VALLEY FRONTIERSMAN
PRINTED AT PALMER, ALASKA, EACH THURSDAY
By the Matanuska Press, Inc._
Entered as second class matter on Oct. 21, 1947, at the post office at
Palmer, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
A1 J. DeJulio ... Publisher, Manager
Editor ~ .Lucille Kennedy Mick
Associate Editor .. Virginia Gallant
Subscription Rates 50c a month, $5 a year
Mailed to all points in Alaska and the United States
let's Not be Caught Napping
The possibility of an increase i
in the University of Alaska Board \
of Regents from eight members
to 12 should put the Valley on its
toes right now.
Because it is a land grant col
lege, the University of Alaska re
ceives and administers federal
funds provided for the benefit
of agriculture. Among the eight
present Regents, there is no re
presentative of agriculture.
As the largest and best organiz
ed agricultural region in Alaska,
the Valley should have a bona
fide representative of agriculture
on the Board of Regents of this
land grant college.
At the time of the last vacancy,
when Mrs. Luther Hess died,
leaving an opening for appoint
ment of a woman, belated efforts
were made by a few farm groups
in the Valley to point out the
qualifications of Miss Louise Kel
logg for such appointment. But
other interested groups in the
Territory had been drumming up
support for their candidate for
months. That three of the remain
ing seven Regents were business
men from Anchorage didn’t help
much either, since Third Division
representation on the Board al
ready exceeded that of the other
three divisions. On a basis of pop
ulation, however, this objection
should not necessarily have ap
plied.
Certainly with 12 Regents, the
Valley should have an agricultur
al representative as a member of
the Board. Although such increase
of the Board from eight to 12
members must come as result of
legislative action possibly in the
next session, the Valley should
not be caught napping. Already
the University of Alaska Alumni
Association is pushing this recom
mendation. Favorable legislative
action next year should find the
Valley ready with its candidate
and an effective campaign for his
or her support.
The Valley has several farmers
and others long identified with
the progress of Alaskan agricul
ture who would be well qualified
as Regents of the University of
Alaska. Besides Miss Kellogg,
who has had experience as trus
tee of a prominent California col
lege, there are at least three lead
ing farmers in the community
who are alumni of the University.
Other local pioneers in Alaskan
agriculture have had political ex
perience that would be invaluable
in the effective championing of
agricultural interests and needs.
Certainly the Valley has no
lack of qualified people who
would serve well as representa
tives of agriculture on the Board
of Regents. Needed is action now
in choosing and supporting a po
tential candidate—action from
the potato growers, the seed
growers; the produce growers, the
breeders, the milk producers, the
Homemakers, the Grange and the
business people whose prosperity
is directly associated with agri
cultural development in the Val
ley.
NEXT?
Dr. Asa Martin, member of the
Territorial Board of Health from
the Third Division, announced
last week the appointment by the
Territorial Board of seven mem-,
bers to the Greater Anchorage
Health District Board. These in
clude John O’Shea and James
Norene for one-year terms, Dr.
C. N. Hoveland and Robert Huff
for two-year terms, and Mrs. Joe
Ingram. Dr. Calvin T. Johnson,
and Mrs. Frank Reed for three
year terms.
The Anchorage Health District
was established by the Territorial
Board of Health on October 17,
1951. by motion made by Dr.
Dwight Cramer of the First Div
ision and Dr. Asa Martin of the
Third Division “That the Health
Unit of the municipality of An
chorage and the Health Unit es
tablished by the Independent
School District of Anchorage are
declared to become a Health Dis
trict under the terms of Chapter
118, SLA 1949.”
Within the past few months
both the Anchorage City Council
and the Anchorage School district
rejected responsibility for the
new Greater Anchorage Health
District as established under Ter
ritorial law by voting down re
quests that they name candidates
for membership on the District
Board.
