The Wrangell sentinel., 1956-05-18
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE
Man Has Problems

funds on public projects in the best interests of the Territory, the peo- pie and the communities in an area as big as Alaska with it's div ersity of needs is quite a problem in itself. When it's battened down to certain projects for which funds have been allotted, and then esti- mates become a little awry the pro- blem begins to become intricate indeed.
 In a letter to the Wrangell City Council this week, the man who handles Alaska's pork barreF' funds cited one of his immediate problems as it affects this area of Southeast Alaska Engineer Reed explained that he had set up $75,- 900 for the breakwater project in Wrangell, a similar one in Peters, burg and a planned project for Douglas. The latter isn't expected to get underway until next year so may not be too much involved ill this immediate problem in higher calculus. So, with Irving McK's
  and build couple of breakwaters in Wrangell and Petersburg.
 Wrangell's, now virtually com pleted, is an example of the little trick of making two dollars grow where one grew before. Engineer Reed estimated Wrangell's break water would cost between s24,2O4 and $50, 200, depending on the use of timbers and Tor planking. These estimates were made by Engineer Felix Toner of Juneau, acting as project engineer for the highway engineers office. With some match ing funds from Alaska Public Works, Reed had set a maximum figure of s35,710 to be used on the 1 project. a3l
 At this writing, costs on the To- cal project are s17,735.SO over the $35,71O maximum. The estimated final cost has been set at $57, 445.S0.
 One of the reasons, other than estimates being too low in the first place, for the mounting costs was the necessity of placing mud or tagging log braces on the break water to assure it would hold the 1 fill material now being pumped in to the area. The Army Engineers would not permit the fill behind the breakwater until the structure i itself was strong enough to guaran- tee there would be no breaks which might result in the material again going out into navigable waters Nor would the dredging contractor furnish the material to pump into an unsure area when his original contract called for something en- tirely different
 Mud braces became must, and are proving so successful that similar construction is ordered for the Petersburg project for similar reasons.
 Just what the Petersburg project is estimated to cost we are not ad- vised but originally it, too, was a $25,0O0 item. Allowing that for a ! maximum figure plus Wrangells ] estimated $57,00O and Engineer Reeds s75,OOO looks pretty badly | dented.
 The Highway Engineer sure enough is man with problems. | But being a man of parts, we feel confident that with the full coop eration of Wrangell and Petersburg Irving Nick will solve them to the mutual satisfaction of both com munities.
 How They Line Up
 Now that they've counted the ab- sentees, and candidates are happy or unhappy as the case may be, here's a rundown on who you'll be voting for in the fall in the First Division.
 It is Delegate Bartlett, the Dem- oeratic standard bearer, against By ron Nevada Kid" Gillian, Repub- lican of Fairbanks. for delegate to Congress. Irving Mex Reed, incum- bent Republican highway engineer. against Frank Metcalf, former highway engineer, for that office, and incumbent Democrat J. Gerald Williams versus William Sanders, Republican Of Anchorage, for at torney general
 For the Senate Senator Doris Barnes and former Senator Elton Engstrom, Republicans, and former Senators Frank Peratrovich and Henry Roden, Democrats; two to be elected This will be a dilly.
 For the House with six to be el- ected Democratic nominees, Burke Riley, Dora Sweeney, Vern Metcalfe, Douglas Gray, all of Jun eau; Andrew Hope of Sitka and Robert H. Ziegler of Ketchikan; Republicans, Frank Johnson of Rake, William Boardman and Rob- erta Rich of Ketchikan, Joe Me Lean and Skip MacNnnon of Jun eau and Fred Van Horn of Sitka.