There will be a special
City Council Meeting
Dec. 16 to Finalize the
Budget and Discuss City
Business Licenses.
The Frontiersman
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
TRY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD for that
item you may have for sale,
rent or lease.
PALMER, ALASKA, THURSDAY, DEC. 11. 1952
VOLUME 6 NUMBER 12
PRICE TEN CENTS
LOCAL CHAMBER
PROPOSES TOURIST
SIGN FOR HIGHWAY
Henry J. Cuffell of the North
ern Neon Company of Anchorage
was a guest at the regular Cham
ber of Commerce meeting De
cember 10 and presented plans
for a proposed tourist type sign
to be erected on the highway, in
dicating the business section of
Palmer. Letters well be mailed
shortly to all past and present
members of the local chamber,
calling their attention to the pro
posed sign.
Members were reminded that
annual dues will be due and pay
able on January 1. Business dues
will be $25 per establishment and
$15 per individual membership..
The next regular meeting will
be held the first Wednesday in
January (January 7); will com
mence at noon and adjourn
promptly at one o’clock. All mem
bers are urged to make plans tc
attend this meeting.
Large Attendance
Indicated for P-TA
Christmas Parly
A Christmas party has been
planned for the annual holiday
meeting of the Palmer P-TA to
be held Tuesday evening, Decem
ber 16 at the Palmer School gym
nasium.
The family-fun night, featuring
a potluck dinner, will offer an
opportunity to Valley families to
participate in group entertain
ment. Entertainment may be any
short subject chosen by the fam
ily, such as musical numbers,
skits, folk dancing, singing or the
like. Several teachers will act as
judges for the contest, with a 2C
half gallons of ice cream to be
awarded as first and second
prizes.
No definite contest rules have
been formuated and each family
is urged to enter the contest. A
professional finish is not expect
ed nor looked for. Family partici
pation in the group presentations
is the main purpose of the pro
gram.
Dinner will be served at 6 p.m
with Room Mothers of grades
five and six in charge of serving
The committee has requested the
main dishes be stressed because
of the very large attendance in
dicated by questionnaires beini
.returned to the school this week
Relishes may be omitted this
year, they suggested, and re
placed by various type salads.
Dinner donations have been di
vided in the following manner
Salads: Grades one, four, sever
and ten. Main courses: Grades
two, five, eight and eleven
Christmas cookies: Grades three
six, nine and twelve. Ice cream
coffee, and koolaid will be fur
nished by the association.
ELKS PLAN PARTY
FOR LODGE KIDDIES
At 10 a.m. on December 20
Santa Claus will visit the loca
.Elks Lodge and greet all Elks
children with candy, nuts anc
gifts, it was announced this week
The Christmas party will b<
complete with a pretty Christmas
tree and two films will be shown
including Hopalong Cassidy and ;
Walt Disney film.
Although this party will be fo:
Elks’ children only, the lodge alsi
contributed to the annual Mer
chants’ Christmas party that wil
be held at the Valley Theater fo
Valley children on December 2A
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Postmistress Says
Mail Packages
This Week
I
Postmistress Beatrice Hunt
ley urged today that Christmas
mail be shipped immediately.
Christmas greeting cards air
mailed this coming week will
probably be delivered, she
said. However, she added, any
mailed to the states atfer next
week may not reach their des
tination for holiday delivery.
Adding to the announce
ment, Mrs. Huntley urged that
all packages in the local office
be picked up as soon as pos
sible after notice has been giv
en—especially the C.O.D. par
cels.
If business warrants staying
open evenings, Mrs. Huntley
said the office would remain
open later than the regular
5:30 p.m. closing time, during
the pre-holiday season.
ELKS DONATION FIRST
IN BOY SCOUT DRIVE
The Boy Scout campaign open
ed in Palmer Monday, December
8 with a kick-off at the regular
Kiwanis noon luncheon.
