Thought of the Week:
The trouble with too many
People is that the only thought
they have is that they have to
say something.
VOLUME 15. NUMBER 24
'lU'U » I : i J .
-3OX 2Jjl
The Frontiersman
J'J\'£AU A L A j \ 1
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. MARCH 7. 1963
TWELVE PAGES
I :L 30C I ETY 9
r J u ij M
MVCCA BOX SOCIAL
AND DANCE
ELKS HALL
MARCH 9 9 P.M.
PRICE 15 CENTS
Aurora Mushers
Offer $500
Prize Money
$500 in prize money will be
divided among the winners of
the Aurora Dog Mushers’
championship races on Satur
day and Sunday, March 9 and
10, to be run on the Echo Lake
t.ail near Big Lake. The races
will be subject to cancellation
if weather and trail conditions
make it too difficult for the
dogs to run.
First day prize money, a to
tal of $50, will be divided with
$20 going to the first-place win
ner, $15 to the second $10 to the
third, and $5 to the fourth.
On the second day the ante
takes a considerable jump, with
$125 in day money offered.
First place winner gets $50,
second $35, third $25, and four
th $15.
Mushers with the best over
all time for both races will di
vide $325, with $100 going to
the first-place whnner, $75 to
the second, $50 third, $40 four
th, $30 fifth, $20 sixth, and $10
to seventh place.
An added attraction on Sun
day will be a snowshoe base
ball game.
The two-day events will con
clude with the Aurora Mush
ers’ banquet on Sunday at six
p.m. in the Wasilla Elementary
School, w'hen trophies and
awards will be presented. The
dinner is open to the public,
with a charge of $2 for adults
and $1 for children. The mush
ers who competed in the races
will be the guests of the Auro
ra Mushers’ organization.
At an invitational race on
the Aurora Mushers’ trail, set
up after the Soldotna races
were cancelled, Dick Kopsack
placed first, with a time of 50:
38, and was awarded a trophy
contributed by North Star
Dairy of Anchorage. A1 Hib
bard, whose time was 53:15,
was second, and was award
ed a trophy from the Big Lake
Yacht Club. Earl Norris, 56:08,
was third, and received his
trophy from Scheeley Excava
ting of Wasilla. Others were
Bud Smyth, fourth, Natalie
Norris, fifth, Henry Cate, sixth,
and Barney Anderson, seventh.
This was a 14-mile race.
In the five-dog class, also 14
miles, Nancy Mitchell was
first with a time of 1:10:20;
Howard Kittelson second.
1:12:37; and Bill Keith, third.
1:18:18.
Three-dog racers, two miles,
were Suzy Sturdevant, 8:00;
Herff Keith, 8:34; and Dale
Anderson, 10:05.
One-dog racers were Kay
Anderson, 2:40; Teddy Norris,
2:57; and Braun Kopsack, 3:16.
Too many people look at the
dark side of life. You should
try to think of something to be
happy about. I’ll bet you could
think of something, if I give
vou about a week.
* * *
What if some things did go
wrong today? Your luck will
change. Different things will
go wrong tomorrow,
* * *
Try to be gay! Your prob
lems can’t last forever. They
can only last as long as you
If life gets too tough, drop
into the newspaper and tell
me all your troubles. I
haven't had a good laugh for
months.
EASTER SPECIAL
2 DRESSES CLEANED & PRESSED
FOR THE PRICE OF I
Also slacks, pants, skirts, sweaters, shirts, certain types
of jackets and suits are cleaned and pressed on a
regular basis.
VALLEY CLEANERS
ACROSS FROM PIGOLY WIGGLY
Mrs. Gladys McMahan, Owner
Alaska State Fair Bill Now In Committee
State Engineer Discusses
Road Plans For Local Area
SECOND IN
POLIO SERIES
TO OE SUNDAY
The second of three clinics |
to administer the Sabin oral j
polio vaccine will be held this
Sunday, March 10, in Central
school gymnasium in Palmer,
with all persons of the Matan
uska Valley area urged to con
tinue with the series of immun
izations.
Residents are asked to note
that for the second clinic there i
will be only one outlet for the !
vaccine. Central school, where
all will receive their feedings.
The clinic will open at 12 noon
and will continue throughout
the afternoon until 6 p.m.
Parents are reminded that
the coupon books purchased
before the first feeding should
be brought, and that the cou
pon for Type II vaccine will be
collected.
Local health authorities have
pointed out that the series of
immunizations not only pre
vent serious complications of
polio, but prevent one’s becom
ing infected and becoming a
carrier.
