The Way We Were

March 2, 1922

The representative of the Alaska Native Brotherhood, W.L. Paul, favors a bill prohibiting fish traps in any bay or channel less than three miles wide, one mile from creeks and one mile from the entrance to bays. Mr. Paul said the enactment of such a law would remove all the traps around Etolin Island, most of the traps on Prince of Wales Island, and some of the traps around Ketchikan, but would not affect the traps in the larger channels. However, Mr. Paul adds that owing to the wording of the law (should such a law be enacted), “we will have the right to proceed against the big traps that tend to exterminate salmon.”

March 4, 1947

The chamber of commerce discussed additional school facilities for Wrangell. Superintendent George Fabricius pointed out the critical situation which exists at present. He said that in 1931, when the school was built, it had a daily average attendance of 124 pupils. It gradually increased until 1940, when the average was 184. During the war, when many people left Wrangell, the enrollment decreased but now has stepped up to a daily attendance of 230 pupils, with prospects of a still higher number to come. Fabricius pointed out classes that are now doubled up under one teacher, such as the fifth and sixth grades, and others are so large that each should have its own teacher in order that the children get the greatest benefit from their schooling. However, lack of space prevents such separation.

March 3, 1972

Wrangell went on strict water rationing this week as the town’s two frozen-over and rain-starved reservoirs threatened to go dry. The city council met in emergency session Tuesday and ordered water shut off except for the hours of 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. and 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. each day. Meanwhile, the U.S. Weather Bureau office at Annette Island reported little chance of rain soon for Southeast Alaska, as a high-pressure area holding out the moisture remained stationary over Interior Alaska. Mayor Don House said there is no plan at present to pump salt water into the city water system, as was done in a two-month freeze in 1969.

March 6, 1997

Wrangell, so far, is doing well on its capital projects requests to the state, having landed two major projects and several minor ones in the governor’s recommended capital improvements budget. The trick now, says Mayor Doug Roberts, is to keep them on the list as it makes its way through the Legislature. More and more Alaska communities are competing for a share of the state’s dwindling capital improvements budget. In the budget is $1.6 million for Phase II of the water filtration system, $1.29 million for Phases III and IV of the Zimovia Highway sewer and water extension, $20,000 for a sidewalk or trail to Petroglyph Beach, $75,000 through the Department of Natural Resources to help develop value-added timber products, $65,000 to help fund Reid Street road and utility improvements and $185,000 for various improvements to harbors and docks.