Starting the fund was a $50
] donation presented to officials by
Clarence Bell on behalf of Pal
mer Elks Lodge No. 1842. Other
; organizations, business firms and
individuals will be contacted dur
ing the campaign, for their sup
port. Any one desiring to assist
in the program is asked to con
tact committeemen, Ed Smith,
Rev. Edward Imme, Bill Rempel,
or Tom Reiss. Donatons, large or
j small, will be called for if so de
J sired.
Lapel pins “Backing Alaska’s
I Boys’’ are being given to all who
j support the campaign.
To Broadcast Local
Basketball Games
Anchorage radio station KENI,
in a communication to the city
! council, announced their intention
• of broadcasting Railbelt Confer
ence basketball games to be play
ed in Palmer.
Cooperation and use of the city
| telephone system was asked in
the letter. The use would involve
a line from the school to the
; switchboard and then to the ACS
■ office. Referred to the telephone
committee, the request was later
; unanimously granted by the city
council.
‘ The first game to be broadcast
. will be that of December 20 when
l the Palmer Moose meet the Sew
L ard Seahawks in the second of
; a two-game series scheduled for
, that week-end. Other games will
, be broadcast from Palmer when
, Anchorage and Fairbanks teams
. meet the local five later this
month and in January.
CREDIT UNION HEAD
RESIGNS POSITION
Clarence Bell, president of the
■ Matanuska Valley Federal Credit
[ Union resigned his office at the
last regular meeting. Effective
L December 31, Mr. Bell offered
• his resignation because he does
s not plan to be in the Valley after
; the first of the year, it was an
, nounced.
1 The next regular meeting will
be held at the end of January, the
: exact date to be announced. At
> that time there will be an annual
- election of officers. Anyone in
1 terested in joining the credit
r union and present members are
. urged to attend the meeting.
CAPACITY CROWD
EXPECTED AT
MERCHANTS’ PARTY
Plans for the Merchants’ annual
Christmas party to be held Wed
nesday, December 24 are nearly
complete, it was announced this
week.
The party will be held for all
children in the Valley from pre
school age up through the sixth
grade. The program will start at
2 p.m. with an hour’s program
of comic movies scheduled. Santa
Claus will make his appearance
at 3:15 p.m. and distribute the
many sacks of goodies to all the
children attending.
Because of the increased
number of Valley children, par
ents are asked to please not
accompany their children to
the show. School children will
be accompanied by their teach
ers and the Moose Lodge will
furnish several men who will
act as ushers and general over
seers of the group. There is a
possibility there might not be
enough seats for the youngsters
and for this reason emphasis
has been placed on this request.
The party will end early
enough to permit the school
children to return to school and)
J board the school buses for their
: transportation home, it was an
j nounced.
As in past years, provisions
have been made to send packages
of goodies to the various chil- j
drens’ homes throughout the Val
ley.
Preparing for the Christmas
program, A Hagen- Valley Thea
tre manager has been painting
the lobby and interior of the thea- j
ter.
Roy Brock Named
New Manager Of
Anchorage Dairy
Roy Brock of Palmer started
! new duties as General Manager of
| the Anchorage Dairy Monday
morning, December 8, Fred Zieke,
I Co-Op general manager, announc
I ed this week.
Brock deos not go into his new
work without experience. He was
former acting manager of the
M.V.F.C.A., managed the Anch
i orage Dairy some years ago and
: has conducted a large egg produc
; ing ranch here in the Valley for
| several years. He also was asso
ciated with Clair Stock in the Pal
mer Fountain and Cafe.
He will make his home in An
chorage.
New Enterprise
In January
Mrs. Decema Andersen of An
chorage announced this week her
pans to open a branch of the An
chorage business firm, Kimballs
Department store here in Palmer.
To be located in the second unit
of the new Sevems Building, the
store will offer a complete line
of McCall’s patterns and associate
lines, including ready-to-wear
clothing, Mrs. Andresen said.
“As the wants and needs of
Palmer identify themselves, we
will add to our line,” she said.
“We will start with the patterns,
materials and ready-to-wear and
go on adding until we have a
complete line, associated with a
department store.”
