Don’t Forget
CITY SEWER BOND
ELECTION
NOVEMBER 18
Voting 8:00 A.M. — 7:00 P.M.
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.
VOLUME 6, NUMBER 7
PALMER, ALASKA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1952
PRICE TEN CENTS
$250,000 Investment Planned Near Sutton
CITY RESIDENTS TO
VOTE ON SEWER
PROPOSAL NOV. 18
Qualified voters were reminded
this week of the special election
to be held in Palmer November
18 to decide whether or not the
city of Palmer shall incur indebt
edness in the sum of $250,000 for
the purpose of acquiring an ex
tension to the sewerage collection
system Qualified voters are those
whose names appear on the last
tax assessment roll and include
real and personal property own
ers.
Considered a prime requisite
for the health program of a grow
ing city, it was pointed out by
Alaska Public Works officials
during their many visits to City
Council meetings that to purchase
this sewerage system at this time
when assistance from APW funds
are available would be a sound fi
nancial investment for property
owners. APW funds would pay
one-half the projects costs.
However, to finance the pro
posed sewerage system a small
mill levy will be necessary, city
officials believe. The city’s one
half share payment of the pro
ject would commence only when
the project was completed and
turned over to the city.
Polls will be open from 8:00
a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Co-Op
club room.
School Carnival Big
Success; No Serious
Halloween “Tricks”
Extra-early raps at Valley
doors Halloweeen evening reveal
ed that the young “trick-or treat
ers,” bent on filling their out
sized shopping bags with treats,
were not going to miss their an
nual collections nor their school
carnival, scheduled to start at
7:30 that night.
Capacity attendence at the
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school affair by youngsters in dis
guises ranging from the dainty
ballerina to the wildest imagined
goblin, lent a true Halloween
spirit to the evening.
As expected, the two fish-ponds
were the most popular spots in
the school, with both booths re
porting a sell-out, in spite of
extra supplies on hand, other pop
ular booths were the rifle shoot,
novelty booth, dart board, penny
pitch, and Alaskans Favorite
Game. All booths reported brisk
business through the whole eve
ning. The P-TA sponsored booth
for skate and ski re-sales proved
very popular with twenty com
pleted sales reported.
Gross receipts for the carnival
and the dance that followed on
Saturday night were $1,281.45.
After expenses, it is expected that
net profit will approximate $350.
City and Territorial police of
ficials reported no acts of van
Continued on page 4
Mayor, City Clerk
Of Anchorage to Aid
Local Council
Palmer City council has
called an informal meeting for
7:30 Thursday evening (to
night) at Rec Hall to discuss
administration of city affairs.
Mayor Maynard Taylor of
Anchorage, recently elected'
president of the Alaskan
League of Cities and City ■
Clerk Ben Boeke also of An
chorage will be present to an
swer questions and outline;
proper city procedures and
administration. Mr. Boeke will
remain in Palmer a day or two;
to give further assistance.
PALMER C OF G
PLAN TO REACTIVATE
Guest speaker at the Palmer
Chamber of Commerce luncheon
on November 5 was John Crowl
of the Anchorage C of C.
Using as his subject, plans to
reactivate the local chapter, Crowl
outlined an overall plan for sev
eral years’ planning and sug
gested pertinent aims that, in his
opinion, should be worked on.
These included, (1) large scale
land clearing in the Valley. With
the Valley basically agricultural,
he pointed out, more and more
and will be needed to keep up
with the increase. He pointed to
the fact that there are no develop
ed farms available for sale to
newcomers. (2) New and laws
providing for large homestead
acreage than the now present 160
acre limit.
One way, he pointed out, to
start reactivating is to make a
list of all the needs of the Valley,
whether they be roads, land, rec
reation or others. He proposed the
top eight needs be selected and
the whole chamber go to work
on them. “Every business man in
the Valley is interested in seeing
this Valley develop,” he stated.
Additional suggestions were
made by Crowl for the completion
of such a program.
In the absence of President
William Zahradnicek, Bill Rem
ple, secretary-treasurer and re
cently appointed board member,
conducted the meeting. Guests
present at the meeting include
Bill Strandberg of Anchorage and
Lucille Mick and Hallene Ingalls
of Palmer.
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LARRY E. MOOERS
NEW CITY CLERK
Larry K. Mooers, 30, hired as
new city clerk for Palmer at a
ipecial city council meeting held
November 1 and assumed his
iuties immediately.
Application for the position had
Deen made by Mooers through a
etter to the city clerk committee.
LJnanimous city council approval
>f Mooers’ qualifications and the
lecision to hire him followed the
submittal of his name Saturday
right by the Mayor, who was a
member of the committee.
Mooers was hired at a salary of
>500 per month. The city clerk’s
office will be open from 9:00 a.m.
o 4:00 p.m. five days a week, and
rom 9:00 a.m. until noon on
Saturdays. Other duties will in
dude attending all city council
neetings, at no additional com
>ensation.
