The Wrangell sentinel., 1949-12-30
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE

Alaska communities do believe in Santa Claus, and they are will ing to give the cid boy hand, if. the number of requests for public projects under the new public works program is a criterion.
 Project applications for whicl plans are completed already total more than the million in cash and four million in contract authority authorized for the fiscal year end ing in June. Processing of some of the applications is now under way and some of the lesser projects may get started this winter.
 Community Facilities Service men from the General Services Admin istration, which has charge of the program in the territory, discovered on a swing through the territory that the actual need for construc- ton Is going to run into important money. Rough estimate Is that II will be necessary to ask congress for around forty million to handle the 1851 fiscal year demands if the program Is to move along at a steady pace Original act provides for seventy million over a five-year period, ending June, 1855.
 Schools and health problems probably will be among those get ting top priority at the start. There is a crying need in many commu- mites for school facilities and vir- tually every town needs sewer and water Improvements. Some of the sewer systems are worse than prim- itiYe.
 A new territorial building for which the last legislature appro- priated $660,000 may ultimately get in under the act, possibly in the 1851 fiscal year processing if the territory can dig up s660,OO0 mot otherwise appropriated" as the dear old act specifics. and plans work out for a site. Juneau at the moment is preparing to give the territory a site next to its City Hall building if the voters agree. The capital town is planning a special election shortly to see if Juneauites are willing for the City Council to do little giving away. The Territorial Board of Adminis- fration has agreed to accept the site if presented free and unen- cumbered." Under the public works act, the territory would come up with a $1.3z04O00 building for it's s660, 1000.
 Meanwhile, the territory's finan- c1a1 picture was shaping up fairly good with prospects for being out of the woods by March. Some $400,- 600 had come into the general fund in thet last few days, mostly in trap tax license fees, and with other taxes dues at the first of the year, 8 spirit of optimism permeated the treasurer's office and there was a hopeful gleam in the collective eye of the board of administration. A special session of the legislature was a fading possibility, but not an entirely dead issue. After all, the property tax law had landed in court and the circuit court hadn't yet ruled on the income tax decision appeal
 Gov. Ernest Gruening, back from a trip to the Orient and Hawaii, reports that Hawaii is ripe for statehood. He spent a week in the islands with the house territories committee and is hopeful for both Alaska and Hawaii to crack the statehood gate. The plea for both will be high on, the agenda wh n Congress meets after the first ci the year. From President Truman on down the line there are some strong forces for statehood for the two territories. Among top flight figures of the world who has agreed to serve with Alaska's state hood committee is Gen. Douglas MacArthur. supreme commander I the Pacific.
 From the working end of a shoy ei digging out the driveway.