In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago.
June 25, 1914: After being away for fifteen days on a prospecting trip, Richard Hofstad, Ole Johnson and C. Lauritsen arrived back in town late Tuesday evening. The boys went from Wrangell to Chichagof Island for the purpose of locating a large ledge of marble, and after the second day on the island, the marble was located and four claims staked. After the marble had been located, the boys started to look over the country and found some floaters in a small creek, and after tracing it up, located what has the appearance of being one of the richest finds that has ever been located on the island. The ledge is some 9 feet wide and was traced over three claims, which they staked. The find is free milling gold and is of the same formation as the famous DeGroff Mine and is only 15 miles from that mine. The boys brought in about 150-pounds of ore which was sent to Seattle for a mill test.
June 23, 1939: J.M. Wycoff, forester for the Wrangell-Petersburg district, arrived here this morning accompanied by Linn Forrest of Juneau, Forest Service architect for Region 10, which includes all of Alaska. Mr. Forrest is here in connection with final plans of a CCC project for the rehabilitation of Shakes Island where a replica of the old Chief Shakes communal house will be constructed, the original totems on the island restored, the debris on the island cleared and a bulkhead installed. “We anticipate the work will be slow until the fishing season is over,” Mr. Wycoff said this morning.“Then we will put on as many men as can be used to advantage until the work is completed.” The project will probably require a year’s time for completion. The Forest Service has a complete plan of the original communal house on the island. The present building stands on the site of the old one, but little of the original construction remains, and most of the structure is built from sawed timber.
June 26, 1964: On recommendation of the Volunteer Fire Department, the City Council has appointed Lt. Gordon Buness as chief of the department, succeeding the late William D. Grant, who headed the department for 20 years. Buness has been second in command for several years. Exalted ruler Phil Rasler of Elks Lodge 1595 and Norman Nauska of the local American Legion Post, today requested that Wrangell church bells ring at 10 a.m. on July 4th. This is a part of an Elks program “Let Freedom Ring” across the nation. “Let’s hear them all ring in Wrangell on July 4th,” Rasler said, pointing out that all other churches on the west coast would be ringing at the same time.
June 22, 1989: Plans by Bradfield Electric Inc. to build a power line from the Tyee Lake hydroelectric project to Canadian gold mines are on hold now for about one year. “Changing plans by the major potential purchaser of power” have prompted Bradfield officials to postpone field work at this time, says a letter from Bradfield Vice President Gary Floyd to Wrangell District Ranger Keene Kohrt. Bradfield President Steve Beers, in elaborating on the letter Monday, said an announcement by Cominco Ltd. to delay bringing its Snip gold properties into production for one year has prompted postponement by Bradfield. However, Beers said the delay does not affect the overall viability of Bradfield’s project. The power line is scheduled to move ahead just one year later, he said. The June 8 letter to the Forest Service, made public Monday, says no power-purchase agreement has been reached between Bradfield officials and the Canadian gold mining firm. Similarly, no timetable has been set for the sale of power, the letter says.
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