The Way We Were

In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago.

Nov. 7, 1912: Several patriotic Wrangell votes, some taxpayers and businessmen, deprived this election of suffrage, because they are residents on the waterfront on their launches, boarded the gas boat Mabel Tuesday and bucked the current of the Wrangell Narrows to reach the voting place at Scow Bay, some 35 miles from Wrangell and literally “swore in “ their vote by giving their pedigree and previous conditions of servitude. Charles Darwell and T. Anderson operated the Mabel on the trip. J. Mot, M. Kazenmeyer, F. E. Gingrass, H. Taylor, J. Martindale, F. Stewart, Dick Nestrum, Wm. Fletcher and F. E. Timmons of Craig made the trip.

Nov. 5, 1937: Miss Angeline Burnett was declared winner in the Miss Wrangell contest in which voting closed at 9 o'clock Friday night. Announcement was made to this effect at the Coliseum Theatre Saturday night and afterwards at the Halloween Dance. Miss Burnett is the daughter of Mrs. Clarence Lewis. She is 19 years old and received her schooling in the Wrangell Public School and at St. Ann's Academy in Victoria. She was three years in the convent after which she returned to Wrangell at the age of 15. Since then she has been self-supporting, working in local canneries. With the announcement of the Miss Wrangell popularity contest, the cannery workers union entered her name and then gave her loyal support as a means of expressing their admiration for a young girl who is unfailingly cheerful and pleasant through long hours of tedious work. After paying all expenses, including Miss Wrangell's round trip ticket to Seattle, and giving $25 each as a bonus to Miss Burnett and Miss Patricia Wies, who was a close second in the contest, J. R. Brown, manage of the Coliseum which sponsored the contest, had a little over $300 remaining to contribute to the Pioneer Monument fund.

Nov. 5, 1962: This week Benjamin's Store is celebrating its 50th anniversary of service to Wrangell. The store has been appropriately decorated for a reception today and tomorrow to mark the occasion. There are orchids for the ladies, favors for the children. Coffee and doughnuts are being served by the hosts and proprietors, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Benjamin. Benjamin's Store was established in1912 by the late Charles O. Benjamin, who came to Wrangell around the turn of the century. He purchased the store from F. C. Miles. At that time the store stood back several feet from the street and the present front and back were added on later. The store was purchased by Benjamin in October and December 2, 1912 its present owner; Lloyd was born in the house now occupied by Harry Coulter. Later, the family moved to the residence over the store and a daughter, Marjorie (Mrs. P.H. Monsaas of Seattle) joined the family. Charles Benjamin was prominent in political affairs in the early days and served the Territory of Alaska in both the House and Senate of the Legislature.

Nov. 5, 1912: The Alaska Supreme Court has remanded back to 1st District Judge Walter Carpeneti a case filed by Arnold and Alice Bakke over a landslide on the Bakke's Wrangell property. Carpeneti had concluded that the state of Alaska's 1964 logging operation was a proximate cause of the property damage sustained by the Bakkes. But Supreme Court justices said the factual findings of the lower court “do not support that conclusion. Specifically, we are unaware of any findings which support a conclusion that the Bakkes suffered greater injury than they would have suffered had the state's logging operation not taken place.” The justices remanded the case back to Carpeneti's court, “with instructions that the trial court either support its conclusion of proximal cause by specific and factual findings or dismiss the action in the favor of the state.