The office of city clerk will be
ocated in the Severn’s building
intil new quarters recently select
id in the Neal Wright building
ire ready. The lease for new
luarters is waiting the Mayor’s
ignature and it is expected that
he office will be ready for occu
lancy by the fifteenth of Novem
ier.
Mooers has made his home in
he Valley the past few months,
aving come here from Fairbanks
/here he was employed by The
levada Kid as assistant store
lanager.. He has lived, in the
'erritory since 1941 and had a
aried career including eight
ears with the CAA as a com- I
lunications specialist: private
lsuance adjusting business; po- I
ce work with the Fairbanks Po
ce Department and geophysical
*ork at College, Alaska.
The new city clerk is married ^
nd has two children, a boy eight ^
nd a girl, five. The family are
imporarily making their home on {
ish Hook Road until their new 1
paidment in town is completed. '
OUR THIRTY-FOURTH PRESIDENT
Dwight D. Eisenhower tnd running mate, Richard Nixon
were chosen by huge vote on November 4 as the next
president and vice-president of the United States.
(iwanis Benefit
(els Over $200
Kiwanis members reported a
iross of $210 on the benefit movie
hown November 4 at the Val- j
sy Theatre.
The wool afghan donated by a !
riend to the Valley Hospital,
/as awarded to Helen Maze. All
roceeds from the movie will go
award the purchase of an auto
lave for the Valley Hospital,
lommittee members offered
pecial thanks to Dr. C. C. Bailey
ar the loan of his bear-hunt films
nd to A1 Hagen who donated the
se of the theatre. Kiwanians who
erved on the committee includ
d: Tom Reiss, Hugh Johnson,
(ill Bouwens, George Crowther,
>r. C. C. Bailey and Bill Remple.
►ki Club Members Shovel
incw-Blocked Road;
ow Nearing Completion
Several members of the Mat
nuska Ski Club proved their
incerity in their attempt to get
he ski tow equipment to the
elected site last Sunday, by hand
hoveling more than a mile of
rifted snow on the road above
ae Little Susitna Lodge. Dark
ess called a halt to the venture
bout one mile short of the goal.
“If we can get another good
roup like we had this week, we’ll
ave it done next week,” one of
ae members stated. There is
raough snow in the area now, for
ood skiing, members reported,
[any took skiis along on the
awer wagon to be used for the :
>w, and skied back down the !
lountain following their days :
ork.
Once more the club asks any- 1
ae interested in helping with the
iw to report at Little Susitna 1
odge this coming Sunday, or 1
>ntact Joe Gallant for transpor- 1
tion. j
Preparations have been started
r the club’s annual free rally i
> be held November 15. Enter- <
inment, dancing, singing and an <
rening of fun has been assured ]
r all those attending. i
COMMUNITY CHEST
DRIVE NETS $2,529
Following the Community
Chest board meeting held this
week, it was disclosed that a
total of $2,529.00 has been realiz
ed from this year’s Community
Chest Drive in Palmer.
“In view of the tightness of
money this fall,” board mem
bers commented, “the result is
very gratifying even though be
low the goal.” It shows that the
Community is well pleased with
the services it supports, and
“gives till it hurts.”
At the board meeting it was
determined that by adding the
balance already on hand in the
bank from last year (contribu
tions received during the year and
economies in administration and
each board member present add
ing a few cents, the budgets of
local agenecies could be met on a
seven percent discount basis.
The only budget not cut was
that of the Welfare and Disaster
Fund Council, an agency that had
already been considerably cut be
fore the allocation of funds was
agreed upon at the start of the
campaign. The Welfare Council
has a-1,000 balance in the bank
in its Disaster a^d Emergency
Loan accounts.
All allocation of funds is for
the fiscal year January 1 to
December 31, 1953. Distribution
will be made as of January 1.
Funds earmarked for the
Health Council will be held by I
;he Chest and distributed to the'
Council only as warranted by a
eplacement for the Public Health
NTurse position now vacant, or as
nay be necessary to keep the
Health Center open on a part time
)ases, pending her arrival.
The gratitude of the community
las been earned the hard way
>y the many volunteer solicitors
vho worked to make this cam
>aign a success.
The books of the Palmer Com
nunity Chest will, as usual, be
mdited by a Certified Public Ac
:ountant and the results will be
mblished in The Frontiersman
it a later date.
EXPANDING ROCKS TO FORM BASIS
FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
Bettine Improving;
Condition Still Serious
Slow, but definite improve
ment in the condition of Robert
Bettine was reported this week
from his wife Bonnie who is
with him in Portland, Oregon.
Today marks the 28th day since
his accident at Goat Mountain.
Although he has spoken clearly
he has not yet recognized any of
his family and is still considered
to be unconscious. Doctors have
pronounced his condition as
“still serious.”
