Potted Plants and Flowers
at
Annual Bazaar and Tea
Grange Hall
Sunday from 1 p.m.
/SAAA/NAAAA^VWWW^VWVWWWWS/VSA. •
PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY
VOLUME 45. NUMBER 47
TRY A FRONTIERSMAN
CLASSIFIED AD for that
item you may hare for sale,
rent or lease.
PALMER, ALASKA. THURSDAY. AUGUST 7. 1952
PRICE TEN CENTS
WORK STARTS ON CITY WATER SYSTEM
SEPT. ELECTION LOOMS FOR ORDINANCE
APPROVAL AND SEWER BOND AUTHORIZATION
# I
Revelation of a planned specia
election in September was dis
closed in connection with discus
sion on the proposed city sewe:
project at the City Council meet
ing last night.
F. X. Riley, district counsel fo:
Alaska Public Works, had givei
mayor and councilmen hope foi
a favorable decision on inclusioi
of Palmer’s sewer project in th<
1954 fiscal budget if city elector:
had authorized bonded indebted
ness covering the city’s one-hal:
share of the project cost and i
all planning was in the fina
stage. He warned, however, tha'
APW makes its plans for APV
budget requests in October anc
November in order to have then
ready for presentation to the
Bureau of the Budget in Novem
ber for inclusion in the overall
budget presented to Congress a1
the beginning of the next legis
lature. In order to meet require
ments stipulated by Congress in
its last session, any project con
sidered even on the APW lev^l
must already have the voters’ ap
proval.
City Attorney Harold Butcher
then pointed out that Palmer
electors would have to approve a
recent ordinance adopted by the
City Council last week following
the third and final reading before
the city election October 7.
The ordinance, which must be
approved by the voters, is an
“ordinance go ’ernmg elections
and elected officials, designating
their terms of office and provid
ing notice of election and vacan
cies, etc.; Council rules of pro
cedure etc.” It sets up provisions
for an elected mayor and one,
two and three-year terms for
councilmen for the first election
following its approval and three
year terms thereafter. Beginning
in October 1953, two councilmen
would be elected each year. Va
cancies for any unexpired term at
the time of the yearly election
would also be filled. Candidates
for councilmen would become
qualified on the filing of a peti
tion signed by a specified number
of Palmer residents.
It was decided that bonding
authorization for the sewer pro
ject and for the amount needed to
cover city’s share of the water
system cost beyond the already
City to Enter Bid
On Phone Property
A letter dated July 31 from
Mayor Carl Meier to the Depart
ment of Internal Revenue and
read last night at the City Coun
cil meeting revealed a prior un
derstanding between city officials
and the department regarding the
property of the recently seized
Matanuska Valley Telephone
Company.
“In accordance with our mutual
understanding of -the 27th of
June,” the letter said, “a subse
quent resolution of the City
Council of Palmer duly passed
and recorded this week to advise
you as follows:
“ ‘Upon the ultimate forthcom
ing public sale of the Matanuska
Valley Telephone Company, its
assets and equipment, the city of
Palmer hereby offers a firm bid
of $7,500 and will make that offer
upon the sale.’ ”
[; authorized indebtedness of $300,
-1 000 would also be sought at the
. | September election. A represen
■ tative of Thomas B. Bourne As
. | sociates, the engineering firm hir
I ed to make the initial survey and
■ draw up plans for the project, is
i j expected in Palmer within the
•; next few days. He will then make
i! known his estimate on the total
; cost of the sewer project. First
; | publication of the special election
■i notice and date will probably ap
‘ i pear late this month or early in
: September.
REV. EDW. H. IMME
NAMED NEW CIVIL
DEFENSE DIRECTOR
Rev. Edward H. Imme, pastor
of St. John’s Lutheran Church,
has accepted Mayor Carl Meier’s
| appointment as new Civil De
! fense director for the Palmer
I area.
The appointment and accep
tance was announced by Mayor
: Meier at the City Council meet
ing last night and the Council ap
! proved the appointment by unani
mous vote.
