In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago.
September 3, 1914: Forest Supervisor Weigle was in town for a few days last week, and while here he went over and inspected the new Stikine trail. He reports the work as about finished, all that is left is a little rock and bridge work. This new trail is one of the greatest conveniences the government could give to the miners in the interior, and the Forest Service and Mr. Weigle in particular deserve great credit for the way they have overcome the many obstacles and built the trail. Signs will be posted on the river telling travelers where the trail begins.
Once again the school children are in happy frames of mind as the public school started the new term last Tuesday morning. The high school teacher has not arrived so that school was not called. Many children are still away from town so the full enrollment can hardly be called before next week.
September 1, 1939: The Rev. E.A. McNamara, S.J., from Gonzaga University in Spokane, who came to Alaska last April with Bishop Fitzgerald to stay two weeks, which lengthened to four months, said today that should he receive notice to remain in Alaska he would be very happy and if assigned to Wrangell he would be pleased. Father McNamara has been giving retreats to the sisters in Alaska. He spent five weeks in Ketchikan and three weeks in Juneau then visited Skagway, Dawson, Fairbanks, Mt. McKinley Park, Seward, Valdez and Cordova before coming to Wrangell last week. He has enjoyed his trip in Alaska and found it altogether different from what he had heard and expected to see. His first impression, he says, was the grandeur of the scenery and the fact that Alaska was not a frozen land. He was totally unprepared for the year round mild costal climate and the summer heat of the interior.
September 4, 1964: Work was started this week on the new Wrangell Branch, National Bank of Alaska building to be erected on Front Street adjoining the Elks building across from City Hall. The new modern 40x50 foot structure, estimated to cost $100,000, is being erected by Wrangell Development Company with Ernie Lindjord in charge. It will be one story of oriental design with drive-in facilities. Frank Murkowski, manager of NBA’s Wrangell Branch, said it was expected the new bank would be ready for occupancy in 60 to 90 days.
August 31, 1989: What is believed to be the largest single shipment of lumber from an Alaskan port was loaded on the vessel White Rose at Wrangell’s 6 Mile mill on Aug. 25. The load of 12,027,535 board feet surpassed the Wrangell mill’s previous record for lumber loaded in a single shipment. That record of 11.9 million board feet was set two years ago. Mill spokesman Roy Martin said loading of the vessel to reach the record was made possible by Southeast Stevedoring crews and the dry weather. Dry weather has allowed lumber in the mill yard to dry and the dry wood is lighter than Wrangell’s normally wet product, he said. More dry wood can be loaded aboard a ship than wet lumber, he said. “It’s not always a case of room, sheer weight is also a problem” in loading a vessel, Martin said. The White Rose took 11 days to load, while the shipment of Sitka spruce and hemlock was produced by mill crews in about 57 days. The load was composed of both finished lumber and flitches, Martin said. The vessel is bound for Japan, where the lumber will be used primarily in the construction industry. High-grade wood also will be used in building musical instruments, Martin said. “We would like to recognize Wrangell Forest Products crews and Southeast Stevedoring for their fine effort in attaining this goal,” Martin said.
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