The Wrangell sentinel., 1938-03-11
LETTERS

Editor of the Wrangel1 Sentinel.
 Wrangell. Alaska.
 Dear Editor
 have read your column in last weeks Sentinel, where the business men and seiners met with local can nery operators. l would like to take this opportunity in expressing my point of view.
 was not invited by MT. HanfordI to this meeting, although in his op-I ening statement he made mention off the fact he had asked all heads of various fishermen's unions to at tend. In overlooking me he overlook ed a representation close to threel hundred of Wrangells fishermen,l namely, the Alaska Trollers Associa- ton who are also interested in put ting some of their fish in a can.
 However, belng present, I presume MT. Hanford again overlooked me, as he did not call upon me to ex- press my viewpoint on the various subjects taken up that night, all though due courtesy was given to other labCurites. l notice in your column no mention was made of MT. Hanford's opening speech, also no mention of MT. Leonard Campbell's talk on shall we say My Business & Yours". 1 presume through lack of space in your paper and the pri- mary issue being fish, put these gen. tlemen in a secondary position. In MT. Hanford's opening speech he termed WrangeIl as a "Beauteous city endowed with a beautiful peo- ple," or words to that effect.
 I certainly agree with the gentle man on the first score. Wrangell is a beauteous city in fact may l add the most beautiful. Regards to the people l say to Mir. Hanford as far as people go these days Wrangell is also gifted in that respect but l hesitate to agree to the beautiful part One of my reasons for objec- ton is: the Mayor will have us all of a flutter, and bearing in mind the city council is near it's end of term, golden wings may be ordered for some of the beautiful and be left for the new council to pay for. AS a taxpayer l would strongly object.
 MT. Theile of the Diamond K Packing Co.,, in summing up his speech emphasized the fact that great thought should be given to both the cannery and local situation and that each and every one of us cha find some solution which would get both his cannery and the Town of Wrangell out of the present situ- ation. Not being canneryman my self, 1 cannot imagine myself in his position, but being a resident of Alaska and taxpayer of the City that position I am in.
 Now a certain amount of criticism well placed does no harm. In fact it helps to stimulate condition. bear in mind an article put in the Sentinel last year regards to the fine harbor and boat facilities Ketchikan enjoys. The benefit the business men of that town derive through it and the subsequent loss it means for the Town of Wrangell due to so many of our fishing boats seeking a safe harbor for the winter. Since then, I note our City Dads took it upon themselves to do some thing in that matter, and small amount of money was granted by the Territory to excavate a basin, which is now in progress and we hope to see its completion in the near future.
 Criticism was placed in the right direction in that case and it's fruits are beginning to ripen. It is my contention that Wrangell in it's present condition today has it's own self to blame. Geographically speak ing this town is situated in the cen ter of the fishing banks. It has at it's back door a river, whose fishing has no rival, a gateway to a country whose mineral values and resources have hardly been touched. A river, given to any other town in South eastern Alaska would be envious of, and for years Wrangell has allowed her fish to be stolen from her due to no cold storage space. Yes, we have a two by four construction here with limited capacity. if you call that Cold Storage, and were it not fer the new management it hired two years ago, doubt if it would be operating today.
 Having given thought, as we were asked to give at this meeting, asked myself, "Why should a town eplaced in a position such as this. As it looks to me Wrangell is at the mercy of three small canneries and we were given to understand, they were very undecided whether they would operate this season or not due fo markafiurs condition