The powers and duties of the
Greater Anchorage Health Dis
trict Board set by Regulation will
be as follows:
a. Establsh a local department
of public health with suitable fac
ilities.
b. Enforce the health and san
itation laws and regulations of
the Territory of Alaska relating
to the promoton and protection
of public health and enforce local
health ordinances enacted by in
corporated municipalities within
the jurisdiction of the district.
c. Appoint a local health officer
who shall be qualified in accor
dance with the requirements of
education and experience as the
Alaska Board of Health shall de
termine under the Alaska Merit
System.
d. Prepare in consultation with
the Commissioner of Health or
Home Demonstration
Notes
BY MARYLOU RIDEOUT
If you are not quite sure if the
gauge on your pressure cooker
registers accurately, the Exten
sion Service will be glad to test
your cooker. The test we give re
quires both the kettle and lid.
These may be left at the Exten
sion office, and picked up the fol
lowing day.
A number of U.S.D.A. bulletins
“Home Freezing of Fruits and
Vegetables” have been received.
Directions are given for freezing
these products at home or in the
locker plant. Types of containers
are given, precaution in packing,
and loading of freezer. The bul
letin is free.
From the Bureau of Fishery’s
Laboratory in Ketchikan, we
have directions for the preserva
tion of various kind of fish—pro
vided we can get the fish!
The utility apron and house
dress patterns are now available
at our office. If you did not see
the models at a Homemakers’
Club, the kit is still in the office,
and you are welcome to see and
try-on the aprons and house
dresses.
his authorized representative an
annual budget for the operation
of the District Department of
Health and determine the appro
priate share to be borne by each
participating jurisdiction.
e. Designate the duties of the
District Health Officer in accor
dance with regulations of the Ter
ritorial Board of Health.
Last fall Dr. Robert L. Smith,
*hen assistant Commissioner of
Health talked to the Matanuska
Valley Health Council and the
Palmer City Council about setting
up a Matanuska Valley Health
District under the same Territorial
law. A formal and specific pro
posal that was to have been made
before a joint session of City
Council and Palmer School Dis
trict Board has not yet material
i ized
LAND INVOLVED IN CONTROVERSY
I. M. C. Anderson, Alaska Manager of the Farmers Home
Administration points out to Belle-Rae Mattoon the 86.000
acres of land in the Susitna Basin that the military wants
withdrawn as a traget area. A public hearing has been
scheduled in Anchorage after numerous Alaskan groups,
protested the withdrawal. Anderson says that the land
involved “looks like the best of all the remaining agricul
tural sites of importance in the Third Division." It is also
an important part of the area to be served by the proposed
Susitna hydro-electric power development.
LETTERS TO THE
EDITOR
Editor’s Note: The following
letter regarding the proposed
Susitna withdrawal was written
• to Anchorage City Manager Rob
ert Sharp by Charles Wilson,
Alaska Soil Conservationist.
Since it was referred to the
editor and is of interest -to loca?
people, it is reprinted here.
June 10, 1952
Dear Mr. Sharp:
Your letter of June 6 relative
to the land withdrawal west of
Anchorage does not give a clear
picture of the proposed boundar
ies. Since there are many swamps
and small lakes in this general
area, the exact boundaries would
have a bearing on any answer I
could give.
Assuming that the area would
be wedge-shaped extending from
the north shore line of the inlet
around to a line missing Goose
Bay and Big Lake and north-west
to the Little Susitna River, I esti
mate that 30 to 40 square miles
of it is worth a detailed study.
This estimate is based on aerial
observation and cover type. It
does not take into consideration
the soil depth, which is an impor
tant factor.
We have found in making de
tailed surveys of approximate!:
800,000 acres in the Matanuska
Valley, on the Kenai Peninsula,
and in the Tanana Valley that
where cover type and topography
are favorable from 25% to 50 %
of the land is suitable for general
farming and approximately half
| of the remainder will be suitable
for hay and pasture crops. If
the area in question fits this pat
tern, and I believe it will, there
j are probably 20,000 acres suit
j able for general farming and 20
! 000 acres suitable for-grazing. If
the Gopse Bay area is included,
I the acreage would be somewhat
more.
