The Way We Were

April 17, 1924

To meet the expense of sending contestants to the meet which will be held in Juneau next week instead of Ketchikan as first planned, the Wrangell PTA staged two benefits during the past week. The first was a food sale and tea held last Saturday afternoon in the Patenaude Building. All of the donated items found a ready sale and the event was well patronized. Cash donations were also received from many of the townspeople and the use of the building was given rent free so that the sum of $7.60 was realized. The second benefit was the declamatory contest Tuesday night at the Redmen Hall. While all the returns are not in, about $35 will be cleared from this event. The community orchestra turned in to the PTA treasury something over $20 as their donation from the proceeds of the musicale given Saturday night, thus swelling the amount on hand to more satisfactory proportions.

April 15, 1949

The U.S. Civil Aeronautics Administration today listed 32 locations in Alaska where it said airports should be constructed or improved on a basis of existing and anticipated demands for air service. The listings were contained in the 1949 National Airport Program and the CAA annual report. The plan does not represent the allocation of funds. Included were the Kodiak airport and the Wrangell seaplane base.

April 17, 1974

Wrangell’s 22nd annual king salmon derby begins April 19, with $1,000 for first place and $500 for second. Fishing for prize-winners extends through July 14, with weekly merchandise prizes given beginning April 29, according to co-chairman Art Nelson. Once again, the $10 derby tickets will entitle entrants to participate in the regular derby and special derby days during the Memorial Day holiday period. Special derby days will be May 18-19 and May 25-27. The official weighing station will be at the Totem Bar. Derby rules and boundary descriptions will be handed out with tickets, according to Nelson.

April 15, 1999

Tidelands and debris were the topics of much of the discussion during Tuesday night’s city council meeting. One of the city’s concerns for the past year has been disposing of the demolition debris from the former Wrangell Institute. After looking into available and possible sites, it was recommended that the area just south of the fenced area where the old Institute landfill is located would be the most desirable site. Regulations concerning asbestos disposal indicate that more than one disposal site is needed to meet the volume limits to use a general permit for disposal of demolition debris (the general permit is limited to volumes of 1,000 cubic yards or less). According to City Project Manager Mark Storm, the old landfill location could accommodate multiple sites. After lengthy discussion, the council voted unanimously for the selection of the proposed site.