Highway Department
Smoothing City Streets
Russ Felzien of the highway
department has spent much of
the past two weeks in hauling
gravel and spreading it through
out the city in an attempt to keep
ahead of the pock-holes the in
termitant rains continue to drill.
Many loads of gravel have been
spread on Valley, Swanson, and
Colony streets in addition to the
many yards spread in bad spots
throughout the city.
V* niber permitting, he will
continue this work next week.
SPECIAL MOOSE HUNT
DRAWING NOVEMBER 15
A total of 1,643 applications for
the special moose hunt in the
Palmer ara December 11 through
December 17 were received by
the Fish and Wildlife Service of
fice in Anchorage before the dead
line November 1.
Several applications were re
jected, the office reported. Some
applicants head sent two appli
cations: others had failed to list
their home address or hunting
license number.
The drawing for the 75 permits
to be issued will be held No
vember 15 in the Anchorage FWS
office. Winners will be notified
by mail.
LARGE SHEEP FLOCK
AT PALMER SLOUGH
The Palmer Slough area is
teeming with white wooly ani
mals but before any hunters get
excited—they are not in the wild
stage. There are 200 ewes and two
purebred Romney bucks in the
flock of sheep Harold A. Nickles
recently imported from the states
and which he will graze on range
land leased from the government.
Nickles went Outside and help
ed load the sheep aboard the S. S.
Chena at Seattle. Accompanying
the shipment to Seward, he was on
hand to see the sheep transferred
to Alaska Railroad box cars and
delivered at Matanuska. From the
Matanuska siding, the sheep were
driven overland to their new
home at the slough. All sheep and
the two valuable rams made the
trip without any trouble, Nickles
reported.
With approximately 3500 acres
of low range land for winter graz
ing and 8,000 acres for summer
mountain grazing, Nickles plans
to increase his present stock
through controlled and selected
breeding. He will market wool,
mutton and breeding stock and
increase his flock as time goes on.
The only other flock of sheep
now in Alaska is on Umnak Is
land. in 1935 the Alaska Rural Re
habilitation Corporation .had
sheep in the Valley but all have
since been butchered.
According to a recent announce
ment. Sutton will be the site of
a new Alaska construction indus
try.
| Jack Harrison of Anchorage
Sand and Gravel, one of the pro
moters of the new enterprise said
the industry, known as Basis
Product, Inc. will be located near
the site of a large deposit of
special blue shale that is required
for making expanding rocks that
puff up like popcorn wrhen heat
ed.
The puffed rocks will be
ground and used as the aggregate
in concrete instead of sand and
gravel.
About 25 men will be employed
in the plant and pit, which will
be excavated from the surface
with dozers and shovels.
Harrison said that mining and
geological survey men have told
him that the blue shale at the
, chosen site is in plentiful supply,
and very accessible.
Main part of the new plant will
be a steel cylinder about 100 feet
long and seven or eight feet in
diameter, which is to serve as the
kiln. Inside the pipe it will be
heated to between 1900 and 2000
degrees Fahrenheit. Resultant cin
ders will be grounr' into powder,
the usable aggregate
Wolf G. Bauer, Seattle, con
sulting engineer who will help
design the plant will be in An
chorage next week to attend an
open meeting planned to describe
the merits of the new aggregate.
Ninteen to Receive
Football Letters at
Athletic Banquet
Football letters will be award
ed at the Athletic Dinner being
sponsored by members of the
Girls’ Pep Club of the Palmer
School Wednesday night, Novem
ber 12. Highschool students and
faculty members have been invit
ed to attend the dinner to be
held at Moose Hall.
Coach Norman Rousey will pre
sent school letters to the follow’
ing students for their participa
tion during the past football sea
son: Jack McKechnie, Monty
Larsh, Bob Smith, Dick Geiwitz,
John Brown, Oliver Brewer, Gary
Davey, Joe Lentz, Jimmy Hitch
cock, Jim Goodman, Larry Mc
Allister, Jerry Hemmer, Riley
Curtis, Leo Plumley, Bill Harris,
Dan Wolf, Bill Meehan, Dennis
Buzby and Manager, Lowell Krise.
DON IRWIN AND DR. MICK
WORK ON EXT. BUDGET
Don Irwin, Experiment Station
director, recently returned from
the University of Alaska where
he and Dr. Allen Mick, Extension
Director, went over the proposed
budget for the next bi-ennium,
The budget has been presented
by the Board of Regents to the
Territorial budget committee for
their approval.
Police Signal Light
Recently Installed
The long-awaited police sig
nal light has arrived and has
been installed on a pole at
the corner of Pioneer Peak
Avenue and Colony Street.
The red signal light is turn
ed on by the telephone opera
tor following a call to her
for police service. When sight
ed by the officer on duty, he
in turn will report to the oper^
ator for his message. The
new light will eliminate num
erous calls and assist the police
department in making prompt
answers to calls.