Digital Bob Archive

AUGUST 1918 - PART 2:

W.S. Pekovich announced that he was planning to establish a pulp mill and a sawmill at Funter Bay in connection with his mining operation, the Alaska Admiralty Gold Mining Company. The four-unit sawmill would have a capacity of 100,000 board feet of lumber a day and the first machinery for it was on the way. (Note: The sawmill began cutting spruce for government orders later in the year but apparently only one of the four units was installed. The pulp mill, like several others proposed for this area, did not materialize.)

The B.M. Behrends Bank and store were flying a service flag with seven stars for the members of their staffs who were in the armed forces.

Hans Andersen announced that he was moving his Quality Grocery Store from Juneau to Sitka where it would be consolidated with his store there. Mrs. Andersen and their children, Neill and Ruth would also move to Sitka.

The Douglas City Council set the tax levy for 1918 at 15 mills, the same rate as Juneau. The assessed value of Douglas property was $50,000 which was less than the previous year because of the number of vacant houses.

Word was received in Juneau that Arthur Fairchild had downed his fifth enemy plane and had been declared an ace. Before he enlisted he lived in Juneau for five years and worked as bookkeeper for the H.J. Raymond Company and later for the Juneau Cold Storage.

Major Fred W. Berger, formerly with the C.W. Young Company of Juneau, was reported to be the Chief Quartermaster of the First U.S. Army Corps in France. He left Juneau early in 1914 and joined a French aviation squadron. He later transferred to the American Army but his commanding officer refused to let him fly because he said there was greater need for a good quartermaster. Serving with Berger was Quartermaster Sergeant F.L. Gibson who also had worked at the C.W. Young Company.

In addition to drives to sell War Savings bonds and stamps and to collect money for the Red Cross and the Tobacco Fund, an Armenian Relief Fund was started in mid-August. It had a goal of $2500 and $846 was raised the first day.

Captain Tom Smith, a Juneau resident for 19 years, sold his two boats, the Lue and Dixie and headed south to join the merchant marine.

A second cannery for Douglas was announced by J.H. Long, who was operating a cannery in Juneau. The new plant was to be operated in connection with the Alaska Coast Fisheries Co. which was engaged in buying fresh fish at Douglas. And in Juneau the Red Cross Packing Company opened on Willoughby Avenue and was canning clams. The company was organized by local men and was employing about a dozen men and women.