The frontiersman. [volume] (Palmer, Alaska) 1952-2005, 1955-06-30


the space occupied by the switch
board.
An important change to sub
scribers will be in the placement
of toll calls and placing telegram
messages by phone, Partridge
stated.
In the past toll lines came to
the ACS switchboard which
meant that ACS operators inter
cepted all in and out toll calls
from and to Palmer. With our
new agreement with ACS, the
toll telephone lines will be re-
moved audA connected SO the
MIA switchboard" This means
the subscribers lines are no
longer policed by Palmer ACS in
tercept operators. Therefore, he
pointed out, st will be necessary
for each subscriber to police his
own phone. He must know who
is using the phone for long dis
lance calls and be prepared to be
responsible for all toll calls made
from his phone" Any long dis
lance call placed from his phone
will be the responsibility of the
subscriber. This is normal state
side procedure, Partridge point
ed out.
The telegram service agree
ment has been set Up whereby
subscribers will be able to
place kilograms by calling the
telephone operator and stating
they wish to place a telegram.
The operator will plug in di-
rect line to the Palmer ACS Of
flee. This will be possible ONLY
during the business hours of the
Palmer ACS office which are
from 8 am. to 7 pm. on week
days and from II am. to pm. on
Sundays and holidays. Before or
after these hours a telegram may
be placed through the Anchor
age circuit for the costs of a min
imum Anchorage toll go cents
plus taxi Charges for the tele-
gram will appear on the sub
scribers next billing.
Edwin B. Olmested, REA field
representative, accompanied by
his wife. will arrive in Palmer
: July 4 and will spend approx
mately a month in the valley
area, working with the Matan-
uska Telephone Association in
setting UP operation procedures
and an accounting system.
City subscribers not already
MIA members will be required
within 80 days to pay the $40
membership fee and will be fur
Their obligated to pay the $40
equity cost before the installa-
ton of the new system if they
wish to continue to receive MIA
telephone service, it was amour
ced.
Partridge said this week that
rehabilitation of the present sys-
tenn and the outside plant will
be limited to funds permitted by
REA. Sub-station sites at Chugi-
ak, Wasilla, Sutton and main
office site in Palmer, have been
selected, he said. Construction Of
these buildings will be started
this summer, along with the stalk
ing Of pole lines and the place
ment Of orders for inside plant
equipment. I'VE anticipate that
the system will be fully COM
pleted within Is months, he adj
ded.
When completed subscribers
will be able to call anywhere in
the system without paying a toll
charge.
Limited space does not permit
full report on the story Of the
present Matanuska Telephone
Associations formation. Resi-
dents of the valley who have
been here a few years will recall
original attempts made in the
past to obtain a modern and eff
ficient telephone system for the
entire area. The Northland Pion-
eer Grange No. / at least twice
made concerted efforts to a get
a system in the valley. Their at
ternpts at one time were shelv-
ed when Maynard Sands devel-
oped a system in the Palmer area.
The present telephone system,
sold to MIA on Tuesday night,
was started by Sands who was
unable to cope with operational
costs and in March of 1852 the
City of Palmer purchased the
telephone system from the U. >.
government when it was an
y,o,,onod that : foreclosure on