire it
while the ditch is open. Obvious
ly there is less expense to havej
the work done at this time than ,
later, when the ditch is covered ,
over. Mr. Worstell said the ex- j
pense would be still less if all
the people desiring such tie-ins!
Continued on page 8
i! ANCHORAGE MAN
: BUYS CONTROLLING
INTEREST IN HOTEL
Announcement was made
; this week of the sale of con- -;
trolling interest in the Matan
uska Hotel by Valley stock
: holders Mr. and Mrs. William
: W. Head, Mrs. I. M. Sand
: vik, Manuel Orgaz, and other;
! stockholders in the Anchorage ;
: area. According to report the;
transaction involved a large;
sum of money.
The stock was sold to an An-;
chorage business man. He is :
C. F. Shield, who recently 1
; struck oil in Texas on leases!
; held by a syndicate of Anch-!
; orage men of which he was a ‘
; member. ]
Kids Day Parade,
Talent and Hobby
Shows Huge Success
Hundreds of kids responded to
the Kiwanis Kid’s Day, Saturday
afternoon, September 27 in a
variety of costumes and in en
thusiastic spirits.
The full program started with
a three-section parade, led by the
Palmer High School band and
Majorettes. Kids in costumes made
up the first section immediately
behind the band. Representatives
from the fairy tales and comic
books, with a touch of keen im
agination. caught the interest of
the many observers who were
standing along the entire parade
route.
Pets of every size, type and
variety were in the second sec
tion. followed by gaily decorated
bicycles.
Following the parade the Kid’s
Talent Show was held in the
chool gym. Remarkable talent
among the children of the Val- :
ley was displayed by the many
entries. !
See Next week’s paper for the 1
prize list. '
CANDIDATES SPEAK
FOR THEMSELVES
Editor's note: All candidates
were invited to take advantage
of this opportunity to give in
formation on background and
personal convictions regarding
city government. Also, each
candidate was asked one ques
tion which may well come up
for immediate consideration at
the first meeting of the new
Council. “If it appears that the
city of Palmer ban get an ade
quate sewer system only by
imposing a three-mill levy on
property, will you support it?"
It was understood that such
support would be contingent
on a favorable vote of the elec
torate on bonding authoriza
tion for the sewer project. As
can be seen below some went
out on a limb to answer the
question forthrightly; some an
swered it by implication or
qualification; and some evad
ed the question entirely. In all
cases, it was their privilege to
do so; in many cases they did
not have all the facts at hand
necessary to take a definite
stand.
Alfred V. Hagen, candidate for
mayor
If elected mayor of Palmer I
will do everything in my power to
run the city on the sales tax and
will work for continued improve
ment of street, water, and sewer
system and an adequate telephone
system.
William Rempel, candidate for
mayor
First and foremost, Palmer
needs a comprehensive tax struc
ture. It is absolutely necessary for
the projects of community better
ment be based on sound financ
ing. Palmer needs street improve
ment. We need a better telephone
system. We need more adquate
sewer facilities, and it will not be
long before we will need expan
sion of the water system now un
der construction as this one will
Continued on page 7
i
i
i
H
i
(
i
1
(
i
l
t
1
1
t
i
I
t
<
<
i t
t<
h
s]
S]
f(
t<
A Message from Your
Community Chest
Committee
Challenged by a goal of $3,500
the Red Feather Community
Chest campaign gets under way
Monday, October 6, in the annual
drive to obtain funds needed for
support of our many volunteer
community activities. The drive
will extend to October 18.
The six agencies receiving sup
port from the Chest fund include
the Alaska Crippled Children’s j
Assn., the Palmer Public Library,
the Valley Welfare and Disaster
Council, the Girl Scouts,,, the Val
ley Health Council, and the Unit- |
ed Defense Fund.
The greater goal this year is needed not only to maintain the
present level of services but to keep pace with, the ever-increasing
leed of a growing community.
Most of us are aware of the value of Girl Scout work to the com
nunity. Under the able guidance of Mrs. Charles Wilson and her
issistants an interesting and helpful program has been carried
>ut for the girls in the Valley. This program would have been im
jossible without the monthly professional training and leader
issistance %iven through the Susitna Girl Scout Council.