The vital position has been va
cant for over a month, since the
resignation of Stanley Laird be
cause of added pressure of new
duties as sergeant of the High
way Patrol. Sgt. Laird now has
supervision over a vast highway j
network that takes him far away j
from the immediate defense area.
Councilmen were enthusiastic
over the appointment of Rev.
Imme, who has taken a keen in
terest in community activities and
problems since his arrival in Pal
.. . L ist October. His former pas
torate was in Richland, Washing
ton. Presently, the Lutheran pas
tor is Cubmaster of Palmer Pack
354 and he is an active member
of the local Kiwanis Club.
Four New Directors
To Be Elected at
Co-Op Annual Meeting
Members of the Matanuska
Valley Farmers Cooperating As
sociation will meet at the Palmer
School gymnasium Saturday
morning at 11 o’clock for their
annual meeting.
The meeting will be called to
order on the hour and roll call
will proceed immediately. One of
four valuable door prizes, a 30.06
rifle, will be awarded at the
close of the roll call, about 11:30
a.m. All stockholders in attend
ance (voting members, suspend
ed members, or probational mem
bers) are eligible for the door
prize. Drawings for an electric
mixer, an eight-quart pressure
cooker, and a Zenith radio will
follow at intervals throughout the
all-day session. As usual, a lunch
will be served at noon to mem- 1
bers, their families, and the sever- i
al guests present. i
Early on the agenda will come 1
the report to members on the fin
ancial condition of their organi- !
zation. Members will then hear \
reports from their Board of Direc- t
tors on the business of the past 1
Continued on page 4 I
Official Lake George
Break-Up Timed At
10:03:16 A.M. Today
The 1952 Lake George Brea
up was officially timed at 10:03:
a.m. this morning, August 7,
the McKinley Foundation cloi
set up on the south side of Kn
Bridge stopped at the preci
second.
The clock was attached to
timing apparatus designed
stop the clock at the time tl
j mighty flood released from Lai
I George had brought the river x
j to the eight-foot level. A weigh
ed bucket, suspended from a wi
that was also attached to a pin <
the clock, was caught by the rus
ing river as it reached the prop
level, The wire snapped, releasii
the pin, and the clock stopped.
Still unknown is the name
the winner of the Lake Gear;
Break-up guessing classic. Mi
Lowell Simpson, who was con
missioned to keep an eye on tl
clock, rushed into Palmer
phone in the report on the offici
time to the McKinley Foundatic
headquarters in Anchorage. To
Saville and Irma Schmitten of tl
Foundation were to check tl
time on the qlock some time th
afternoon. Name of the luck
winner should be announce
shortly. To the winner will g
one half of the proceeds of tl
guessing contest less expense
The rest of the money will go 1
help a vast number of less fo:
tunate Alaskans, the crippled chi
dren of Alaska.
Full force of the Lake Georg
waters was unleashed Saturda
as the Glacier barriers gave wa
and the turbulent waters starte
rushing through the narrow gorg
leading to the Knik River. B
Monday the waters had risen t
within four feet of the eight-foe
level. Early this morning observ
ers reported the little bucket we
rising and falling with the ur
even flow of the river.
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Conditions of
$675/000 Allotment
For Water System
A letter from APW t)irectoi
Don R. Wilson read in the Citj
Council meeting last night se
forth the conditions under whicl
APW allots $675,000 to the Pal
mer water system project.
The letter requested a Resolu
tion on the part of the Council (1
acknowledging receipt of th<
document and acceptance of the
allotment subject to conditions
therein set forth, and (2) agree
ing, when requested by APW
either to take or direct necessar\
action to meet requirements oJ
the conditions set forth.
Here are the conditions:
(1) The submission of an accept
able finance plan when called for
(2) The principal indebtedness
becomes due in multiples of $1,00C
for approximately level annual
debt service with interest at twc
percent to be paid semi-annually,
.(3) That the applicant (Palmer)
will issue bonds in negotiable
form if required.
