Alaska sentinel., 1907-07-04
WATER!
 WATER!
 WATER! !
Indications Favorable for Good Supply
 at WranSen

l No fact is moro patent to thinking person or one that has studied the trend of public affairs in this day of progress, than that one of the first things to be considered in the laying out and estab- fishing of a town ie, "What is the chance for bounteous supply of good, whole. some water?" The very life of town or city, depend upon it, not alone for the assurance of good health and clean Illness, but ss protection against fire to ell who desire to build homes or enter the business circles of the place. The SENTINEL takes it for granted that all Il people concede this, hence 1t is useless to mention the why's and wherefores that should impel the citizens of any town toward united effort in securing this boon, the most necessary of all oth. CTS. l Wrangell, one of the oldest towns in the northwest, has never been fortunate enough to secure a system of waterworks. It was not because the water was not to
 be had, but it was because through plac- ing barrels and other receptacles under the caves of buildings, Nature supplied, free of expense or effort, sufficient wa ter-such as it was-for culinary and
 washing purposes. Fires. there were none until that memorable night of
 March 24th, 1908, when the main busi- ness portion was wiped out, which, it is safe to say, would not have occurred had there been good water system, with which to have combatted the flames. This set those having large property in- terests in the placeto thinking seriously of this most important of questions ef
 fecting the welfare of the town-the pret- tiest of all places in Alaska.
 I At the May meeting of the Wrangell Chamber of Commerce a committee con- sisting of the solid business men of the town was appointed to took into the matter of securing a system that shall assure an abundantisupply of water for all purposes. This committee have not been idle by any. means, but have met several times to talk oyer the matter, and last Friday took trip up into the mountains east Of town to look out a head-and they found it. A little over mile from town is the head of Whitney Creek; also Graveyard Crock, and an. other emall stream. There are two branches of Whitney Greek, one branch trending northeast. the other northwest; the other streams run to the southwest, and into the latter all of the streams can Do easily turned, at small expense, which would give an inexhaustable sup. ply of pure mountain water. They fur ther found that the formation of the mountains and canyons is such that large reservoir can be easily constructed by building substantial dam that could be done with material close at hand The only obstruction to laying a pipe. l line between town and the site contem- plated for reservoir is the small ridge or "hog- back" that Is seen from town. This, however, it is said, can be over- come by tunneling about 100 feet, at an expense of perhaps slo per foot.
 So, all things considered, the seven gentlemen who went out to look into this matter, returned highly encouraged and with the belief that it is not going to be such gigantic undertaking as it has been thought all along to secure for Wrangell a system of water works that shall insure for all time to come an abundant supply of pure mountain water.
 All honor, thanks and credit Is due those who have looked thus far into this | all-important matter that means 50