The Way We Were

Nov. 17, 1921

According to the Alaska Directory published in the General Federation News, the official organ of the club women of the country, Mrs. I.C. Bjorge, of Wrangell, has been appointed chair of the Alaska Federation. Other chair are: Art and Music, Mrs. Frank LeNoir, Douglas; Civics, Mrs. Russel Herman, Chickaloon; Legislation, Mrs. Vara E. Kaser, Juneau; Library Extension, Mrs. F. Rader, Matanuska; Home Economics, Sanitation and Health, Mrs. G. Borgen, Seward: History (appointment to be made later).

Nov. 15, 1946

Stream surveys of typical salmon spawning areas in the entire Sumner Strait and North Clarence Straight districts were completed during the past month by Howared Baltzo, local Fish and Wildlife service agent, with the collaboration of Fred Gunderson of the Alaska Canned Salmon Industry. The results of the survey so far as pink salmon are concerned are not encouraging, Mr. Baltzo said. He explained that, as fishermen well know, there is no summer run of humpbacks left. Anan Creek, he said, had an escapement of 100,000 fish before the season opened July 10, but only stragglers got through after that. Mr. Baltzo said that is only a fraction of what that important stream needs to seed its spawning grounds. Snake Creek, at Olive Cove, had only one-tenth of the escapement of the cycle year of 1944, the survey showed.

Nov. 19, 1971

To implement the renovation now underway at Shakes Island Community House, boat owners are asked to remove their boats and equipment from the area immediately, the ANB Shakes Island Restoration Committee said. Richard Stokes, ANB president, reports that it is imperative that the area be cleared so that work being undertaken under a state grant can be pushed before bad weather settles in. Work will begin Monday, employing a limited number of men from the local ANB, Stokes said. Ned Johnson, of Johnson Construction, will be in charge of the renovation, with Tom Ukas as consultant.

Nov. 21, 1996

Not many compliments were paid to the Alaska Marine Highway System during a teleconference Monday on the summer 1997 schedule. With Petersburg, Sitka, Skagway and Wrangell on the line, remarks mostly centered on the usual complaints about service scheduled at bad hours, ferries skipping towns entirely, and the lack of time that participants had to look over the schedule before being asked to comment. Alaska Marine Highway official Paul Engleman called the teleconference to discuss adjustments to the summer 1997 schedule of the Columbia, Malaspina, Matanuska, Taku, LeConte and Aurora; the tentative 1998 summer schedule; and the new oceangoing vessel ($80 million, 380-feet-long, 750 passengers and 120 cars) scheduled to go into service in summer 1998.