(4) That the city establish a
water fund into which all reve
nues of the system shall be paid
and which shall be used only for
the purpose of the system.
(5) That the city issue General
Obligation Bonds additionally se
cured by a first lien on the rev
enues of the water svstem.
(6) That the city establish a
water rate schedule satisfactory
to the APW and also pledge an ex
clusive lien on the initially col
lected $3,000 of its annual sales
tax yield and pay that amount an
nually into the water fund.
(7) That the city take appropri
ate action to preclude the opera
tion of a competitive water sys
tem.
it
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(8) That the city acquire any
section of the existing water sys
tem that may be usefully inte
grated into its system.
Continued on page 4
COLLUSION CHARGES BLASTED BY COMMERCE
REPORT; LOCAL EFFORTS SEEK COMPLETE
VINDICATION OF PALMER AIRPORT “DEAL”
Koland Snodgrass oft-repeat
contention that the record of the
Palmer Airport transaction would
speak for itself was upheld yes
terday with the simultaneous dis
closure of two investigations, one
by the Department of Commerce
and the other by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation.
Snodgrass as secretary of the
old Palmer Airport Association
was one of the witnesses who
testifi i before the Senate in
vestigating committee that probed
charges arising from political
circles that Territorial officials
had colluded with CAA personnel
to obtain more funds than the
project merited.
He contended that there was
10 collusion to bilk the govem
nent out of additional funds, that
;he appraisal of the airport land
■vas both fair and realistic, and
;hat the transactions between the
nrport committee and the Ter
itory were completely open and
ibove board.
The adverse report of the
senate investigating committee
ras cited recently by the Comp
roller General when he refused
o turn over to the Territory ap
iroximately $145,000 represent
ing tne ieaeral governments
share of the land acquisition and
construction costs of the Palmer
Airport according to provisions of
the Federal Airports Act.
In his explanation for refusing
to turn over the federal funds, he
said, “It is felt that the record
of the hearings adequately sup
ports the views expressed in the
report of the subcommittee that
there was collusion between of
ficials of the Territory and those
of CAA in Alaska to the end that
the Territory might receive credit
in the grant agreement for funds
which it had previously expend
ed in improving the airport.”
Jack G. Scott, acting Secretary
of Commerce, reported to the
Comptroller in a letter dated July
28 that a special investigation by
the Department of Commerce
had uncovered no evidence sup
porting the charge of collusion.
Referring to the Comptroller’s
statement above, Scott wrote- “To
the extent this statement, by ap
plication or otherwise, indicates
that there was collusion by em
ployees of the Civil Aeronautics
Administration in Alaska, I am
compelled to advise you that I
disagree.”
Continued on page 4
- ■ ■ »
MAYOR SIGNS WATER PROJECT AGREEMENT;
FIRST INCORPORATION OBJECT ACHIEVED
Work has already begun or
. construction of the city watei
. system, it was reported at the
City Council meeting last night.
| “We have achieved the firsl
object of Palmer’s incorporation
and we ought to feel pretty good
about it,” City Attorney Harold
Butcher observed jubliantly.
With the city’s contract agrge
, rnent with APW signed and all the
necessary easements and official
CALL FOR BIDS ON
NEW NORTH PALMER
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
The Palmer Independent School
District Board today issued an in
I vitation and advertisement for
! bids for construction of the six
classroom elementary school,
which will be built on the recent
ly purchased Swanson property
site in North Palmer.
Sealed bids will be opened pub
licly and read aloud on Monday,
September 8 at 4:30 p.m. in the
Palmer Independent School Dis
trict office.
Contract documents including
i plans and specifications are on
; file at the above office in Palmer,
j and at offices of the Associated
j General Contractors of America in
Anchorage and Seattle.
The new school construction
was made possible through a fed
eral grant of $203,310 through
Public Act 815, which provides
special federal assistance in areas
where facilities are overcrowded
because of defense activities.
