The Way We Were

Aug. 7, 1924

Frederick H. Meisnest, vice president and treasurer of the Alaska Shellfish Co., is in Wrangell for a week’s visit. This company was recently established in Wrangell by James. M. Bell for the purpose of canning crabs. Bell has experienced many annoying delays in getting the cannery started, but everything is going fine now and the prospects are bright that the work will be successfully continued through the season. The company is using the trawling system in its crab fishing, which is used by the Japanese and the British deep-sea fishermen. This system enables them to fish much more profitably, they believe, than is possible with the system generally in vogue in Puget Sound and Alaska waters.

Aug. 5, 1949

The city council, presided over by acting Mayor Peter McCormack, held its regular meeting at City Hall last night and voted to allow the fire department $500 to purchase new hose and other equipment. Fire Chief Wm. D. Grant appeared before the council with the request. Light Superintendent Ralph Devenney reported that the shingle mill was going to install a flywheel on its electric motor, which is expected to reduce the fluctuation in the draw on city power. The majority of the meeting was taken up with a discussion of the sewer project expected to be completed this fall from Grant’s Grocery to the end of the paved street. Pipe for the job is now on the dock here. F. Zepp, city maintenance man, reported that the sewer on Reid Street has been completed.

Aug. 2, 1974

A resolution requesting the state Department of Highways to take such action as is required to place Zimovia Highway in a safe operating condition was passed by the city council last week. The council also approved letters to be sent to the state commissioner of highways, state Rep. Ernie Haugen, of Petersburg, and state Sen. Pete Meland, of Sitka. The resolution cited the section of Zimovia Highway from approximately 6 Mile to the end of Pats Creek, describing it is narrow, with soft or non-existent shoulders and the location of numerous vehicle accidents.

Aug. 5, 1999

Wrangell Search and Rescue and the Volunteer Fire Department are undertaking a major fundraising effort to provide rescue equipment and training for an eight-member SAR team. The goal is to raise $55,000 to help meet needs now and in the future. SAR decided earlier this year to raise the level of training and readiness. Steve Prysunka is heading up the new team and is working with the group to hone skills to handle back-country emergencies. Presently, turn-out gear for one member of SAR costs $1,700. No new equipment or specialized training has been purchased in the past seven years. “Wrangell Search and Rescue is responsible for a massive area comprised of ocean, rivers, mountains, glaciers and heavily forested terrain. For a small department, we have enormous responsibilities,” Prysunka said. “We are faced with purchasing new equipment just to keep up with technological advances in search and rescue. It is our hope that we will continue to respond to every call for help, whether it is an accident up the river or a lost child from one of the campsites out the road. The key to any Search and Rescue operation is training and appropriate equipment.”