With the new Palmer Library building all paid for, the association
looks forward to providing more reading material to its growing
1st of patrons. The Community Chest not only helps in the pur
:hase of these books; it also provides for the maintenance of the
ibrary building. _
The Crippled Children’s Association and the Health Center are
>oth of vital importance to the health and well-being of our com
nunity. Eleven Valley children were hospitalized for orthopedic
:are last year under the Territorial Department of Health program,
vhich is subsidized by ACC A. In addition, AACA expended $133
n transportation and lunches for Valley children brought into
Vnchorage for the monthly clinics. Out of the Community Chest
:omes part of the public health nurse’s salary, rent and supplies
or the Health Center, and drugs and other nurse’s supplies. Local
elephone service has been furnished free and the Pearl White Laun
Iry has donated its laundry services for the Health Center.
This has been a year of full employment and few disasters, so the
tmount needed for the Welfare and Disaster Council is lower than
n previous years, due to a surplus carried over.
The budget committee has considered carefully each agencv’s
mdget before approving it and deciding upon this year’s goal.
Emil Ganschow, campaign chairman, will be assisted this year 1
iy members of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, who have agreed to j
ake charge of the canvasing of outlying areas. Members of the ,
Ciwanis Club will assist with the recruitment of workers covering
he Palmer area. I
It is the hope of those responsible for the Chest Drive that each 1 1
ralley resident contacted will be moved to give generously accord- ; '
ng to his means and that every courtesy will be extended toward | 1
he volunteer workers who are giving their time and energy to make 1
his year’s drive a success.
:ANDIDATES FOR
,ITY OFFICES
For Mayor, one-year term. one
} be elected:
Carl H. Meier
Alfred V. Hagen
William Rempel
For City Council, three-year
irm, two to be elected:
Betty Mears
Arthur Thompon
Ray Nelson
O. K. Kincaid
For City Council, two-year
irm, two to be elected:
Don Moore
Russell Felzien
LeRoy Johnson
Thomas Reiss
For City Council one-year
srm. two to be elected:
Frank Brown
Joseph Gallant
Robert Bettine
Merrit Long
Don McKechnie
All candidates are invited to
>eak Sunday afternoon at a
Dedal town meeting scheduled
>r 2:30 p.m. in the school audi
irium.
TRANSMISSION LINE
FINALLY COMPLETED
Completion of the new power
line from the new Palmer sub
station to Eklutna was completed
yesterday,
Scheduled completion dates had
been postponed three times. Orig
inally the line was to have been
completed in December of 1951.
The contract was awarded by the
Bureau of Reclamation to Morri
son Knudsen and M. K. Wiggins
Co. jointly. Wiggins did the work.
A couple of months ago when
it became apparent that the line
night not be completed by the
October 1 construction deadline,
the contractors were both con
tacted by the Bureau and warned
that there could be no further
delay. Three weeks ago Morrison
Knudsen obtained an injunction
against M. K. Wiggins in Third
District Court and immediately
took over the construction job
from him. Morrison Knudson had
men flown up from Seattle and
construction continued at a furi
ous pace so that the job was done
by the October 1 deadline.
1
i
(
i
1
1
t
r
}
i
t
i
l
t
c
t
ii
(
c
r
o
a
\
ft Tu
PALMER VOTERS TO ELECT FULL SLATE OF
NTT OFFICERS, DECIDE ON 2 BOND ISSUES
_4 ____ i. 4.1_I_• a • «...
* ‘**‘*»'~* A I.vj niu gv iv bile
polls at Recreation Hall Tuesday,
October 7 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
to vote for a full slate of city of
ficers and to express their wishes
an two bonding authorization
propositions.
One of these propositions is
that the' bonding authority for the
Palmer water project be raised
S1OO.OO0 above the $250,000 auth
tinent facts were brought out at
the special city council meeting
Monday night. The present, pri
vately-owned sewer facilities
:over only a portion of the town.
