The Way We Were

In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago.

November 13, 1913: The growing population of Wrangell has made it necessary to install 66 new boxes at the Post Office this week. The growing business that the local post office is doing has made the equipment too small, hence the installing of the new boxes which are right up to date. O.S. combination boxes of 2 sizes, 54 of one size and 12 a size larger.

November 11, 1938: Upon recommendation of Mayor Fisk prompted by many applications he has received for further relief work, the city council at its regular meeting on Thursday night of last week, voted to authorize City Clerk L.B. Chisholm to make a special trip to Juneau in that connection, together with other matters of considerable importance which cannot be accomplished satisfactorily by correspondence. The property committee chaired by Councilman Gunderson went into detail as to the advisability of repairs to the city truck recently damaged in collision. Two gravel trucks, both in the city employ during the recent WPA street work, collided at the foot of the hill near the former Union Oil station. One, a city owned truck driven by H.M. Scribner, had gathered speed to go up the hill with its load and the other, driven by John S. Severson and owned by I.C. Bjorge, was coasting down. Evidently misjudging the allowance for passage the city truck was badly damaged with its running gear sprung. The Bjorge truck suffered slight damage in comparison. The matter of repairing the city truck was finally referred by the council to the property committee with authorization to incur such expense as seemed in the best interests of the municipality.

November 8, 1963: More than 100 delegates were in attendance here this week at the 51st annual convention of the Alaska Native Brotherhood and the Alaska Native Sisterhood. Some 17 communities in Southeast Alaska were represented. The group was honored at various functions, including being guests of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday and a dinner given by the Wrangell Lumber Company Wednesday night. Grand President of the ANB, John Hope of Sitka said the convention would conclude tomorrow with election of officers tonight.

November 10, 1988: First Bank officials are preparing now to seek state approval to open a branch in Wrangell. Jim LeBoeuf, executive vice president in charge of First Bank branch administration, said he hoped to see a branch opened in Wrangell by the first of 1989. LeBoeuf said state approval for the branch first must be received from the state Department of Commerce and Economic Development. While waiting for that paperwork to be processed, bank officials also are seeking retail space in Wrangell for a branch office. Leboeuf said bank officials began studying the Wrangell market when they decided they should consider expanding into the community to maintain their status as a Southeast wide banking institution. They then ordered a study of the sum of deposits in Wrangell and discovered the total surpassed $28.6 million. Of that total, $22 million is a National Bank of Alaska and $6 million at Alaska Federal Savings and Loan. Bank officials then came to Wrangell and met with political, municipal and business leaders, he said. They found residents very receptive to the idea of a First Bank branch in town.

 

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