The Way We Were

March 21, 1912: Things began to look up regarding the Alaska Sanitary Packing Company when the Curacao brought us Mr. H.J. Palmer, bookkeeper for the new firm and considerable freight consisting of tools and materials for the construction of the buildings. Mr. Palmer busied himself immediately with securing the site. George H. Barnes, a principle of the firm, did not arrive until Wednesday, having been delayed in Seattle. He brought men from Seattle and Ketchikan to work on the buildings now which, owing to the short time, will be pushed along as fast as possible.

March 19, 1937: A. R. Brueger of the ARB Company, arrived on the North Sea on Monday afternoon to spend a few days in town on company business. He plans on returning to Seattle on the North Sea this weekend and will probably return to Wrangell to stay about April 15. Mr. Brueger reports that there are important negotiations underway with the various fishing unions and that conditions should be ironed out in a week or so. At present, things appear very favorable for a good season. The ARB boats 7 and 10 are now in Wrangell engaged in the Fresh Fish business. The No. 10 was sent to Rocky Pass and Kake during the week to pick up some 4300 pounds of fresh halibut. ARB agents are buying halibut during the week at 12 cents and report 3,000 pounds bought on Tuesday. The ARB general offices in the hotel building have undergone a general renovation during the past week. The interior has been freshly painted with a light green wall and cream ceiling. As soon as it arrives, new linoleum will be laid over all the floors of the office.

March 23, 1962: Construction was started Monday on the Mitkof highway extension to Dry Strait after the winter shut down. About 20 men were on the job, mostly men called back from last season's operations with the addition of several mechanics and a shovel operator. Between 65 and 70 men will be employed during the summer, according to Supt. Joe Hanus. Preliminary work involves removal of fallen trees, rocks and boulder drilling. Additional equipment is being added. A barge is en route from Everett with Caterpillars, trucks, motor grader and assorted equipment. The 10-mile stretch of road, estimated to cost over $2 million and planned to link with the Stikine-Iskut highway to the national highway system via Canada, is scheduled for completion in 320 days.

March 19, 1987: Wrangell's police officers solved more than 50 percent of serious offenses committed in Wrangell last year, while their success rate on such crimes as assault, arson, fraud, weapons violations and sex offenses hit 75 percent, the department reports. At the same time the town's rate for crime has escalated, with crimes against people, crimes against property and the value of property stolen surpassing any previous statistics kept by the Police Department. According to the department's annual report prepared by Police Chief Bill Klein, local officers solved 143 of the 262 Part 1 offenses recorded last year. Part 1 offenses include rape, assault, robbery, burglary and theft. Of the Part 2 offenses, officers solved 279 of the 368 recorded, the report said. Part 2 offenses include other assaults, harassment, arson, fraud, criminal mischief, weapon violations, sex offenses and liquor and drug offenses. The success rate in Wrangell compares with a national success rate in solving crimes of 20 percent overall. In Alaska, Wrangell ranks in the top 10 percent of police departments for its rate of solving crimes, Klein said. According to the annual report issued by the Ketchikan police department, officers in that city solved 47.4 percent of their Part 1 crimes and 45.6 percent of the Part 2 crimes.