The Way We Were

May 8, 1919

The regular monthly meeting of the town council was held on last Thursday evening in the town hall. All members of the council were present. E.F. Carlstrom of the health committee reported an urgent need for a general clean up. Dr. Shuriek, the health officer, addressed the council at some length on the same subject. He was insistent on a general cleanup, both as a precautionary measure against disease and as a means of improving the appearance of the town. The health officer also stated that there were several shacks that should be condemned and destroyed. After some discussion, a motion prevailed that Wrangell have a cleanup day and that Saturday, May 17 be set apart as a day for a general cleanup of all rubbish and garbage. The clerk was instructed to prepare and publish notices informing the public of the cleanup day and also giving notice that if any property owner failed to clean up his premises on or before May 17, the town would then have the premises cleaned up and collect for same from the owner.

May 5, 1944

The local OPA and Rationing Board this week is making appeal to car drivers in the community to conserve rubber, and are explaining their policy in issuing tire certificates for delivery trucks. Tire shortages are still acute, and consumers are asked to do their bit in helping to conserve rubber. Private trucks, which are used to deliver commodities to individual consumers, are not eligible for rationed tires. Now, with the fishing season approaching, it is felt that the fishermen will experience a real hardship if they are not able to have their groceries and supplies delivered to their boats when they come in from the fishing grounds. In order to help this war essential industry, the local Board will issue certificates when available to merchant trucks making wholesale deliveries.

May 8, 1969

The Vikings have landed! Reliable sources today reported that a group of grisly, bearded men in strange costumes landed at Wrangell Harbor. On their heads they wore helmets with animal horns as decorations. They carried strange looking war axes and kept chanting something about “Little Norway” and “Petersburg.” It is not known what their objective is, although it is believed that their place of origin is a land to the north of her known only as “Halibut Valley.” Witnesses have had a problem understanding the invaders and the only thing that can be reported is that they keep chanting over and over a strange saying that “ya shure, yew will like it at de Liddle Norvay Fesdeval over in Pedersborg dis veekend.” Ve shure vish ve knew vat de var meaning.

May 12, 1994

The 32-year old Frenchman wasn’t adhering to conventional wisdom when he flew to Seattle in late January, and then walked from there to Vancouver, B.C. Once there, Fisset purchased a sea kayak, learned the fundamentals of its operation and paddled off to the north on a journey up the inside passage. The French adventurer’s ultimate destination is Anchorage. Or, rather, that is where he intends to end his kayak trip. As of last week, Fisset had made it as far as Wrangell. He arrived here late on April 30 after paddling about 12 hours from Union Bay. After staying a few days with Dick and Yvonne Stough, he left the afternoon of May 4, bound for the LeConte Glacier and then on to Petersburg