Tanana Valley
Harvest Queen lo be
Guest at Local Fair
The winner of the Tanana Val
ley Fair Harvest Queen contest
will be the honored guest at the
Matanuska Valley Fair and will
take part in all activities from
August 30 through September 1.
The trip to the Matanuska
Valley Fair is a part of the award
to be given the queen of the
Tanana Valley Fair. She will be
presented at the Coronatio/i Ball,
where the queen of the Matanus
ka Valley Fair will be named and
crowned on Saturday, August 30.
All local queen contestants are
asked to turn in their ticket stubs
and money for tickets sold to
date to Fair Manager Parker
Lester by August 11.
Today is the final day for en
tering the Fair Queen contest.
Information was received this
week on queen contestant Carole
“Ginger” Parks. Daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Don Parks, farmers in
the Butte area, Ginger is 16 years
old and will be a sophomore at
Palmer High this fall. She is five
feet two inches tall and has dark
blonde hair and blue eyes. This
summer she’s been helping her
dad on the farm.
Latest queen contestant to an
nounce her candidacy is Joan
Haik of Chugiak. Sixteen years*
ago she was one of the first babies
to be born in Palmer. Her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Haik, moved
to the Territory from Idaho over
17 years ago and now operate
Spring Creek Lodge on the An
Continued on page 7
documents bearing on the water
system and its financing already
turned over to APW, the mayor
: and councilmen had cause to re
lax and point with pride. The con
tract award is the responsibility
of APW. and it was certain that
the contract would be awarded
to the Arctic Plumbing and Heat
| >ng Company of Fairbanks this
week.
Irene E. Ryan, engineer, repre
sented Thomas B. Bourne As
! sociates of Alaska. Inc. In addition
I to being the designing engineers
for the Palmer water system.
Bourne Associates were also the
designer’s of Anchorage's new In
ternational Airport. James C.
| Baldwin, registered land surveyor
1 of Wasilla associated with the en
gineering firm, was also present.
I The contract agreement was
signed for the city of Palmer *by
Mayor Carl Meier. With this
agreement Palmer authorizes the
construction of its municipal
water system.
In anticipation of the construc
tion award, low-bidder eGorge
j Lilly of Arctic Plumbing
| and heating has been work
ing on his own during the
past few weeks in order to
make the most of Alaska’s short
construction season. Over a week
ago the access road to the well
and reservoir site was dozed out
and graveled. Work has already
begun on the reservoir. All pipe,
reinforcing steel, meters, pumps,
fire hydrants, and well materials
are ready at Seattle for immedi
ate delivery. They probably will
start moving north by Ocean Van
Lines late this week.
A major portion of the reser
voir and distribution system is
expected to be built this fall with
an early completion date next
summer.
Total cost will approach $675,
000 instead of the $500,000 origin
i ally planned. The city will have
to repay to APW $337,500. The
project will be self-liquidating
over a period of years through
revenues collected from water
users.
At a special meeting of the
City Council Monday night repre
sentatives of Alaska Public
Works, Thomas B. Bourne Asso
ciates, and the Arctic Plumbing
and Heating Company of Fair
banks met with the councilmen
to make final decisions regarding
construction of Palmer’s new city
water system prior to the award
ing of the contract.
APW was represented by F. X.
Riley, district counsel with head
quarters in Juneau, and W. J.
Tweet, construction engineer in
charge of the Anchorage office.
Riley is handling legal matters in
connection with the contract
award, and Tweet will be the
APW representative supervising
the Palmer water project.
George Lilly, who with Mrs.
Dorothy Lee Lilly is the owner of
Arctic, Plumbing and Heating,
represented the contractors. Arct
ic Plumbing and Heating Com
pany has had over 20 years’ ex
perience as mechanical engineers.
Richard hemming, who has been
named by the company to be en
gineer in charge of construction,
was also present.
A local contracting company,
J. and L. Sisley Co., has the sub
contract for all the digging work
>n the water project.
Remember Your Co-Op Annual Meeting
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9,
1952 11 A.M.