The final immunization of
the series will be held on April
21.
Over 3000 persons of the Ma
tanuska Valley area took the
Type I vaccine during the Jan.
27 clinics held in the Palmer
schools.
The immunization program
is being sponsored here by the
staff of the Valley Hospital, the
Matanuska Valley Health
Council, the Valley Nurses’ As
sociation, the Palmer Indepen
dent School District, the Pub
lic Health Department, and the
Polio Foundation.
1965 Is Goal For
Cutoff Completion
“Every bridge designer in
Juneau is working on the Knik
Matanuska River crossings, and
we plan to advertise for bids by
July 1,” Roy Jenkins, district
engineer for the State Depart
ment of Highways, said yester
day at the luncheon meeting of
the Matanuska Valley Chamber
of Commerce. “We hope to get
construction started this year.”
Under discussion was the
planned Anchorage - Palmer
Highway cutoff, which will
shorten the distance between
here and Anchorage by about
eight miles, Jenkins said.
Other area road construction
scheduled for this year includes
paving of the Palmer-Cantwell
Highway from the Big Lake
Junction to the Willow River;
construction of the Sunshine
bridge across the Big Susitna
River; ten miles of grading on
the Willow East Road, from
W'illow toward the Independ
ence Mine area; and the com
pletion of two holdover jobs
from last year, the Matanuska
Bridge approach relocation and
the riprap job along the Mat
anuska River on the Glenn
Highway.
The highway department al
so hopes to resolve right-of
way problems in time to get
started this season on the
Springer Loop job, Jenkins
said.
Construction plans for 1964
include road connections from
the north end of Knik-Mata
nuska crossings into Palmer;
road connections from the Ek
Problems Discussed
At Joint Meeting
In the first joint meeting in
several years, members of the
Palmer City Council and the
directors of Matanuska Maid,
Inc. discussed several items of
business of common interest
Tuesday evening, March 5.
Possibility of purchasing
steam to heat the city council’s
shop building which is locat
ed close to the Matanuska Maid
steam plant was discussed.
Board members stated that
since co-op plans are uncertain
about what will be done w’ith
the power house, a f'-m 1'-"
term agreement could not be
set up, but plans should be
formalized by the end of the
summer. Brought out in the
discussion was the fact that
coal mining interests in the
Valley are now making a study
to determine the feasibility of
adding additional boilers to
the power house and furnish
1
ip.g steam to adjacent facilities
for heat.
Manager Stewart A. Durrant
said that the farm co-op would
be interested in selling the
power house to an individual
or corporation with this type
of installation in mind, and
would cooperate to the fullest
extent in any plans of this sort.
Durrant mentioned that several
nearby installations have
shown interest in purchasing
steam from such a plant, and
pointed out that fire insurance
rates would drop and that a
central heating plant would
eliminate the problems of
maintaining indvidual heating
systems.
Other problems discussed in
cluded the possibility of the
city purchase of the co-op sew
er outfall to be incorporated
into Palmer’s projected sewer
system. The two groups agreed
to a joint examination of legal
ities involved by the attorneys
of the city and the Co-op, after
which the city would be better
prepared to make an offer for
the purchase of the outfall.
Also discussed was disposi
tion of the standby generator
installed several years ago at
the Co-op by Civil Defense.
The generator, not now in use
and in need of repairs, has been
given to the City of Palmer by
the Civil Defense organization.
Council members stated that
the City has received an offer
(Continued on page 5)
lutna flats back towards Peters
Creek and Eagle River (“Cer
tainly by 1965 we should have
a good high-speed highway all
the way to Anchorage,” the
state engineer said); continued
paving on the Palmer-Cantwell
highway from the Willow Riv
er on; improvements on the
road south from Wasilla to
Knik and Goose Bay; contin
ued construction of 10 to 17
miles on the Willow East Road;
a complete rebuild of the
Cottonwood Creek bridge; and
Glenn Highway-F ishhook
Junction improvements. (This
could be started late this year,
he said).
Seventy million dollars
worth of construction is the
goal for the 1963 season, the
engineer stated, $24 million of
which will be in the Anchor
age district.
Jenkins said that a problem
in Alaska is that so many
roads now in existence are not
under the jurisdiction of the
(Continued on page 5)
“Malamute Howl”
Friday, Saturday
Co-sponsored by the Aurora
Dog Mushers and the Wasilla
Public Schools, the Aurora
Malamute Howl, a carnival
| done in the Gay Nineties man
ner, will be presented Friday
and Saturday evenings. March
8 and 9 at 8 p.m. in the Wasilla
Elementary School.
