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PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE MATANUSKA VALLEY l^L^u^rL^ru...^^n.j^JXn_n_r_._..-._.___.Jmnrt J !
VOLUME 8, NUMBER 11
PALMER. ALASKA. THURSDAY. JANUARY 13. 1955
PRICE TEN CENTS
MTA EQUITY STOCK SALES NEARING GOAL
OVER 1300 HAVE
CHEST X-RAYS
AT RECENT CUNEC
A total of 1,358 chest X-rays
were taken in Palmer during the
past week, according to Mrs. Joh
an Wen't>erg, member of the De
partment of Health team which
3S traveling around the territory
3n the all-out effort to X-ray
every possible person.
In addition to the Palmer X
rays, 82 were taken in the Sut
ton area; 258 in Wasilla, and an
undetermined number at Chugiak
yesterday and today. Although
there was no charge made for the
service, persons desiring to do
so were permitted to donate one
dollar to help offset the expen
ses of the work.
Cards will be mailed to all per
sons having had an X-ray. In the
event an X-ray was not as clear
as necessary for good reading, or
jf there appears to be any doubt
about the findings in the X-ray,
that individual will be requested
to return for another X-ray, this
one to be of a much larger size.
Just when they would be able
to return to Palmer for the larger
X-rays was not known earlier this
week, but it is expected that the
return would be within two or
three weeks.
EDUCATORS HEAR
PROBLEMS, SUGGESTIONS
AT DINNER MEETING
The Palmer Education Associa
tion was dinner host Thursday
evening, January 6, for school
board members and territorial
legislators. Keith Stanton, presi
dent of the Association .introduc
ed Senator ^jd Mrs. A1 Owens,
and Representative and Mrs. E.
G. Bailey. School board members
and wives present were Mr. and
Mrs. Bill Roark, Mr. and Mrs.
Lew Hanks, Mr. and Mrs. James
Hurley and Mr. and Mrs. Ed
Smith. They were introduced by
William Zahradnicek, school sup
erintendent.
Lew Hanks, president of the As
sociation of Alaska School Boards,
summarized the aims of the as
sociation. He stated that school
boards in the Territory, through
a territorial-wide association, will
be able to work more effectively
toward the betterment of school
systems.
Problems confronting school
boards were presented by James
Hurley, member of the Palmer
School Board. He stated that fis
cal independence would allow
school districts more freedom in
raising money for operating
schools. Other suggestions made
by Hurley were (1) school laws
should be re-codicfied, and (2)
the present system of refunding
should be based on the assessed
valuation per student rather than
on school population. Hurley also
added that the Association of Al
aska School Boards feels that
teacher pay scales should be in
creased and more compensation
given for education and experi
ence.
William Zahradnicek spoke
briefly about the Superintendent’s
Advisory Commission, pointing
out that the Commissioner of Ed
ucation should have a larger staft
and more money to carry out his
job; that the present voucher sys
tem for getting the territorial re
fund should be revised; and that
new sources of revenue to finance
schools should be found.
Mrs. Henning Blunck, chairman
(Continued on page 8)
I DON'T HITCH RIDES , \
WARNS POLICE CHIEF;
City Police Bernard Bou- <;
wens today warned all valley J;
youths, and urged their par- J;
ents’ cooperation, in calling a J;
halt to the practice of hitching
rides on the back of moving
vehicles. The practice seems to <!
be quite in vogue on the city ;!
streets of Palmer and the dan- j!
gerous practice may result in ;!
the severe injury or death of ;!
a Palmer youth. Chief Bou- j!
wens warned the practice is j|
against the law and requested j|
vehicle drivers to report any- jj
one hitching rides on their ve- jj
hides. !;
SPORTSMEN FAVOR
TERR. CONTROL OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
T
According to Bruce Graham,
secretary of the Matanuska
Sportsmen, who attended the Al
aska Sportsmen’s Council con
vention in Juneau last week,
much ground was covered, in
cluding proposed legislature.
A. W. “Bud” Boddy, of Juneau,
president of the Territorial
Sportsmen, was elected president
of the Council. The territorial
sports group is composed of 14
clubs throughout Alaska.
The council went on record at
Juneau as in favor of the enact
ment by the Territorial Legisla
ture of enabling legislation to
permit Alaska to take over con
trol of its game fish and wildlife
from the Federal government.
Acting Governor Waino Hen
drickson told the sportsmen that
legislation is being prepared by
the Department of Interior to
turn over to Alaska control of
the Territory’s fish .and wildlife.
Asking that commercial fisher
ies be turned over at this time
was refrained by council mem
bers, who decided that financing
of the new body could be defray
ed out of increased hunting and
fishing license fees and a share
of the Pribilof fur seal sales.
The gathered sportsmen went
on record as in favor of simplify
ing the present licensing system
and turning over the entire lic
ensing effort to the territory—
; they would also seek a one li
j cense setup, and agreed a special
j temporary tourist license should
! be considered.
j Council members favored the
repeal of wolverine bounty laws
on the grounds the law is in
effective and the wolverine a val
uable fur animal.
