VALLEY FRONTIERSMAN
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PRINTED AT PALMER ALASKA. EACH FRIDAY
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
Publisher. Business Manager
A1 J. DeJulio
Editor
Lucille Kennedy Mick
Associate Editor
Virginia Gallant
Barbara Carter
Was ill a Correspondent
Subscription Rates 50c a month. 95 a year
Mailed to all points in Alaska and the United States
The Telephone Situation...
All of us are pretty well aware by now that telephone service
in the Matanuska Valley leaves much to be desired. Not that we
don’t sympathize with Mr. Maynard Sands who continues to operate
the present exchange in the face of obstacles that long since would
have overwhelmed most persons who took to heart the welfare of
our Valley community. Sandy has fought valiantly a continuing
battle with worn out field wire, with what we think is inadequate
equipment, and with a minimum of capital. Nevertheless, we cannot
► escape the fact that Mr. Sands has not been able to keep pace with
the growth of the Valley.
For some months now, Palmer’s Common Council has been ex
ploring ways and means of obtaining adequate telephone service for
the entire Valley—from Eklutna to Jonesville to Wasilla. Council
interest in this case extends well outside the incorporated limits of
Palmer because council members believe—and rightly so—that tele
phone service only within the city is a completely inadequate solu
tion. Palmer is only a part of the Valley community; shorn of its
surrounding farms, Palmer would be nothing but a milepost on the
Glenn Highway. We have reported the Council's progress in this
matter. From where we sit on the sidelines, it appears that some
* decision must be made soon. To be sure that no bets are missed,
we want to put in our two cents worth now—before it is too late.
In the first place, a choice must be made betw'een a manual
board and a completely automatic dial system. A recent survey
indicates that the cost of “inside plant” equipment is about $48,000
for the latter as compared with $3,500 for the former. The cost of
operating a manual board for 24 hours a day is so overwhelming—
estimated at $1,400 a month—that a dial system appears to be the
sensible answer. Estimates of a complete Valley-wide automatic
system run from $320,000 to $370,000. We doubt that Mr. Sands
or anyone else, even with benefit of franchise, can eke out a living
with that kind of indebtedness on his shoulders. Should we be
satisfied, then, with a more modest system? The experience of
both Fairbanks and Anchorage indicates the fallacy of an inadequate
system. How about the city of Palmer building and operating a
telephone system? If everything else fails, the answer is “yes”,
within the incorporated limits. Outlying areas would have to wait
years, perhaps, until sufficient operating funds were available for
construction extensions. Some council members are extremely
dubious of floating enough revenue bonds even to obtain the neces
sary $200,000 for only a city system. And as explained before, the
city fathers believe that to be of most value, the system must not
stop at the city limits; it must be Valley-wide.
Perhaps we might probitably explore a solution offered in
U. S. Department of Agriculture REA Bulletin Al-T-2 (1-50), entitled
“Pre-Loan Procedure for Rural Telephone Cooperatives.” We ven
ture to suggest that a steering committee comprised, say, of five
farmers and five business men would receive the hearty backing of
the entire community in forming the Matanuska Telephone Asso
ciation. We further suggest that this steering committee be selected
and jointly sponsored by interested local organizations—for example,
the Northland Pioneer Grange and the Chamber of Commerce.
Neither REA nor Palmer’s City Council can take an active part in
this pre-loan procedure, being excluded under the terms of the
enabling act. When formed, however, the steering committee can
apply for assistance and probably will receive the fullest cooperation
from these organizations and from the Matanuska Electric Associa
tion, whose new manager is reputed to be somewhat of an authority
on the subject of rural telephone cooperatives. From then on,
qualified technical assistance is available from federal sources.
Although no other Alaskan community has tried REA financing
for a cooperative telephone system, it appears naturally adapted to
our Valley needs. Some will shudder at the thought of another
tussle with Uncle Sam’s money bags—yet this plan appears to offer
the only hope of providing an adequate telephone service for the
^ entire Valley. And if it can possibly be arranged—as a paragraph
in Bulletin Al-T-2 (1-50) indicates—we’d like to see Mr. Sands re
compensed for his pioneer investment in the Matanuska Valley.
For that matter, where could the Matanuska Telephone Association
find a better technical manager?
Valley Frontiersman Classifieds Gel Results
SI. John's Lutheran
Annual Turkey Dinner
Thursday, October 25
St. John's Lutheran Ladies Aid
members are dickering this week
for 400 pounds of turkey for then
annual turkey dinner to be held
in the church basement next
Thursday evening, October 25.
If past years’ experience is any
indication, there .shouldn’t be any
leftovers from those 400 pounds
of turkey, because the St. John's
Lutheran turkey dinner has be
come an annual event anticipated
eagerly by everyone in the com
munity.
Tickets this year are the same
as last-$2 for adults and 75 cents
for children. Dinner is served at
5 p. m. and service continues until
8:30 p. m.
Persons who have to wait their
turn can entertain themselves and
perhaps get in a little early
Christmas shopping at the bazaar
being held in connection with the
dinner.
Jean Smith Wed in
Pretty Home Ceremony
Beverly Jean Smith, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. William Smith
of Palmer became the bride ol
Pvt. Carlos McKnight, son of Mr
and Mrs. Huston McKnight of In
dependence, Louisiana Sunday
evening, October 14, in a cere
mony held at the bride’s home.
