Only Five More Days
Until Christmas
UniillEy FRONIIERSmRN
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
TRY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD for that
item you may have for sale,
rent or lease.
VOLUME 5. NUMBER 15.
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY, DEC. 20. 1951.
PRICE TEN CENTS
City To Be Asked to Authorize $300,000 Indebtedness
VALLEY ‘BROWNOUT’
IS WORKING; KW
CONSUMPTION DOWN
Palmer was getting a lot of
fine publicity this week for the
co-operative' “brownout'’ which
started last week Friday to con
serve on power consumption m
this area.
Actually the co-operation start
ed a day ahead of time when the
Palmer merchants jumped the
gun and turned off their lights
on Thursday. That initial “brown
out” observance on the part of
the merchants brought about a
drop of 90 KWs in peak con
sumption over the previous day’s
peak of 1130 KWs. On Saturday
night. December 15, peak con
sumption dropped to 1010 KWs,
within 10 of the one thousand
KW goal. Sunday night the peak
was 1020 KWs, but Monday night.
Palmer “slipped” to a peak of
1130. This higher consumption
might have been due to a drop in
temperature which registered
lower than -20 in some spots in
the Valley. On December 7, when
the mercury reached a similar
low, MEA peak consumption
reached a high of 1230 KWs. On
Tuesday night, December 18, the
temperature rose, and the peak
demand went down to 1040 KWs.
MEA Manager C. A. Brewer
was most enthusiastic about the
evident co-operation being given
voluntarily by MEA consumers.
“It’s working!” he beamed.
That the merchants are doing
their best is easily observed, and
it is believed that most house
holders are doing their best to
conserve electricity. Some people
have voiced disapproval of the
Valley's voluntary “brownout”
while Anchorage city streets con
tinue to blaze with neon signs
and new street light. It was also
pointed out in the Chamber of
Commerce meeting yesterday,
however, that such flagrant wastel
of electricity does not excuse Pal
mer from the obligation of trying!
to stay within the bounds of its
contracted power. MEA power
comes from the Anchorage Public
Utilities and one thousand KWs
is the amount the contract calls
for.
All power agencies in the An
(Continued on Page 4)
VALLEY YOUNGSTERS
INVITED TO ANNUAL
SANTA CLAUS PARTY
The Big Santa Claus party for
all Valley children up to and in
cluding those of the 6th grade is
scheduled for two o’clock Mon
day afternoon, December 24.
Santa has agreed to be there,
regardless of the weather. To en
tertain the youngsters there will
be seven comedies—Little Lulu,
Pop Eye, and others.
Plans for the party are pro
gressing according to schedule.
The Santa Claus house has been
built, and the big chimney has
been cleaned out thoroughly in
anticipation of Santa’s descent.
Men of the Moose set up the San
ta Claus house and been add
ing the finishing touches this
week. The big tree in the theater,
donated by Loren Smith, is al
ready trimmed with its shimmer
ing blue lights. Women of the
Moose were to sack the candy and
goodies for the children today.
Letters addressed to Santa
(Continued on page 16)
Palmer's Christmas Wish for 1952
Above is Architect Edwin Crittenden's sketch of the new Valley Hospital which might
be nearly completed a year from now. The entrance faces south. The west wing is the
service wing with the heating plant underneath. The south wing is for administration and pub
lic health. The north wing is devoted to surgery and obstetrical care, and the east wing is
the nursing unit. At the very end of the east wing is a solarium. A close-up of the hos
pital entrance is shown in the lower left hand corner of the picture.
Public Meeting to
Be Held Tonight on
New Valley Hospital
A public meeting regarding the
new Valley Hospital will be held
tonight in the school gymnasium
at 8 p.m.
Everyone interested in the new
hospital is urged to be present at
the meeting. It will be attended
by the Valley Hospital Associa
tion Board of Directors, including
Rev. Rolland Armstrong, field
representative of the Presbyter
ian Board of National Missions.
Edwin Crittenden, the new hos
pital architect and Paul Robison,
attorney for the hospital associa
tion, will also be there. James
Hurley will act as moderator.
There will be a general discus
sion of what has already taken
place in regard to the new hos
pital and what will probably take
place in the future. It is possible
that the possibility of organizing
a new hospital association will
be brought up for discussion and
initial action. The charter under
which the present hospital associ
ation operates expires in May.