Mrs. Clara Hickok of Talkeetna
and Anchorage will manage the
store, Mrs. Andresen announced.
Opening date has tentatively
been set for the first week in
January.
CITY TO SELL
WATER OUTSIDE
CITY LIMITS
Future plans for selling water
outside city limits when the city
of Palmer completes and owns the
system now under construction,
were discussed at the regular
council meeting December 9.
“We are going to be in the
water-seling business,” one
councilman pointed out. “If per
sons outside the limits want to
purchase the water, we should
sell it to them.” During the dis
cussion that followed a set policy
was established by the council
men so that persons outside the
city limits who desire city water
may start plans for installation.
Through a motion made by
Councilman Felzien, the City of
Palmer went on record as offer
ing the sale of water from the
city water system, when in opera
tion, to consumers who reside
outside city limits, provided that
the water to be sold to such con
sumers be conveyed through
water lines furnshed b the con
sumers from the city system but
that all such waterlines and other
water facilites should be on the
same standard quality as requir
ed within the city and that the
location of the water lines and
other facilties shall be in accord
with city specifications and all
water sold to out-of-city consum
ers shall be sold at the same rate
as sold in the city and all water
shall be sold to the consumer by
metering and that the installation
of a meter by the consumer shall
be considered a condition pre
cendent to the sale of the water.
Some Valley Yonih
May Go To Europe
For several years the 4-H
Foundation and other private fi
nancial grants have been spon
soring the International Farm
Youth Exchange. Under this pro
gram Americai young people are
given a chance to visit some for
eign country in which they are
interested. During their visit, the
delegates live and work with farm
families in different sections of
the country. Upon their return to
the United States, the delegates
report on their visit to other
young people and farm groups.
The foreign nations participat
ing in the program, send their
delegates to the U. S. on a similar
plan. Alaska has sent two dele
gates under the program so far.
Herb Lang went to Sweden and
Lapland, and June Sproul who
visited France.
The program offers a rare
chance for some Alaskan young
man to have a grand adventure at
a very low cost. Here are the
qualifications. If you can qualify
or know someone who can and
would be interested, notify the
local Extension Service as soon
as possible.
Applications should be in by
December 15th and the assign
ments are given by January, 15th.
The boy:—
Must be high school graduate.
Must be in 20-30 year age
group.
Must be in excellent health.
Must be single.
Must expect to remain out ol
school in fall of ’53.
Must have background of farm
life and work and intend to
remain in farming or closely
related occupation.
Must have some knowledge ol
the language of the country
to which assigned.
Let's send a Valley boy next
summer l
1952 Auto License
Plates Go On Sale
December 15
Dorothy Saxton, local dep
uty territory tax collector an
nounced this week that 1953
auto license plates will go on
sale at her office in the Thea
ter Building, Monday morning
j December 15.
Plates, which will be yellow
with blue numerals, may be
I used anytime after January 1
but must be purchased before
February 28.
As a reminder, Mrs. Saxton
said all applicants will be re
quired to have their registra
tion (license receipt) with
them at the time of purchase.
Local numerals start at
12151. Sales are expected to
exceed the record set in 1952.
RENDEZVOUS SET FOR
FEBRUARY 12—24
Anchorage’s annual Fur Ren
dezvous will have a twelve day
run this year, according to an an
nouncement made by Bud Nock,
president of the Rendezvous com
mittee. The longer period was de
cided upon to permit visitors
more opportunities to view the
{ many attractions.
No manager has yet been nam
; ed; applications for the position
| will be accepted until December
20, Nock said.
A long and varied program is
| being planned by the committee
I including many past favorites and
i many special exhibits.
Open Water-Line
j Diteh M-.tace to
Moose Say Sportsmen
John Bush, representing the
Matanuska , Velley Sportsmens
Club, appeared before the Com
mon Council at the regular meet
ing held December 9 to ask that
i something be done about the open
! waterline ditch between Buggy’s
j field and Benson farm.
