Eklutna Project Brings Employment,
Power, Payrolls To Matanuska Valley
An appropriation of about $5,
700.000 is expected for the fiscal
year of 1952 for the Eklutna pro
ject now being constructed be
tween Palmer and Anchorage, the
Bureau of Reclamation head
quarters at Palmer said today.
The entire job probably will
last about 4 1-2 years with a peak
employment of about 550 men, in
cluding contractor’s employes and
the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation
employes.
Estimated cost for the entire
project is $27,530,000.
Along with the increase in elec
trical power provided by this pro
ject, recreational facilities at
Eklutna Lake will be advanced.
Power for Valley
Eklutna project, upon comple
tion, will provide this area with
30.000 KV of electric power. To
provide this power, a concrete
lined penstock tunnel, approxi
mately 24,290 feet long, will be
driven under the mountains to
supply water to turbine driven
generators. These generators will
be housed in a concrete structure
at the tunnel outlet on the An
chorage-Palmer highway, approx
imately 14 miles south of Palmer.
Eklutna Lake Tapped
The tunnel will lead from a
subaqueous intake 65 feet below
the level of Eklutna Lake—only
“top” of its kind in America—and
the water will be provided by this
glacier-fed lake. A dam was
built across the lake outlet pre
viously, to store water necessary
for operation of a small power
unit, the Eklutna hydro plant, lo
cated near Eklutna, about 5 hign
way miles southwest of the pro
posed new power plant site. This
dam will continue to store water
for the present power plant and
for the new power unit to be
built.
Construction of 50 miles of
transmission lines to carry this
power to the Matanuska Valley,
Anchorage and Fort Richardson
area, also will be a part of the
project. Connection of these linos
with the few existing ones will
complete a network of power sup
ply lines to meet the increasing
demand.
Survey studies, geological in
vestigations and core drilling
have been carried on from late
fall. These crews have been made
up partly of men picked from
similar positions in the States and
partly of men hired locally. Both
groups have made the equipment
operate regardless of severe
weather conditions.
Construction Under Way
The investigation stage has
been completed and construction
now is in progress. Excavation of
the tunnel and the construction
l will be done by contract.
Awarding of contracts for the
government camp, warehouse, the
Eklutna-Palmer transmission line,
and a water well for the govern
ment camp already have been
made and construction started.
The first major award will be the
contract for the excavation and
lining of the tunnel and intake
structure. Opening of the bids
for this contract is scheduled for
•June 25.
Congress appropriated money
for the Eklutna project in August,
1950. Plans were started imme
diately for an investigation pro
gram to supply construction
specifications.
Byron G. Felkner was selected
as construction engineer from the
Boysen dam project, Thermopolis,
Wyoming. His arrival in Palmer,
WEIDNER-RIPPY COMPANY
Manufacturers of
Strong, Uniform Concrete Building Blocks
Complies With Government Specifications
LOCATED — VALLEY CONCRETE PRODUCTS,
PALMER-ANCHORAGE HIGHWAY
INSPECTIONS INVITED
POSTOFFICE STARTED|
IN BOX CAR I
The Palmer post office has mul
tiplied business in the years since
it served the first Colonists. Now
it’s climbing toward a first class
rating!
Jim Felton was the postmaster
in 1935 when the first heavy
mails started coming in from Out
side. The post office was housed
in the Felton store in those days.
Then as the Co-Op was built it
was moved to larger quarters in
the Square. May Kennedy, now
Mrs. Irwin Metcalf, of Seward,
took over as postmistress in 1936,
and was succeeded by Harry De- ,
Land, now of Juneau.
Mrs. Walter Huntley was ap
pointed postmistress in 1944 and
still holds the position. Indicat
ing increased business handled by
the postoffice, stamp sales have
t jumped from a monthly average
of 400 in 1944 to 1850 per month
| in 1951.
Trains in 1944-45 carried mail
3 times weekly to Anchorage, and
once a week to Fairbanks. Now
first class mail posted in the
States in the late afternoon, car
ried by air mail, usually is re
ceived in Palmer the next day at
noon. It’s distributed over the
Wasilla route with north and
south extension daily except on
Sunday. Additional deliveries lo
Copper Center are contemplated
twice weekly and plans are being
worked out for a Butte Loop this
summer.
Observing closing hours for
mail going Outside will speed its
delivery, Mrs. Huntley said. Go
ing out on Ahe Star route to An
chorage closing time is 11 a.m.
Train closing time is 2 p.m. Both
connect with planes leaving An
chorage.
Oct. 3, after a period of planning
in the chief engineer’s office in
Denver, inaugurated the activi
ties to be carried on at the pro
ject.
Library Campaign
For New Members
Continues For Summer
Summer campaign for the Pal
mer Library Association is to con
tinue its membership drive and
to paint the building and install
new double windows.
About 100 membership applica
tion cards have been mailed. New
memberships and renewal of ex
*-)HHt***^*****#***#*****J
pired memberships, are invited.
Cost is $2 a year for adults, $1
for children.
Funds will help pay for the *
building and to purchase addi
tional books. Volunteer project
for the near future is to putty in ,
the new double windows and to
paint the building. Paint is on
hand—colors to be red with white
trim.
*****************************
J. VIC BROWN & SONS
"The Alaskan Jewelers"
523 Fourth Ave., Anchorage
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WATCHES DIAMONDS
SILVER NUGGET AND JADE JEWELRY
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Prompt Attention to Mail Orders
| Serving Alaskans for 35 years—ask any old-timer $
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***** MM****************************.*****-**.*****.)^.^
Sheet Metal Work
Furnaces Stokers Pre-fab Chimneys
Stainless Steel Work
Free Estimates
PALMER SHEET METAL & HEATING
Box 1779 John Weisenberger
Phone: 62J3
Palmer
9*uute 4fQ44Si bUetuli to
Colony Day
SPECIAL ALASKA RAILROAD TRAIN FROM
ANCHORAGE ON SUNDAY
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Train Schedule
Lv. Anchorage.10:30 a.m.
Ar. Palmer.12:30 p.m.
Lv. Palmer. 6:00 p.m.
Ar. Anchorage. 8:00 p.m.
Roundtrip Fare
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(Plus Tax)
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