The Way We Were

February 11, 1915: For the purpose of boosting the proposed new hall for the Moose Lodge the ladies of that organization will give a unique affair on Saturday evening in the Redmen’s Hall. We were told that it would be a “necktie party.” In the state of Alabama where we were raised a necktie party meant a hanging. Knowing that the Moose ladies are not going to string us up (even if we do deserve it) we asked for an explanation, and two charming little ladies told us all about it. As nearly as we can remember it is like this: Ladies are requested to bring a lunch box for two, and attach a necktie to the outside of box. The tie is to be made of the same material as an apron worn by the lady. The boxes will be sold at $2 each. After purchasing a box a man will learn the identity of his partner for supper by finding the lady whose apron matches his necktie. In connection with the necktie party there will be a dance following the performance at the photoshow. A good time is assured to all who come.

February 2, 1940: Whether the trapping season will be completely closed in Southeast Alaska next season probably will be decided next weekend when the Alaska Game Commission holds its annual meeting in the fur rendezvous city of Anchorage. The Commission has been gathering reports from trappers and those conversant with fur in the Southeast district for months and these will be analyzed and acted upon at the annual session. Other problems of game management and conservation for the Territory will be taken up at the session, according to Executive Officer Frank Dufrense. Of particular interest to Wrangell and the surrounding district will be action of the Commission on a game reserve along Wrangell highway. It is anticipated that the action will be toward protection for game animals within certain boundaries without restriction as to the actual carrying of firearms on the reserve. Tentative plan, game officials have indicated, is to release Mongolian Pheasants in the reserved area along the highway in the spring after the boundaries have been set.

February 5, 1965: An option to purchase block 24 and 25, as contained in the original Townsite of the City of Wrangell, bare land, for the purchase price of $1 was granted to the Alaska State Housing Authority at a special meeting of the Wrangell City Council Thursday morning. The option was granted to ASHA to provide land for the construction of three 8-unit buildings containing 2 and 3 bedroom apartments for 221(D)(3) medium income housing. Charles Bloomfield, agent for ASHA, was here to discuss the project with council members. The buildings, 32’x124’, would be 2 story structures, similar to the Tides Inn in Petersburg. They would be located between the Wrangell Highway and the old rifle range and would be completely financed by ASHA.

February 8, 1990: Gasoline spilled from a White Pass Alaska tank farm at the Wrangell sawmill Monday, but company officials said only one to five gallons escaped from a containment dike. Jerry Davis of White Pass said 100 gallons of fuel spilled into the cement containment dike that surrounds the 20,000-gallon tanks located on the mill property. Only one to five gallons of gas actually escaped from the containment dike, he said. Varying estimates about how much gas might have escaped prompted Department of Environmental Conservation officials to schedule a trip to town Wednesday to study the situation, said Bill Fagan of the agency’s Ketchikan office. Wrangell volunteer firefighters responded to the spill at 5:45 p.m. Monday. Fire Chief Tim Buness said he ordered crews to spray foam over the spilled fuel. The foam made by the 3-M company is called “Light Water” because it floats on top of petroleum products and is designed to “lessen the explosive atmosphere,” Buness said. Crews working to load a ship with lumber were sent home at 6 p.m. because of the spill. They had been scheduled to work until 9 p.m. Buness said Alaska Department of Labor officials authorized mill crews to return to work Tuesday. Davis said the mill was pumping fuel from one of the tanks at the time of the mishap. A valve that had frozen partly open allowed fuel to flow back into an already filled tank, resulting in fuel “burping” out into the containment dike, he said. While officials initially believed more fuel had escaped from the dike, they later said mostly water had flowed out a drain pipe as the spill occurred.

 

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