Everyone is urged to come and
bring their questions about the
hospital.
Trees and Holly
Christmas tree sales started
this past week between the Val
ley Theater and the Frontiers
man office. Sales, being conduct
ed by the Beta Sigma Phi sorori
ty, will go on until Christmas,
with all donated proceeds to go
toward the Hospital Fund.
In addition, the sorority has
decorative holly for sale, donated
by Jim Hurley. These proceeds
will also go toward the fund.
VALLEY HOSPITAL FUND REACHES
$7,500 AND IT KEEPS ON GROWING
Donations to the Valley Hos-1
pital fund this week brought the
total deposits past the $7,500j
mark, the fund raising committee |
treasurer, Hugh Johnson, an- ;
nounced this week.
The initial drive had thus ex
ceeded its Jan. 1 goal of $6,500,
and there were hopes that the
fund might approach $10,000 be
fore the year 1951 ends.
The biggest boost to the fund
this week was received from the
United Mine Workers Assn. Lo
cal 7901 of Jonesville with a
check for $1,500. Other contribu
tions were received this past
week from Alice McCann, Nancy
Wade, Dorothy Lorscheter, Betty
KreUtz, and Harry Wimmer—ail
of Palmer School; from Margaret
Blom, Evelyn Wendt, Don Irwin,
Alice Snodgrass, Kay Pippel, E.
Ganschow, and Winston Laugn
lin—all of the Alaska Experiment
Station; and from the following
individuals, groups, and business
establishments:
Oscar Huntley, Jack Sisley, the
American Legion Auxiliary, the
National Bank of Alaska (An
chorage), the Hoyt Motor Co.,
Slim Hayes, Hudson’s Shoe Store,
the J. B. Gottstein Co., Butte
Homemakers, Palmasilla Home
makers, John R. Dodge, Van Wa
ters & Rogers, Inc., Anchorage
Jewelers, I. Bayles, Clothier,
Mac's Foto Service, Arctic Fuel
& Transfer, Inc., Lucky’s Self
Service, Forrest Hysom, Otto Ries
& Co., the Puget Sound Mer
chandising Co., Alaska Fish and
Farm, J. W. Clise, the Wasilla
Community Club, Upjohn’s Phar
maceutical Co. of Portland, the
Matanuska Valley Nurses Assn.,
the 12:30 Homemakers, and the
LaBow Insurance Company of
Anchorage.
Several large checks from lo
cal organizations are expected :n
the next ten days. Mrs. Betty
Kindler, president of the P-TA
announced Tuesday night that
$760 netted from the P-TA Hard
Times Dance last Saturday night
would be given to the fund. Other
groups, such as Beta Sigma Phi,
are working hard to increase
their total contribution. Checks
are coming in every day from
neighboring and Outside contrib
(Continued on page 16)
GENERAL KEPNER'S
XMAS MESSAGE TO
PEOPLE OF ALASKA
Lt. Gen. W. E. Kepner, com
mander-in-chief of the Alaskan
Command today issued the fol
lowing statement to all the peo
ple of the territory of Alaska:
“On behalf of all the members
of the armed forces in Alaska, I
wish to extend to the people of
the Territory a heart-felt wish
for a very Merry Christmas and
a New Year filled with prosperity
and happiness.
“Let us give thanks to God,
who has kept our shores free of
armed conflict, and pray that in
the years to come He, in His wis
dom, will guide people of all na
tions along the path of under
standing to the end that there
will truly be peace on earth and
good will among all men.’’
Council Calls for Election Jan. 29
To Guarantee New Citv Water Svctem
c OF C TACKLES
PROBLEM OF KEEPING
MINORS OUT OF BARS
At their final meeting of the
year, members of the local
Chamber of Commerce decided
to tackle the problem of juvenile
delinquency in this area with the
appointment of a committee on
youth problems.
The decision followed the voic
ing of alleged and specific inci
dents of liquor law violations ;n
serving liquor to minors, partic
ularly in establishments outside
Palmer city limits. It was also
alleged that ' in a certain place
down the road” teen-age young
sters can get anything they want
from a marijuana jag to a shot
of cocaine.
