The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1940-01-05
THE TREND OF EMPIRE

CELL has real occasion to point with
pride,
The census figures published IN
The Sentinel last week reveal that
Wrangell has shown a steady and
substantial growth over the last ten
years. It has advanced from a COM
munity of 946 in 1880 to LAP in
1910, an increase of slightly more
than twenty per cent during the
decade, just ended Twenty per cent
growth in any community is a re
markedly fast stride forward. Even
Juneau which has admittedly been
going forward in population the last
few years failed 10 make such an
impressive report. 1t topped $500
but failed to make the anticipated
$500 it had hoped for.
Petersburg, however, should not
become too much alarmed. It went
ahead to the tune of SO additional
residents, the census shows, keeping
1t in the 1900 class The final cen
sus reports undoubtedly will show
some villages which have not in
creased at all, so Petersburg has lit
tie to worry about as It strives dur
ing the coming decade to pattern the
excellent example of population
growth shown by Wrangell
4 i 4 y
But aside from these pointed but
utterly friendly darts we have &C.
- nF
Island only about once every ten
years, the census figures, regard
less of the fact that they don't suit
everybody which they rarely do, de-
finitely reveal a marked increase in
the population of Southeast Alaska.
Every community is moving ahead.
None of them is stagnant. The slow
persistent development of Alaska is
being achieved.
There is no evidence of boom
towns such as the gold rush days
10000 today and 10 tomorrow. The
twentieth century growth of the
Territory is steady but permanent.
Another ten years will see further
development and population in
crease. New industries gradually are
coming to the north. There is little
doubt that this decade will see a
definite start toward the develop
ment of the paper and pulp industry
particularly in Southeast Alaska. We
have the timber, estimated by our
forest estimators in the billions of
board feet. Wood working plants
such as have virtually made the
city of Tacoma, Wash, in the last
twenty years are bound to follow
the trail to the timber. They are to-
day cutting back further and fur
Their in the States and in Canada,
the latter from which comes the
bulk of timber for paper. True, re-
forestation is being pushed in these
regions but even then it takes time
to grow a tree and in the meantime
there are millions of board feet of
pulp timber going to waste in South
east Alaska. When the present cut
in Canada and the States is gone,
the industry will have to look else
where for supply. Alaska is the
natural place.
"a 4 +
And the development in the use
of timber is but one item. Explor-
alton and development of the miner
al resources is going ahead rapidly,
probably more pronounced in the
Westward and Interior than in the
Southeast, but definitely advancing
on all fronts.
Here in the Southeast another
very important step is being taken
toward developing new industry.
Perhaps, you have noted the prog
ress that is being made toward
bringing more and more cold storage
facilities into Alaska. The little
town of Lisianski in the north end
of this Division is being built around
a cold storage plant. Other estab-
lished towns such as Wrangell, Pc
tersburg, Juneau and Ketchikan are
feeling the pressure for additional
space as new life comes into the
fishing industry. We are informed
that there is a very definite grow
ing demand for frozen fish in the
States.
What is known as "quick-freeze",
fresh frozen fish in small cartons
ready for the retail trade, an in
dustry which has been confined
mostly to the east coast, has possi-
Utilities in Alaska for the paramount
reason that Alaska has the fish, and
ior this industry, the better grade.
1t is but one item of the possibilities
in the fishing industry which today