The Way We Were

Jan. 26, 1922

The high school English I class had a first introduction to debating last Friday. The question was, “Resolved, that the Petersburg basketball team has a chance of winning over the Wrangell High School team next Saturday.” The issues were given but the proving of the issues was not attempted. It was useless. One of the debaters said the Petersburg team could not beat us because it was composed of bald-headed men.

Jan. 24, 1947

Walter Stuart, of Ketchikan, a well-known authority on public utilities, arrived in Wrangell on Wednesday to look at the possibilities of a hydroelectric plant for Wrangell. He was brought here by a group of local businessmen. Mr. Stuart said: “I believe it probable that a hydroelectric plant could be installed on Mill Creek for the city that would more than double the present capacity of the city’s (diesel) plant and pay for itself, at a yearly cost close to what is paid out now to operate the present diesel plant. All opinions given are preliminary ones, and a thorough study and design of plant and costs would be necessary before a final statement could be made.”

Jan. 28, 1972

The city council on Tuesday approved 5.5 percent pay raises for all 42 municipal and Wrangell General Hospital employees. The boosts were recommended by City Manager Kester Dotts, who said funding was included in the city’s fiscal 1972-1973 budget. The raises will be retroactive to Jan. 1. Councilmen approved them unanimously. In other actions, the council: 1) Approved unanimously a 6 percent increase in room rates at Wrangell General Hospital, from $50 to $53 a day (the rate increase was recommended by the hospital board); 2) Mayor Dotts said materials for two metal buildings, a city shop structure and an addition to the city power plant, have arrived by ferry but will not be erected until better weather allows construction of the foundations; and 3) The city manager said preliminary plans for a city public safety (police) building are being drafted and should be ready for the council in a month.

Jan. 30, 1997

With a dozen or more museum supporters in the audience Tuesday night, the city council agreed to commit $2 million as seed money for a new building contingent on Friends of the Museum obtaining additional funds from the Nolan Trust and other private foundations within two years. Friends of the Museum president Janell Privett and building committee head Brian Gilbert and the council believe they can get the rest of the money for a $4 million to $7 million building from various private foundations, if they have in hand a commitment from the city. Currently the museum and its $6 million collection are housed in the basement of the community center, and the idea for a new building has been on the drawing board since 1983.