The Wrangell sentinel., 1954-05-07
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE
*@e
Along Wrangell's Industrial Row


 Current report is to the effect that the Alaska Pulp Company, Ltd, Japanese firm incorporated in Alaska, is negotiating for the pur- chase of the Wrangell Mills, Inc, local sawmill which has been idle for several years, and is owned by the c. T. Takahashi Company of Seattle.
 A report from Seattle said the negotiations were encouraging" but that no definite stotement could be made at this time.
 Two missions have been sent to Alaska by the Japanese, both of which visited here. looking into the lumber possibilities n the Terri tory. While here members or the mission indicated a stro.s interest in the local mill and said they were groltly impressed with Sitka as the possible site of a pulp plant.
 Under the program as outlined to the State Department and made public by that government agency, the Japanese proposed to build or buy a sawmill plant in Alaska and later develop a pulp mill, such one as is now being considered for sitka.
 Alaska Pulp Company, Ltd, which is incorporated in Alaska for a cap ital of $4,670,0OO, is said to repre- sent large number of pulp, fibre and lumber companies in Japan.
 Pacific Northern
 Meanwhile, interest continues to center in the sale of 335, 900 acres of timber in the immediate Wran- gell area which will be put up for auction by the Forest Service June ill Juneau. pany which has acquired the for mer Alaska Packers site at the north end of town and has option ed some 90 lots in Wrangell for a housing project, is reported to be the only qualified bidder for the vast tract of hemlock, spruce and cedar. i If Pacific Northern's bid is sue cessful, it has plans for establish ing a lumber plant on the old packers site to be operating by 1857 and a pulp mill of at least S0-ton capacity in the area by 1862. It is anticipated that if the company acquires the timber, addi- tional preliminary work will be undertaken this year.
 Wrangell Plywood
 Wrangell Plywood and Lumber Corporation, more recently incor- porated in the Territory, has made, application to the Army engineers for a permit to build a plywood plant on the Wrangell waterfront site which was burned out in March of 1852, it is revealed by Mark Bernhard, manager of the cor poration. Plans are for a plant ex- tending some 400 to 500 feet par allel with the reef, Bernhard said. The corporation had previously leased the Campbell shipyard where it proposes to establish sawmill or stud mill for saving the core of logs which cant be hand led in a plywood plant. Last week it announced the leasing of the Metlakatla sawmill which it expect ed to have operating in the inn mediate future.
 Harvest Wrangell
 Announcement was made this week that reorganization has taken place in the Farwest Wrangeli Company, Wrangells major salmon cannery (see news story elsewhere in today's paper)
 A. R. Brueger, pioneer cannery operator in this area ARB, Bur nett Inlet, Saginaw Bay and Far west - has stepped aside as Pres ident and General Manager of Far west in active charge due to his health. He recently suffered slight stroke but is reported to have rallied nicely and is getting about much as usual. He retains his financial interest in the com pany.
 Sam Rubenstein of Seattle has become President of the company neplacing Brueger and Harold Hea- ton, former Libby superintendent, has been named Vice President in charge of operations. Rubenstein and Heaton were due to arrive in Wrangell today in connection with this seasons operations.
 With Rudy" Brueger joining the inactive role Alaska loses from the immediate scene one of its most .colorful and successful independent operators in its long salmon can nery history Certainly, Wrangell will miss from it's local picture one of its greatest boosters, it's staunch-