The Way We Were

Jan. 8, 1925

At the regular meeting of the Civic Club last Saturday afternoon, members discussed their concerns about the curve in the road leading to the Standard Oil Station, near the Worden home. A committee was appointed at the November meeting to ascertain if steps could be taken to safeguard auto traffic on the road. Several narrow escapes from serious accidents have been reported and it was felt that something should be done in order to avert real trouble. The road lies close to the cliff on one side and there is an abrupt drop to the beach below on the other side, in addition to the curve. The committee reported at the January meeting having interviewed members of the city council. The council members promised to see what could be done at the next meeting.

Jan. 6, 1950

Army Chase found plenty of trouble – his own and somebody else’s – when he left for the south end of the island on Dec. 28 to trap mink. Soon after leaving Wrangell, he ran across Joe Bigelow, whose boat was swamped and motor frozen. Bigelow’s boat had filled and most of his stores were overboard. He had lost his slicker coat. His gun was underwater and things were generally in a bad way. Chase gave him a tow to the island and saw that he got to his camp. Chase found his own traps frozen after catching two mink so, after looking the situation over, he decided to come back to Wrangell. “I was practically sitting on my stove,” he said, “and the ice on the skylight never did melt.”

Jan. 8, 1975

Three Wrangell men were arrested early on New Year’s Day as they stood outside The Brig Bar on Front Street, naked. The trio told State Trooper Tom Schwantes they were fresh from streaking through the bar and were just leaving. Schwantes booked the trio on charges of indent exposure and exhibition. The men appeared before District Court Judge Harris Bullerwell on Thursday. Each man was fined $350 with $150 suspended on condition they violate no laws for three months. Schwantes said he just happened to be driving by when the trio emerged from the bar into mid-30s temperatures and rain.

Jan. 6, 2000

Christmas with all the trimmings invariably results in thoughts of garbage, doesn’t it? In any case, progress on the refuse front is being made as the new solid waste facility at the city landfill nears completion. Public Works Director Bob Caldwell said an early cold spell slowed work on the roof, but it’s completed and concrete slabs for the floor are done so that the building is nearly closed to the weather. The city is presently looking at purchasing equipment for loading the garbage once it is dumped inside the building. The facility is expected to be functioning in March. Once the building is in operation, the garbage truck will dump its contents onto a 60-foot-by-80-foot floor, where it will then be loaded into a trailer set on a loading bay. The loaded trailers will be sent by barge south for final disposal.