The Way We Were

July 31, 1924

The most disastrous fire that Wrangell has seen in years occurred last Thursday night when the Alaska Sanitary Packing Co. cannery burned. The fire was discovered about 1:30 o’clock near a gasoline engine in the front end of the cannery. The fire department quickly responded to the alarm, but all efforts to check the flames in the main building proved futile. It was only by the most persistent efforts that the flames were kept from spreading to the office building, mess house and other buildings in the vicinity of the cannery. It seems almost miraculous that fire did not break out in some other part of town as burning embers fell as far away as the town hall.

July 31, 1949

Anan Creek, 10 minutes south of Wrangell, this week became the showplace of Southeast Alaska as one of the biggest pink salmon runs in years developed in that area. Scores of residents from Wrangell, Petersburg and Ketchikan journeyed to the stream by plane and boat to see more fish than most of them had seen in their lives. To prove how easy it was to catch fish under such conditions, Virgil Neyman, Wrangell mechant, leaned over a rock and grabbed one by hand. He calls it “bear fishing.” The fish, which began coming about July 20, were storming the stream. Experienced fishermen estimated as many as 700,000 or 800,000 fish in the creek, and there were probably as many or more out in the bay. Not since years ago when the old APA cannery in Wrangell used to put up its entire pack out of Anan had local fishermen seen anything like it.

Aug. 2, 1974

City Manager Herb McNabb received a letter from the state last week directing Wrangell to “cease open burning at the landfill site, compact the waste on a daily basis and apply a minimum of six inches of cover material at least once a week.” McNabb’s response to the state’s directive was a strongly worded letter in which he stated, “The time has come for bluntness,” and proceeded to point out explicit reasons the city could not possibly meet the state’s demands. According to McNabb, the city cannot compact on a daily basis because neither the equipment, manpower nor funds are available. The problem of what to do with the city dump has been a source of dissension between the city and the state. The city and state agree that the ultimate solution is incineration. It is estimated that an incinerator of a size capable of handling the trash and garbage from the Wrangell area would cost about $100,00 to purchase and install.

July 29, 1999

Residents of Reid Street will soon be able to put away their hiking shoes and hip boots, for according to local surveyor Greg Sheff, the mud, rocks and equipment will be gone before September and the street will finally display new pavement, gutters and curbs. However, two potential obstacles -- money, and a large spruce tree - - have emerged during the process, though Scheff assures the community that they can be resolved. The project, started May 11, was a long-awaited effort to rebuild the entire street, which had become a series of deep potholes and embankments. The section located immediately behind the high school had posed a serious problem for several years due to the narrowness of the road, the holes, and lack of parking for the students’ and residents’ cars. The street is now scheduled to be completed in time for opening of the fall semester.