Fearing that moose will be
| trapped, crippled or killed by
j falling in the ditch this winter,
| the sportsmen’s association re
quested that some means be pro
vided to aid in their escapement.
Russell Felzien of the street de
partment was instucted to see
that two ramps be provided for
traversing purposes. The ditch
was left open this winter by
waterline contractors when they
called a halt to their operations.
City Clerk Bonded
Council members approved the
bonding of the city clerk to the
amount of $15,000, at a $150 pre
mium rate. The bonding will be
done through the office of Kay
Pipple Insurance Company of
Palmer.
Survey Continuing
Richard Demming reported the
water survey within the city is
progressing well with the major
ity of North Palmer residents
already signed. Some of those not
completed are property owners
who are Outside. Demming re
ported he is finding several
houses who will desire water con
nections who were not included
in the original plans.
Mayor A1 V. Hagen instructed
City Attorney Harold Butcher
to send a letter to Bourne As
I sociates who drew original plans,
asking the firm to send an en
j gineer to Palmer to work with
I Demming on the survey and help
J correlate data obtained from the
; survey. It was felt by the mayor
and council that this assistance
should come from Bournes to pre
vent the entire cost of the survey
from falling on the city’s shoul
ders.
PASSENGER SHIP
TO SAIL TOMORROW;
FREIGHTER DEC. 20
According to word received
yesterday afternoon by Co-Op
Manager Fred M. Zieke. the
S. S. Chena of the Alaska
Steamship Company will be re
leased to sail for Alaska on
December 20. According to his
information, cargo must be on
the Seattle dock by December
17. There is a possibility also
of the release of a second ship,
Zieke said in making the an
nouncement.
The S. S. Baranof was cleared
to sail from Seattle’s strike
closed port for the Territory De
cember 12, it was announced De
cember 5. The Alaska Steamship
Company said the ship will sail
for Ketchikan, Wrangell, Peters
burg, Juneau and Seward.
Union leaders consented to a
clearance of “a ship with no
strings attached,” according to
Maxie Weisbarth, spokesman for
the AFL maritime trades depart
ment. He said, however, the fore
men are to be hired through the
AFL International Longshore
men’s Association hall. "That,” he
declared, “is according to the ex
isting agreement and past prac
tice.”
The port’s commercial
shipping has been tied up by
AFL picketing over the hiring of
foremen. Most of the foremen
withdrew from the AFL union
and set up an independent or
ganization.
The Steamship Company issued
one note of admonition to pros
pective shippers. It was:
“Due to the tremendous volume
of Christmas mail, it will be nec
essary for all shippers to obtain
permits from the traffic depart
ment before trying to deliver
cargo to Pier 42.”
Weisbarth said the union clear
ance was granted on the basis of
three appeals: from the Junior
Chamber of Commerce; from A1
Shyman, chairman of the Alaska
department of the Seattle Cham
ber of Commerce and from Burke
Riley, secretary of Alaska and
acting governor. He said Riley
wired, “the need is acute and
growing.”
“Our promise to the people of
Alaska was that we would re
lease ships for Alaska as emer
gency need for them arose,”
Weisbarth asserted, “so we have
to live up to that promise.”
Many towns and cities in the
Territory are beginning to feel
the result of the strike. Port cities
appear to have been hit the hard
est where 85% of the population
is employed on the docks, or in
connecting work.
Favorite brands of cigarets
are beginning to be scarce in
Palmer and some staples are run
ning low, but merchants report
that with normal purchasing
maintained by the public, their
supplies should carry them.
Co-Op Manager Fred Zieke
said this week that the associa
tion is managing to keep up with
the demand in the majority of
instances; some supplies are corn
continued on page 8
^'c'KV'C'Ktc'C'e'&cv'C'Cicectcie'c'eic'C'r,
1 FRED DRINKMAN 1
: DENEFIT 1
| Friday, Dec 12 jj
I SHAMROCK
I LOUNGE
Ui/
NAT POPE %
AT THE PIANO *
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