“Too many of our 17-and 18
year-olds are being victimized by
these illegal sales' of liquor”, said
Clair Stock, “and it’s time we did
something about it.”
Stock was named chairman cf
the newly formed committee.
Others named to it include James
Hurley, Dr. A. J. Colberg, Willi
am T. Zahradnicek, Ed Smith,
and Lucille Mick. At a meeting
of the committee which followed
the chamber adjournment, many
possible approaches were discus
sed. but it was decided initially to
concentrate on strict enforcement
of existing laws for the protec
tion of minors. The committee
chairman was authorized to con
tact Territorial law enforcement j
agencies to ask their help and of-;
fer the committee’s assistance in
enforcing liquor and narcotics j
laws in this area. The committee j
also asked the co-operation af
every parent and interested adult
in making complaints when they
see violation of the liquor laws
regarding minors. It was pointed
out that even though these indi
vidual reports might not result in
arrest of the violator, they will
serve as clues to enforcement
agencies who will be on the look
(Continued on page 16)
Local People Named
To Third Division
Democratic Committee
Two local people, Betty Mears
and A1 DeJulio, were named to
the Third Division Democratic
Committee at the two-day Third
Division convention held last
Saturday and Sunday in Anchor
age.
Mrs. Justine Parks of Chugiak
and Mrs. Frances Cameron of
Glen Allen were also chosen to
serve on the committee. This :s
the first time these voting pre
cincts have been represented on
the Divisional committee.
Betty Mears was also elected
as a delegate to the Territorial
Democratic Convention to be held
in Anchorage January 18, 19, and
20.
Steve McCutcheon, Anchorage
attorney and member of the Ter
ritorial senate, was elected chair
man of the Third Division Demo
cratic Committee. The convention
meetings were held at Pioneer
Hall, and the session was climax
continued o:'. Page 4)
» a
The people of Palmer will be
asked to incur an indebtedness
of $300,000 for the new city water
system next month in an election
to be held January 29, it was de
cided in the City Council meeting
last night.
The decision followed the read
ing of a letter from Don Wilson
of APW urging that the people of
Palmer approve the bond issue
immediately so that plans for
construction of the new water
system may proceed immediately,
come spring.
As in the Palmer School Dis
trict bond election, the city bond
authorization amounts to a pledge
of faith. City Attorney Harold
Butcher doubted that the city
would ever be called upon to is
sue the bonds, especially since
payment of the city's one-half
share is assured through income
from the water system.
^ Why the bond authorization
was set at $300,000 was a puzzler
for the councilmen as well as the
city attorney. The amount allo
cated last September for the pro
ject amounted to $500,000. Later,
council members, were informed
that only $405,900 of this would
be available for actual construc
tion. In the bond election ordi
nance which will be published ac
cording to law in the next four
issues of the Frontiersman, the
Council calls for an election au
thorizing the indebtedness of
$300,000. In the same ordinance
which was drawn up by APW for
Council approval the city pledges
itself to purchase the improve
ments and new construction on
the city water system for a sum
"not exceeding SI 50.000”, fd?
which amount bonds would be is
sued if required by the United
States Government. Councilmen
agreed that this was an unexpect
ed bargain and could not under
stand it. The sum is much less
than one-half of either the origi
nally allocated amount or the
amount which would be available
for construction. In the discus
sions held last spring relative to
the water project the Council was
given to understand that the Al
askan director of Public Works
has discretionary authority as to
what percentage of any Public
Works project cost shall be grant
and how much shall be a loan to
the municipality. Butcher pointed
out that the $300,000 indebtedness
authorization might have been
asked to cover additional alloca
tions of money for the water pro
ject. The councilmen were ad
vised some time ago that due to
the limited funds appropriated,
the project could not be com
pleted as originally planned.
City Fire Department
Details of the transfer of the
equipment and property from the
local Volunteer Fire Association,
which is dissolving January 1, to
the city of Palmer were discus
sed at length last night as A1
Hagen listed all'the assets and li
abilities of the association. A
eommittee consisting of Steve
Ward, Frank Brown, and Chat
Sandvik was appointed by the
mayor to inquire into all the de
tails of the transfer and effect
same.
The Council also heard the
third and last reading of city or
dinance number 19 which ad
apts by reference the “Suggested
(Continued on page 16)
Merry Christmas