Featured will be a Gay Nine
ties revue, “The Smell of the
Yukon.'’ complete with the
shooting of Dan McGrew and
can-can dancers. There will be
a FIora-Dora tea room, pop and
popcorn, games for children
and games of chance for adults.
Proceeds will be divided be
tween the Aurora Mushers and
the Wasilla schools. Admission
is $1 for adults and 50c for chil
dren, grades one through eight.
HOSPITAL ASKS
NO VISITORS
The staff at the Valley Pres
byterian Hospital has request
ed that there be no visitors at
the hospital except members of
the immediate family, due to
the extent of the present flu
epidemic in the Valley.
ARA TO HOLD
ANNUAL MEETING !
The Area Redevelopment ,
Committee of the seventh
election district will hold its
annual meeting Sunday, March I
10, at 2 p.m. in the basement
of the American Legion hall
in Palmer, across the street
from the Matanuska hotel.
One of the chief items of
business will be the election of
an executive committee for
which 30 names have been sug
gested by a three-member'
nominating committee.
Those nominated are Russell ■
Anderson. Thomas Carter, Max
Clements, Stewart Durrant,
James Frey, Winston Gilchrist,
R. J. Heddles, William Her
mann, Douglas Hunt, James
Hurley, Mason LaZelle, Merritt
Long, Hugh Matheson, Betty
Mears, Julius Moor, Harold
Newcomb, Phil O'Neill, Rose
Palmquist, Muriel Reed, Ted
Schmidtke, Max Sherrod, Boyd
Skille, V. E. Sleeper, Ed Smith,
Frank Smith, Roland Snod
grass, Walter Spurlin. Ray
White, James Wilson, and Bud
dy Woods.
Other nominations may be
made from the floor,
Tom Bichsel, ARA regional
coordinator, will speak, and
Rose Palmquist will make a
report of activities of the
committee.
Palmer Player
Named All-Star
Chuck Felzien. Palmer high
school senior, was named to the
ten-man all-star team chosen
at the close of the Western Al
aska high school basketball
tournament, which ended with
the Kodiak-Eielson game Mon
day.
The selections are made by
the coaches of the teams who
participated in the tournament,
and are based on observations
of tournament play.
Young Felzien is the first
Palmer player to be named in
the All-stars in several years.
Others named were Gus Dop
pes, Jim Haas, and Danny Pape
of Eielson. Ron Franklin of
Kodiak, Roger Sorenson of
West Anchorage, Glenn Carroll
of Homer, and Gary Davis,
Thor Evenson and Mike Tau
rianen of Kenai.
Each of the ten was awarded
a trophy.
ESTELLE WINS FFA SPEECH CONTEST
JIM ESTELLE, winner of the 1963 FFA public speaking
contest, is congratulated by W. N. Kanipe, chairman
of the judges' committee.
Reid Proposes
HB90 Amendment
Two pieces of legislation of
vital interest to the Matanus
ka Valley have recently been
introduced in the State Legis
lature by Eugene Reid, repre
sentative from District 7. One,
HB 112, would designate the
Matanuska Valley as the site
for the Alaska State Fair, and
the other is an amendment to
John Rader's HB 90. which
would provide for the incorpor
ation of first class organized
boroughs, effective Jan. 1,
1904.
Reid’s amendment to the
Rader bill would enlarge the
Anchorage district to include
District 7 (Palmer-Wasilla-Tal
keetna).
The fair bill reads, “The Ma
tanuska Valley is designated
the site for the Alaska State
Fair. The association or or
ganization recognized by the
governor as responsible for the
Alaska State Fair is entitled to
receive state aid in the same
amount and under th« same
conditions as provided by this
chapter for fair associations in
each judicial district. State aid
to the Alaska State Fair is in
addition to the allotments
authorized by this chapter for
several judicial districts.”
The fair bill is now in the Re
i sources committee, the mem
j bers of which are Jay Ham
I mond, John Longworth, Clem
Tillion, Eugene Reid, John
J Holm, Charles Cole, R. Mc
i Combe, Arthur Harris. Ray
j Christianson, Grant Pearson,
i and Frank Cashel. Letters in
! support of the bill should be
addressed to these men in care
of the State House of Repre
sentatives, Juneau, Alaska.
Reid said he considers the
Rader bill to be good proposed
1 legislation, for which he urges
support. In its present form.