I am not familiar with the tim
ber in the area, but wish to call
I your attention to the fact that if
( merchantable timber is in the fir
ing area the possibilities of steel
fragments would make milling of
1 such timber extremely hazardous.
As to the need and possible use
of agricultural land in the An
chorage market area, there are
approximately 48,000 acres of
agricultural land in the Matanus
ka Valley, of which one-third has
been developed. The remainder is
included as undeveloped portions
of farms, as little or none is avail
able for new settlement. There
are approximately 60.000 acres on
the Kenai Peninsula partly with
drawn from settlement and part
ly in private ownership. There is
some available for settlement, but
most of the available land needs'
access roads.
It is my judgement that if the
withdrawn land on the Kenai
Peninsula were opened and access
roads constructed into that which
is opened, the Susitna withdrawal
would not materially affect agri
culture in the next 5 years.
I believe this proposed with
drawal should, if granted, be
limited to 5 years and if needed
beyond the 5-year period new
hearings be held.
There are several other areas
which should be investigated for
agricultural value, among which
j are the valleys of the Yentona
and Skwentna and Willow to
Talkeetna.
There are many millions of
| acres of land in Alaska, but the
i agricultural land is quite limited.
; I firmly believe that the destruc
| tion of this land through misuse,
either by farmers or by artillery
firing, is contrary’ to the public
interest.
As you know, millions of dol
lars are being spent annually by
farmers and the Federal govern
ment to rehabilitate and protect
the farm lands of America.
Whether this area is needed now
or ten years from now is, in my
opinion, not the question. It will
I be needed and should not be de
1 liberately destroyed.
Very truly yours,
Chas. W .Wilson
Territorial Conservationist
—
N. Pacific Fisheries
Convention Goes To
Senate for Approval
Washington, D. C. Special—The
| Senate has received from the
| White House for ratification the
| North Pacific Fisheries Conven
» ion which defines participation
of the United States, Canada and
I Japan in the fisheries of the
North Pacific outside Territorial
waters.
The message sent by President
Truman included a report to the
President by Acting Secretary of
State David Bruce, and the con
vention itself with attachments
signed by representatives of the
three countries on May 9.
"The convention,” Secretary
Bruce stated to the President,
‘‘has wide support among the fish
ing industry of the Pacific Coast
and Alaska and the official State
and Territorial conservation or
ganizations. It has the endorse
ment of the Pacific Fisheries Con
ference, the membership of which
includes the great preponderance
j of the fisheries trade associations
and labor unions on the West
Coast and in Alaska. Other or
ganizations which have ^announc
ed their approval of the conven
tion include the Alaska Board of
Fisheries and the Senate Conser
vation Departments of California,
Oregon and Washington.”
Under the convention, as re
ported by Secretary Bruce. "Jap
an agrees to abstain from fishing
and the United States and Can
ada agree to continue carrying
i out necessary conservation mea
sures with respect to salmon, hali
but, and herring in specified wat
ers off the coasts of North Ameri
ca; Canada and Japan agree to
abstain from fishing and the
United States agree to continue
to carry out conservation mea
sures with respect to salmon in
specified waters in the Bering
Sea.”
Under the terms of the con
vention, a permanent internation
al commission would be created
to study a^d recommend, when
'necessary, joint conservation ac
J*
COUNCIL ADOPTS
TRAFFIC ORDINANCE
FOR CITY OF PALMER
The city of Palmer now has
a new traffic ordinance. It was
adopted last week after one
reading upon the passing of
a motion suspending the rules
on declaration that an emer
gency existed.