Standing before a green sprue*
bower, trimmed with pink chry
santhemums and tall white tap
ers, the young couple recited theii
vows to U. S. Commissioner Doro
thy B. Saxton.
A pink net ballerina gown war
worn by the bride, whose darl
hair was entwined with whit*
pearls. She carried a white prayer
book with a large white orchid
Attending the bride was Miss
Kathleen Patton who wore a flooi
length lime green gown and car
ried pink carnations. Little Sher
ry Lacey, niece of the bride, de
murely attired in pink eyele!
pique, was her flower girl.
William Kincaid was attendani
for the bridegroom.
The bride’s mother was attirec
in a black suit with which she
wore a corsage of white carna
tions.
Following the ceremony a re
ception for the wedding party
and friends was held in the
bride’s home, where a three
tiered wedding cake made by
Mrs. William Hoskins was cut by
the bride and groom. Mrs. Ber
Cabo, sister of the bride presided
over the guest book. Mrs. Claii
NORTHERN
NEON
- CORP.
SIGNS
Trucks, Cars Lettered
Manufacturers of
Neon Signs, Marquees,
Store Fronts and Tube
Lighting
540 Borrow - Dial 43734
JUVCHORAOE. ALASKA
UNITED PROTESTANTS
HOLD ONE WORK BEE,
PLAN ANOTHER
and friend, of the
United Protestant Church gath
ered at the church last Monday
evening for a work meeting
The evening v. as spent in
chinking between the logs and
finishing work in the church
basement. While the ladies were.
j busy w'lth hammer and caulking
tool driving oakum between the
; logs, the men were doing finish
ing work on the window's in the
recently constructed concrete
basement. Refreshments were
j served at 9 o’clock and some of
i the workers stayed later to Com
plete their wrork. A very good
i time was enjoyed by all and an
i other such meeting is planned for
next Monday evening, October
22. as the work was not all com
pleted.
Among those present were Mrs.
i Ruth Estelle, Mr. and Mrs. Emil
I LaWalters, Miss Eggleston, Mrs.
Margaret Cope. Miss Barbara
Rumball, Miss Virginia Carle.
Mrs. A. J. Colberg. Miss Gladyce
Burrell, Mr. Carlson, Tom Mur
ton, Fred Stassel, Dick Rempel.
John DeVries, Jim Colberg, Steve
Colberg, Mrs. Neil Miller. Tim
Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Winston
Laughlin and Harry Wimmer.
Patton and Mrs. Hoskins assisted
in serving.
Daughter of original colonists,
the bride attended school in Pal
mer, graduating from Palmer
, high school with the class of 1951.
She was a queen candidate at the
, 1950 Matanuska Valley Fair and
. is employed at the Palmer depot.
,! The bridegroom is stationed at
,Ft. Richardson where he is at
tached to Hq. & Hq. company.
| Following an auto tour in the
i Territory, the couple will be at
home in Palmer.
I -- - ■ ■ ■ —
Chitna Limousine Service
LEAVES PALMER FOR VALDEZ
10:45 a. m. each Monday (leaves Anchorage al 9:15 a. m.)
RETURNS TO PALMER AND ANCHORAGE
8:30 a. m. Tuesday
LEAVES PALMER FOR CHITINA
10:45 a. m. each Thursday (leaves Anchorage al 9:15 a. m.)
RETURNS TO PALMER AND ANCHORAGE
8:30 a- m. Friday
ALL THROUGH ONE-DAY SERVICE—NO STOP OVERS
RUGS AND LINOLEUMS
Prints or Plains
Imports or Domestics
Ask for Our Estimates on Asphalt Tile
J C FLOOR COVERING
411 FUih Ave Anehoeage Phone Stall
Interior Freight Lines
Clay Prewitt and Cliff Steadman, Owners
Freight (footing Between Valdez and Palmer
Phone 62-J-3
WANT TO BE A WAF?
APPLY ELMENDOPF AFB
Elmendorf Air Force Base—
The U. S Air Force has- just an
nounced that women in the Air
Force who are qualified may ap
ply for officer candidate school
and become commissioned offic
ers. Young women not already in
the Air Force may enlist and then
apply for OCS if they have the
following qualifications:
Be between 20 and one-half
and 26 and one-half years of age:
possess two years of college work
or be able to pass an equivalent
examination; be physically quali
fied; have excellent character; be
either single or married; but
without any dependent children
under 18 years of age.
There are four classes each
year starting in January, April,
July and September. All classes
are co-educational and are of 24
weeks’ duration at Lackland Air
Force Base. San Antonio. Texas.
Accepted candidates will at
tend school in the grade of staff
sergeant. The pay of a staff ser
geant, in addition to meals, lodg
ing. uniforms, medical and den
tal care, is $139.65 per month.
Those successfully completing
OCS will be commissioned as a
second lieutenant in the Air Force
Reserve and placed on active
duty with the U. S. Air Force.
Second lieutenants living off the
base receive $315.75 per month.
Women living in Alaska who
wish to enlist in the Women’s Air
Force should apply to the Air
Force Recruiting Section at the
nearest Air Force base.
B & C. ELECTRIC
Shop in Shamrock Baaamanl
TaL 55 Box Ml
AL HUEBNER