Digital Bob Archive

MARCH 1918 - PART 2:

The steam tug Alice, the largest vessel owned on Gastineau Channel and the last steamer, was sold by the George E. James Lumber Company of Douglas to the Peril Strait Packing Company cannery at Todd. The Alice, long used for log towing and general work in the Juneau area, had just returned from Suloia Bay on Peril Strait where the James Box Company had its plant.

A huge iceberg, the largest seen on the Channel in years, finally grounded near Mayflower Island after threatening to wreck the Treadwell dock.

Weatherman M.B. Summers reported that 201.3 inches of snow had fallen on Juneau up to the end of February and said that he believed this was a record. Several roofs were reported to have been crushed by the weight of the snow on both sides of the Channel.

Five steamship lines were providing transportation to and from Juneau. The Canadian Pacific Company had the Princess Sophia, with the Princess Royal taking her place toward the end of the month. The Prince John of the Grand Trunk Pacific line had its southern terminus at Prince Rupert where there were rail connections to the east and connecting steamers for points down the coast. The Alaska Steamship Company was operating the Alaska, Jefferson, Northwestern and Alameda and the Pacific Steamship Company was running the Admiral Evans, Admiral Watson and City of Seattle. The Seattle Steamship Company's vessels were the Despatch and Portland but the latter often carried dynamite and no passengers.

The C.W. Young Company was saving paper that would otherwise be wasted, baling it and shipping it to Seattle. Manager J.C. McBride said he hoped the $2 or $3 a ton profit would eventually pay for the two presses used in baling the paper.

The Southeast Alaska Fish and Game Club received $200 in territorial funds from Governor Strong to aid in the operation of its hatchery in the old White Lunch building on Front Street. A.J. Sprague was donating his services as hatchery manager.

Enrollment in the night school classes at the Juneau High School was reported at 22 at the beginning of March, with touch typing and shorthand the most popular classes.

Between October 1 and March 1 the ladies of the Douglas-Treadwell Red Cross chapter knitted 100 sweaters and sent them to France. And as a part of the war effort, many Channel residents turned in their binoculars for the use of the government. Ralph E. Robertson was in charge of receiving and shipping the glasses.

A total of 87 men signed up for the Juneau Home Guard at its first meeting, according to John Reck of the Council of Defense, which called the meeting. Reck said that 33 others signified their intentions to join but could not be present for the meeting.

\"Unwarranted interference in Alaska's affairs and efforts to develop the Territory,\" said the Empire in an editorial criticism of Theodore Roosevelt who had urged the defeat of the bill by Delegate Sulzer to provide for the sale of wild game in Alaska.