The new city ordinance
adopts by reference the regu
lations contained in the 1952
edition of Alaska Traffic
Laws. Copies of this booklet
may be obtained in the office
Df the U. S. Commissioner or
may be seen in the office of
the City Clerk.
Without this ordinance, the
City Magistrate was powerless
to judge cases involving traf
fic violations. The ordinance
empowers the Magistrate to
levy fines up to $100 and/or
confine guilty offenders to jail
for a maximum of 30 days.
Wherever the code provides,
the punishment will be accom
panied by a revocation of the
offender’s driver’s permit.
NEW BABIES
^V^wWVWS^WVWVWWVS^WWWWS^'
Polis
A five pound, eleven ounce
baby daughter was born to Mr.
and Mrs. John Polis of Palmer at
Valley Hospital June 12. She has
been named Katherine Ann.
Stassel
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Stassel of
Palmer are the parents of a new :
daughter, Linda Lee. Born at Val- !
ley Hospital June 12, Linda
weighed nine pounds, four oun
ces. Mr. Stassel is a teacher in
the Palmer School.
Cornelius
Diane Merle is the name chosen
by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cornelius
of Knik for their daughter, bom
at Valley Hospital June 18. She
weighed seven pounds, four oun
ces at birth.
tion by the three countries. “In
ternational conservation mea
sures,” Secretary Bruce stated,
“are essential in the North Pacif
ic Ocean in order to prevent the
rich but exhaustible fishery re
sources from being overharvest
ed and possibly depleted through
the unregulated application of
highly productive, modern fishing
techniques and facilities.”
LOVE BRIGHT DIAMONDS
THINK OF . . .
"Diamond Nick"
GOOSGHIN
MFG. JEWELER
Open every night including
Sundays 'till 9 P.M.
342 4th Ave. Anchorage
Rev. Gayley Leaves
For New Assignment
Leaving the United Protestant
Manse Monday will be Rev.
Harry Gayley, who has served
since last October as interim pas
tor of the church.
Next week the Ladies Aid of
the church will start getting the
Manse ready for the newly elect
ed pastor. Rev. Brian Cleworth,
who will arrive in time to preach
the first Sunday sermon in July.
He is traveling to Palmer by car.
and his family will follow him
here by plane.
Rev. Gayley will move to An
chorage where he will be in
charge of the Presbyterian parish
at Government Hill and Moun
tain View. He will keep in con
tact with the Valley community
through the new hospital. Fre
quently unable to attend board
meetings, Rev. Rolland Arm
strong has instructed Gayley to
represent him in his absence. In
July, Rev. Gayley will direct the
junior-senior high camp at King’s
Lake from the 11th through the
17th.
[STOP ORDER ISSUED
j ON PROCESSING OF 40-ACRE
OIL AND GAS LEASES
All land offices have been in
structed as of June 11 to cease
processing applications for 40-acre
oil and gas leases. Bureau of
Land Management Director Mari
on Clawson said today in a re
port to Secretary of the Interior
Oscar L. Chapman.
The stop order was issued pend
ing regulations which will permit
| the leasing of small acreages by
legitimate drillers and prospec
! tors, but will curb the activity of
I speculators. Increased leasing
activity of 40 to 60 per cent has
| been noticed in the land offices as
I a result of advertisements in vari
| ous papers of several agencies of
fering to obtain for individuals
40 acre oil and gas leases from the
government, Director Clawson
said. Although the government
| asks only $30 as filing fee and ad
| vance rentals for such leases, the
agencies charge from $70 to $300.
I. M. Sandvik is leaving this
week for Libby's Koggiung in
Bristol Bay where he will be
fishing this season.
Better still, SEE BILL!!
Insure today, see Ray.
INSURANCE
PROTECTION
SERVICE
Your House
Your Car
Your Farm
KAY PIPPEL
NEEDS PROTECTION
We have that KNOWLEDGE
and SERVICE to give you
adequate coverage.
KAY PIPPEL
Insurance
Wright Building—Palmer
\
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