The cost of hooking on to the
Mill Levy Needed
For Sewer Project
Sul Not for Water
R. T. Mathews. APW resident
engineer supervising the Palmer
vater project, stated in Monday
night’s meeting that APW would
take a chance on the voter’s ap
proval if the present Council
would demonstrate its faith by
passing a resolution to impose a
three-mill levy on real and per
sonal property w’ithin the city
limits, the proceeds from such tax
to be placed in a sewer fund to
pay for the city’s one-half share
pf the sewer construction project,
rhe resolution, of course, would
ne contingent on the approval of
:he sewer bond authorization by
the voters next Tuesday. The
Zouncilmen asked why APW
souldn’t nvait until they could get
the people’s mandate as expressed
n the election before they took
such action, and Mathews ex
plained that even a few days’ de
ay might mean the difference
petween getting or not getting the
Palmer sewer project in the ’54
pudget. It was pointed out that
t would be unfair to expect an
mtirely new Council which knew
nothing about what had trans
pired before to make a decision
calling for a three-mill property
ax at its very first meeting. Two
>f the councilmen said they were
villing to pledge themselves to
pass the enabling resolution im
nediately after the voters had
roted favorably on the bond
luthorization next Tuesday and
>efore their successors took office
he following Monday. Two re
named mum and two were ab
ent.
Finally Councilman Lloyd Sev-'
ms broke the stalemate by mak
ng the motion to adopt the reso
ution as outlined by Mathews.
Yank Brown seconded the mo
ion. They both voted yes on the
notion, but A1 Hagen and Steve
7ard voted no. Chet Sandvik and
Ulan Mick were absent. With
our votes required to adopt the
esolution, the mayor’s vote to
•reak the tie would have had
0 effect. The motion failed.
On the equally urgent business
f financing the payment of
onds for the city’s one-half share ■
1 the cost of the water system, !
Council efforts were more sue- '
essful. They proposed a plan of <
evenues from the water system j
nd an annual payment from the j
ity’s sales tax fund that wiped <
ut the necessity of imposing an
dditional millage levy for the ]
rater system.
uu4auuu ctp^iuvcu uy mts voters
last January. This is to cover the
city’s one-half share of the con
struction cost now placed at $675,
000. Original estimate for the
completed project was 500,000,
but this figure had to be revised
upward after the bids were open
ed.
The second proposition is that
bonding authorization of $250,000
be approved for a new sewer pro
ject. This amount is in excess of
the city’s one-half share of an
estimated $309,100 project cost,
but the City Council and Alaska
Public Works hope to be pre
pared this time for bids that are
in excess of the engineer’s esti
mate.
The sewer proposition might be
termed as “loaded.” Unlike the
water system, no revenues can be
expected from the sewer system.
After their conferences with APW
officials during the past week
members of the present Council
and Mayor Carl Meier know that
in order to get this project a
property tax of three mills will
have to be imposed. They were
able to work out a solution of
financing the wrater bond from
expected revenues and from a $3,
000 annual payment out of the
city’s sales tax fund. But APW of
ficials insisted that there would
have to be firm security for the
sewer bonds, with their annual
amortization cost running at $9,
600 according to the present es
timates on project cost. R. T.
Mathews, APW engineer super
vising the water project, ventured
the opinion Monday night that
the City Council could set aside
the three-mill levy in any one
year if $9,600 had been accumu
lated out of sales tax revenues
and placed in a sinking fund
ready for the annual payment.
However this possibility would
not relieve the Council of the
necessity of imposing the three
mill levy on city property for 20
years; it would merely relieve
them of the necessity of collect
ing it in any year when there are
sufficient revenues earmarked for
the annual payment.
However distasteful the pros
pects of a property tax may be
to city residents, there are cer
tain facts each thoughtful voter
must consider. The following per
sewer is quite substantial al
though it is not as great as the
$1,000 or more cost of a cess pool
and septic tank which those less
fortunately located must pay. The
proposed sewer project incorpor
Continued on page 8
[LOCAL ACS STATION
: REDUCES SERVICES TO
1 8 A.M.—MIDNIGHT
As of yesterday, October 1,; I
the Palmer station of the Al- ;
aska Communications System I;
dropped its 24-hour service for •;
long distance telephone and!;
telegraph communications and ';
went on a 16-hour schedule.
Sgt. T. H. Canon, in charge <:
of the local station, said that ’;
the new hours will extendi
from 8 a.m. until 12 midnight.
No reason was given for the;!
reduction of service. The or- ;!
der was received from the; 1
sector commander, Col. J. R. ; i
Nickel. ';
PRESTONE - Only $3.59 Gal. 89c q«.
Good Supply on hand... KOSLOSKY'S DEPARTMENT STORE
nrr —in "Tf—iTmtian■»—i i m \ iimmot—ftth ~mm i — ..