The Wrangell sentinel., 1955-07-15
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE
Wrangell Marches On

Wrangell Marches On
 It was another eventful week in Wrangell. Among the highights was word from Delegate E. l.. Bartlett that the President had signed his bill, H. R. 1853, author izing the sale of 45 acres of tide lands at Shoemaker Bay, six miles south of Wrangell, to the Pacific Northern Timber Company for con- struction of lumber and pulp plant running into s~veral million.
 PINT which has under 50-year contract with the Forest Service 339,000 acres of timber in this area expects to get construction under way around the first of the year. Cruising of the big timber block is being carried Il this sum- mer and some preliminary cleanup work is now being done at the site.
 Harbor Dredging
 Following last weeks announce ment that both houses of Congress had agreed on an appropriation item of $22O,0O0 for a starter on dredging WrangelPs upper harbor, w. Rucker, civilian engineer as sistant to Col. l.. H. Foote, Divis- ion Engineer of the North Pacific uIyIslon, Army Engineer Corps, wItn headquarters in Portland, was in town Wednesday inspecting the harDor preparatory to the actual work which will be undertaken during the fiscal year which began July 1.
 ,1ngIneer Rucker also was look ing over Petersburg and Metlakat- la harbors, which were given ap- propriations, with the view of de- termining the sort of equipment needed on the various projects. It will be a contract job and it prob ably won't get underway until af- ter the first of the year.
 On his first visit to the Territory after 34 years with Engineer Corps trout fisherman Fucker stood on the banks of Pats Creek and avOw- ed he had made one very serious mistake. Overlooked bringing his fly rod. But, as he put it, mo use standing here drOoling about it." Next trip there'll be a fly rod.
 $436,70O for Sewers
 From the national capital this week came the announcement that $436,700 had been allotted under Alaska Public Works for construc- tion of the Wrangell sewer project, on the APW agenda since 1852 when the town voted a bond issue of $250,000 toward its share of the cost.
 Harold Waller, of HubbeH and Waller, pioneer engineering firm employed by the city to do the en- gineering, was in town Tuesday conferring with the City Council on preliminary plans. He expected that details would be worked out so that APW bids could be called during the winter and construction gotten underway in the spring.
 Away on the Briny Deep
 Carrying the first complete cargo of lumber ever loaded in an Alaska port for foreign export, the good ship Kosho Maru of the Daido Line pulled out of the harbor Sunday evening with 3,500,OOO board feet of spruce and hemlock valued at more than million dollars en route to Tokyo. --
 Indicating that all was we'll and the kosho Maru was under full steam in the North Pacific, Capt. T. Tanimoto, ships master, radioed next morning:
 Thanks to you and your people. Hope for the prosperity of Wran- gell. Regards to all. Master"
 Meanwhile, Wrangell Lumber Company mill saws were whirring away again, starting Wednesday, grinding out another cargo for the kosho or another Daido Line ves- sel which will be making port pro- Dably in late September or October.
 Nortc' Clapp Drops In
 Aboard the Prince George in port yesterday was Norton Clapp, presi- dent of both the Pelican and Sitka cold storage companies, and long interested in Alaska activities. h. dustrialist Clapp, who makes Taco ma and Seattle his headquarters was. heading a party of 3S descend ants of the founders of Laird, Nor ton Co, lumber company founded in Winona, Minn., in 1855 who were marking the Tooth anniver- sary of the company of which MT Clapp is president. (See news story elsewhere today's paper.)
 Looking over Wrangelrs indus. trial sites, industrialist Clapp was optimistic for the community's flu. ture: impressed with the activity Viewing the harbor. now to be dredged, he recalled his first yfsfi to Alaska some 20 years ago aboard