PEEK AT THE PAST: Oct. 11, 1947

Here’s what made news in the Mat-Su 63 years ago, from the Oct. 11, 1947, issue of the Valley Frontiersman:

A spud-tacular harvest

Nearly 10 tons of potatoes harvested form the Lard’s Acre agricultural project, an offshoot of the United Protestant Church, quickly found a buyer at market. Proceeds from the sale of the spuds came to $760.

The money will be used, in part, at the Palmer church and to help bolster the mission contribution of the church.

Wanted: One cow

Ever lose something right from under your nose?

“Of course you have,” proclaims a story on the front page. “There’s nothing unusual in that. Nor nothing unusual about the hunt that turns the house upside down looking for the lost article.”

Then there’s what happens when somebody loses some large livestock. Mrs. Gilman Lindsey can relate first-hand when she misplaced a cow.

“One minute, there was Bossy dining on Lindsey pasture,” the story says. “The next instant, she was gone.”

Following a neighborhood hunt for the bovine, which was called off due to darkness, Bossy made her way back to the farm.

Phone service now 24 hours

Valley telephone owners were given a new service this week when the Valley Telephone Exchange announced the beginning of local 24-hour telephone service.

The announcement by Dorothy and Sandy Sands comes a week after the couple purchased the exchange.

Although they have operated the system in the past, the Sands’ purchase didn’t go through until Oct. 2. Until now, service had been limited to 16 hours a day, mostly because of a lack of personnel to man the telephone board.

A new night operator makes it possible for telephone service all the time. At present, the exchange provides service for 60 telephones.

It cost what?

According to advertisements, in October 1947 you could:

• Get “a new experience in comfort” by purchasing seam-free nylons for $1.25 a pair, or three for $3.50.

• Keep warm with jumbo wool socks for 89 cents a pair.

• Spend $12 for a special pre-paid lot of groceries, that includes six each cans of peas, green beans, tomatoes and corn; three packages each of raisins, beets and coffee; and two dozen oranges.

• Purchase a complete kitchen sink at Koslosky’s Department Store for $122.