Emphasis was placed on a def
inite conservation program.
Movies on wildlife and a ser
ies of talks highlighted the con
vention.
JAIL SYSTEM HEAD
CHAMBER GUEST
ON JANUARY 19
Roy Casey, superintendent of
the Alaska Jail System is expect
ed to be guest speaker at the Jan
uary 19 Matanuska Valley Cham
ber of Commerce meeting, it was
announced this week. He will
speak on jail systems and juven
ile problems.
A special Chamber meeting
was called earlier this week to
discuss the possibility of a juven
ile detention home being placed
in the valley. James McPherson
of Sutton has offered 20 acres of
land which may be used for this
purpose and letters will be sent
I by the Chamber to Washington
— -——-—
1 1954 TAXES BECOME DELINQUENT FEBRUARY |
1, 1955, CITY OF PALMER AND PALMER INDE- |
PENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. j
REX EHRHART
Tax Assessor j
Shown here are the men present on January 5 when Company
C, 180th Engineer Battalion was activated in Palmer. Left to right,
first row: Captain James H. Pierce. Pvt. Benjamin Cottle.Cpl.
Byron L. Eldridge, Pfc. George Campbell, M/Sgt. Howard Campbell,
Sgt. Bobby Call, Lt. Billy Sims. Second Row: Ffc Gus Knutsen,
Pvt. James T. Wilson, Pfc Howard P. Campbell, Pvt. Bob Gershmel.
Pfc Gene A. Dinkel, Cpl. Elmer Kelly, Sgt. Harry D. Fembach.
Third Row: Pvt. Donald Johnson, Pvt. Lewis McDonald, SFC John
[R. Dunlap, Sgt. Frank Smiih end Cpl. Harry Campbell.
Photo by Pvt. Vial
Explains Pontoon Bridge ?o Company Men
Left to right: Captain James ri. Fierce, company commander
of "C" Company explaines the construction of a pontoon bridge with
steel treadway to Sgt. Bobby Call, Pvt. James Wilson, Cpl. Elmer
Kelly, and Sgt. Harry Fernbach. This took place on January 5
when Company C, 180th Engineer Battalion went into activation
at Palmer.
Photo by-Pvt. Vial
DEMOCRATS TO MEET
IN JUNEAU JAN. 20
The Democratic Party Central
Committee for the Territory of
Alaska will be meeting in Juneau
on January 20, the day of open
ing session of the Territorial leg
islature.
Chairman Alex Miller has set
this date for the meeting so that
all members of the committee will
have an opportunity to see the
opening session of the new legis
lature of the Territory of Alaska.
Third Division members of the
committee include Betty Mears
of Palmer, Jack Werner of Sew
ard, and Robert E. McFarland and
Mrs. Pearl Gibson, both of An
chorage.
| KIWANIANS PLAN
INSTALLATION OF
OFFICERS SATURDAY
Installation of officers will be
held by Palmer Kiwanis on Sat
urday night, January 15 at Moose
Lodge. Formal dress will be op
tional.
The dinner meeting is slated to
begin at 6:30 p.m. when Women
of the Moose will serve dinner.
Following the dinner and instal
lation ceremonies William W. El
liott will show colored slides of
his summer’s trip to Europe. En
tertainment for the evening wdil
be rounded out with dancing.
IKIWANIANS HEAR
TAX ASSESSOR
Rex Ehrhart, tax assessor, was
guest speaker at the January 10
meeting of Palmer Kiwanis. Mr.
Ehrhart spoke briefly on the
methods of setting taxes on real
estate and improvements and dis
cussed the tax form mailed re
cently for personal property self
assessment returns.
Guest at the luncheon meeting
was Stuart Durrant, Co-Op gen
eral manager.
Additional committee assign
ments were made during the
meeting by Lloyd Morley, Ki
wanis minstrel show chairman.
Kiwanian Ed Smith was named
a committee of one to make ar
rangements for a basketball game,
return match, between the girls'
team and the Kiwanis “team".'
Last year members of the Kiwanis
i group won, with a score of
| around 18 to 13 and the men
claim the girls are still smarting
from their defeat and that they
challenged them to a re-match.
If arrangements can be completed,
it is hoped by the local club to
have a benefit game again this
year, with proceeds to go to the
March of Dimes as they did last
year. The date to play and other
very important information will
be forthcoming, the committee
of one has stated.
I
Fertilizer Costs
Cut; Result of
New Agreement
Negotiations completed this
! week for fertilizer shipments to
j the Matanuska Valley, Tanana
j Valley, and Anchorage area, have
resulted in a $10 per ton saving
for the farmers, it was announced
■yesterday.
The saving is a result of a trade
pool agreement with the Co-Op
and others have been working
on for some time. The fertilizer
will be shipped by rail from vari
ous fertilizer plants in Canada
and western U. S. to Vancouver,
B. C. where the Alaska Steam
ship Company will call for it and
bring it to Alaska.