HB90 would establish Election
District 7 as a first class bor
ough. along with eight others
in the state.
The District 7 representative
stated that he has proposed his
amendment to enlarge the An
chorage district to include Dis
trict 7 because there has been a
trend in favor of a larger bor
Angus McDonald
Dies Suddenly
Stricken with a heart attack
in a downtown business estab
lishment. Angus McDonald
died at 11:55 a.m. last Monday.
March 4.
He had celebrated his 78th
birthday only the day before,
friends having arranged a
party for him.
Born March 3, 1885, in Can
ada, he became a United States
citizen as a small boy when his
parents. Dan and Sarah Mc
Donald. moved to Wisconsin
and became naturalized citiz
ens.
He came to Alaska in 1912.
and had lived in Palmer since
1941, except for a brief resi
dence at the Pioneers’ home in
Sitka.
He had been an early-day
miner in the territory.
Funeral services will be held
Saturday. March 9. at the Pal
mer Funeral Chapel, with ar
rangements being made by the
Anchorage Funeral Chapel and
the Palmer Funeral Chapel. In
charge will be friends of Mc
Donald who are members of
the Moose Lodge.
Honorary pallbearers are
Tony Covich. George (Frenchy)
Bellefontaine, Tony Stepich,
Danny McDevit, Ed McGinley,
and Ed Ueeck. Active pallbear
ers will be A1 Brager, Louis
Burcher, Dave Bryant, Vic Cot
tini. Bud Haire, and Harvey
Estep.
Interment will be in the Pal
mer Cemetery.
ough. He added that the am
endment would broaden the
people's choice, since it would
give them the opportunity to
accept the large borough con
cept or reject it through incor
poration of a small borough by
local option. In either case the
effective date for establish
ment of the borough would be
Jan. 1, 1964. Reid said he hop
ed to hear from interested
valley residents on this sub
ject.
Other legislation brought to
the attention of District 7 resi
dents by the local representa
tive are HB 133, introduced by
Reid, which would establish a
branch of the Alaska Pioneers'
Home in the Matanuska Val
ley; HB 71, which provides for
a tax on health care service
contractors; HB118, an act li
censing construction contrac
tors; HB 135, relating to the
exemption of religious property
from loose taxation; HB139, an
act allowing loose property tax
exemptions for certain non
profit organizations; and HB
134, an act raising the mini
mum salaries of teachers.
INTEREST SHOWN
IN GUILD RALLY
The Theatre Guild Rally is
off to a flying start, with
membership tickets selling like
hotcakes, according to Barbara
i Hamilton, chairman.
Tomorrow, March 8 at 7 p.
m., at the Moose hall, the res
idents of the entire valley will
have an opportunity to join
the Valley Theatre Guild, Mrs
Hamilton said. She promises a
lavish buffet dinner under the
j direction of Joyce Kerttula.
; with Kitty Johnson . catering
: many of the gastronomical de
1 lights. A feast of ham, turkey,
shrimp curry (Kitty style',
, baked salmon, molded salads,
j salads of all varieties, and a
I number of delicious surprise
1 dishes await those who attend,
1 according to the chairman.
Jack and Thelma Riley are
planning a variety show case of
talent which will provide an
entertaining interlude, she ad
ded. During the evening there
will be a drawing for the Fred
Machetanz lithograph "Mother
and Child." now displayed in
Betty’s window.
Besides all this, the Theatre
Guild is giving a six-month's
membership as a ticket, and
I inviting those who have a
touch of "ham” to participate in
Guild activities.
Tickets are $2.50 per person,
and may be purchased until 5
p.m. tomorrow from Betty’s,
Kitty’s Koffee Mill, and the Co
Op Farm Store in Wasilla.
Many guild members, including
Blanche Hunt, ticket chairman,
and Mrs. Hamilton, are also
selling tickets.
PAYMENT TO O'MALLEY
AUTHORIZED BY CITY
At a brief city council meet
ing before the joint meeting
with the Matanuska Maid, Inc.,
on Mar. 5. a motion was made
and approved that Jack O’Mal
ley be given his first payment
on the sewer engineering job,
according to the terms of the
contract in the amount of
$2500.
GREEN ORCHIDS
From Kodiak
Also Roses-Carnations
For Corsages
GREEN & GOLD
BALL
MAUD'S FLOWERS
PI 5-4056
THEATRE GUILD RALLY
buffet dinner
DOOR PRIZE
ENTERTAINMENT
FRIOAY, MARCH 8-7P.M.
Moose Hall