The Wrangell sentinel., 1937-03-19
ACTION!

ACTION
 The securing of an appropriation of six thousand dollars from the Al aska Legislature last week for use lu .reaging a small boat harbor in Wrangell is an example of what caH be accomplished through the coneen- trated effort and cooperation Of group of citizens who are interested in obtaining improvements for the town.
 The need of better facilities for the smaller trolling boats has been felt for a number of years. This past winter when so many boats left to winter" in Ketchikan and other ports, it became evident that unless something was done-and done QuickIy-We would lose all the small boats during the winter months.
 Ketchikan acted upon this same problem several years ago and now over five hundred boats winter in the First City. The city has pro- Vided a modern float, close to the business district, and equipped it with running water and electricity. For a small charge, a boat may tie up in one of the stalls, have the use of the electricity for light and heat and the added accommodation of running water. The float is in q pro- tected place and near the business section. Naturally, many boats that normally call Wrangell their home port" have gone to ketchikan for the winter.
 After numerous kicks" about the inadequate facilities provided for small boats here, number of bus mess men became interested ii making a safe anchorage behind Shakes Island, enabling boat owners to tie up there and literally forget all about their boats for the winter if they wish-knowing they would be safe.
 These men had a survey made Of the area to be dredged, secured ap- proximate prices for the removal Of the dirt and began talking up tne proposition. The biggest hitch m the whole program was the everlasting problem of how to obtain the money to accomplish this work.
 When the Chamber of Commerce was reorganiZed in February of this year, this subject was brought up at the first meeting and discussed at great length. Everyone present believed the idea a good one but many hesitated to endorse it because of the funds needed to do the work. It was evident that the city could not undertake the financing of the project, and to put through d fed eral appropriation would take years. No money was in sight but immed- fate action was necessary. Sor1e of the men thought that there must De some way 10 get hold of the money and kept working on the project.
 When F. G. HanfOrd was called to Juneau as a witness in the Paul case, he talked the matter over with two of the Senators. A bill was in troduced in the Senate and passed. It was taken to the House and push 1 ed through. All this however, was not accomplished without a grea. deal of pushing, wiring, arguing, and what not-with the result that Wrangell now has $6000 to use in dredging an inner harbor.
 We have seen that we can accom- plish the unbelievable" if we CO., operate, work hard and keep push ing until we get our idea across.
 Part of Wrangell harbor was dredged last year. Did Congess simp-I ly give us this as a gift? No, in-I deed! Let some of the men tell youI how they worked for ten or twelveI years on this project-often discour aged but still working.
 Finally in 1886 the harbor was dredged.
 Wrangell Institute was built ad- jacent to Wrangell. Did this just happen? No, indeedl Here again much work and effort were expend- ed over period of seveal years toI obtain this Government School. Fin