Virgil Eckert, Co-Op Ware
house manager, said today that
the Co-Op shipments alone will
total over 700 tons. The shipments
will include approximately 10
different type fertilizers, includ
ing ammonium nitrate.
The reduced rate will be pos
sible because of lower wharfage
rates at Vancouver than at Seat
tle. Special handling restrictions
| at Seattle were imposed on am
monium nitrate shipments when
the U. S. Coast Guard ruled that
ammonium nitrate is an explo
sive. As a result the fertilizer had
to first be taken into an open
stream where it was then picked
up by the steamship line.
STUDY OF WATER
RATE COMPLETED
Members of the appointed wat
er rate study committee this
week have completed their study
and made recommendations. The
group of citizens was appointed
by Acting Mayor Betty Mears and
consisted of Lloyd A. Morley,
chairman, Jan M. Koslosky, Ken
neth W. Lynn, Thomas Lepak,
Bill Roark, Matt Onkka, and
George W. Whetstone.
The Palmer Water Rate Com
mittee has agreed to the follow
ing methods to be used in retir
ing the water system bonds:
1. The surplus on hand from
the water revenues since collec
tion started shall be used to make
the first payment to Alaska Pub
lic Works when it becomes due.
The surplus on hand, anticipated
revenues, and the $3,000 pledged
per year from the sales tax mon
ies which the city has obligated
to use to retire the bonds should
be sufficient to make the first
three payments. At the end of the
initial four year period a possible
increase in population might pro
vide sufficient revenues to en
able the city to make the annual
bond retirement payment and
provide the necessary funds for
operation, maintenance and ex
pansion of the system. The water
rates are to remain at the pres
ent level. If at the end of four
years, population increase is not
sufficient to support and make an
nual payments on the system that
method 2 listed below be con
sidered.
2. The second method of debt
retirement considered by the
committee called for the estab
(Continued on page 8)
DEMOCRATIC MEETING
PLANNED FOR FRIDAY
There will be a meeting of the
! Palmer Democratic Club, Friday
night at 7:30 p.m. at the Bertran
Curry home in the AHA housing
arca
DIRECTORS BEGIN
PRELIMINARY WORK
WITH REA OFFICIALS
Members of the Matanuska
Telephone Association met with
visiting REA officials on Tuesday
of this week and approved reso
lutions that will get the actual
work for the new valley-wide dial
system under way. Clifford Gaet
tings, Ellsworth Johnson, REA of
ficials here from Washington,
D. C. and Joseph W. Bauler of
Alaska Engineering Associates
conferred with the MTA board of
directors.
Members of the board accepted
the rate schedule as suggested by
the REA; agreed that a special
construction account will be open
ed at the Matanuska Valley
Bank; authorized Joseph W. Bau
! ler of Alaska Engineering Asso
ciates as project engineer; auth
orized bonding of administrators;
authorized the president, secre
tary and treasurer to sign requir
ed papers for advance payments
'of loan; and discussed various ap
plications received for the posi
tion of MTA manager. Board
members said this week that no
installation charge is planned in.
tHe- initial-system installation,
where installation is of normal
type.
Final figures on the teams that
went in to the field this week
selling equity stock were not
completed this morning. However,
the team of A1 Hagan and A1 De
Julio had turned in around $250,
Lucille Mick and Katherine Wil
son $170 and more is expected.
The Richard Jor.es-Jan Koslos
ky combination was one man
short on Tuesday when Koslosky
was called to Anchorage. How
ever, they are still working on
(Continued on page 8)
March of Dimes
Campaign Under Way
Members of Palmer Kiwanis
Club have scheduled a benefit
basketball game to be played
against the local womens’ team,
the Rockettes, during the current
March of Dimes campaign. The
late has not yet been set but
that won’t hold the determined
Kiwanians down a bit. Any sur
prising amount of snow removal
—ashes removed from the base
ment—or any unusual exertion
should not surprise Kiwanis*
wives—the men are beginning
their concentrated limbering-up
program.
Money is already coming in,
according to Ed Smith, area
chairman of the March of Dimes
campaign. A1 and Ethel King re
cently turned over $165.00 to the
campaign. The local couple rais
ed the money through the dona
tion of a city lot on which they
sold tickets. The Homemakers
club in Sutton has contributed
$25; Order of Eastern Star, $5.00;
Sourdough Homemakers, $25;
and The Frontiersman, $5, for a
total of $225.25. Additional dona
tions have been designated by
various local organizations and
will be announced as soon as re
ceived by the local committee
Donations and collections may be
(Continued on page 8)
\ POTTED DAFFODILS
\ ONLY $1.00
MATANUSKA VALLEY l|
> GARDENS
( Phone 32J11 Palmer !;
> Telegraph Delivery Service j!
J Dr. E. E. Bach, Optometrist from Anchorage will
be in Palmer to do eye examinations on
f Tuesday, January 25.
> For an appointment see Mrs. Maud Hosier at the Flower Shop
i in the Co-Op Recreation Building or call her at 32J11