The Way We Were

Oct. 17, 1912: With the lengthening of the hours of darkness, more interest is being taken in the social side of life of late in Wrangell. Several banner events are already scheduled and some are not yet beyond the “figgering” stage, but they are surely coming. The first on the present program is, of course, the Fireman's Ball, which will take place at Red Man's hall next Saturday evening. Considerable interest in the doings of the firemen insure its success. The Artic Brothers, who surely have the entertaining way, are to have a Hallowe'en Ball on Friday evening, November 1, and will use all their witchery in giving Wrangell a spell of entertainment. A social event by the Motor Boat Club to be given about turkey time next month and a “home talent” to be staged at a remote date are the ones being “figgered” on and promise to liven up the social atmosphere in the future.

Oct. 15, 1937: Mr. and Mrs. Ben Cambron, who have been mining on Gold Pan in the Cassiar for the past eleven seasons, arrived on the Hazel B No. 3 Wednesday and will remain here until time to go back to their trap lines on the lower Stikine. While in Wrangell they are living with Joel Wing. Miners in the Gold Pan section had an off-season this year, reports Mr. Cambron, the weather being the worst in cold and rain he has experienced. He did his assessment work for the next three years, as the Canadian requires $250 worth of assessment work to be performed annually on each lease in addition to $40 charged for recording and assessment fees. After putting in a new automatic dam with two gates in readiness for next year's operations, Cambron and four other men who were interested in the ground, took out 73 ounces of gold in 24 days, which after expenses were deducted amounted to $74 a day for their work.

Oct. 12, 1962: The 50th annual convention of the Grand Camp of the Alaska Native Brotherhood will take place at Sitka on Oct. 15 according to an announcement by Cyrus E. Peck grand secretary. There will be eminent speakers including the keynoter James E. Officer of Washington D.C., Philo Nash Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington: Hon. William A. Egan Governor of Alaska; Robert Isaac, Alaska's acting commissioner of education; Hon. Larry Parker co-chairman, Alaskans United and mayor of Juneau; Charles Johnson executive secretary, Fisherman's Fund Department, Dept. of Labor; Robert Bennett, Alaska area director, Bureau of Indian Affairs and many others Peck said.

Oct. 15, 1987: How many people live in Wrangell? City Economic Development Director Jim Gove has conducted a census and determined the population of Wrangell stands at 3,112. The Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs had notified the city earlier this year that its record indicated the population was 2,387. But City Manager Joyce Rasler directed Gove to conduct the census of local residences, saying the population had to be larger than the state said. She based that contention on the fact that 2,538 Permanent Fund dividend checks were mailed to people with Wrangell addresses last year. The city's census figure now goes to the state agency, which must determine if the number will be used officially. The city's population determines how much state and federal aid is received by the municipality under some program's requirements.