Digital Bob Archive

22 December 1978 issue

SEPTEMBER 15, 1913-The latest business to be formed in Juneau is the Simpkins-Freiman book and stationery store and book bindery. It is located in the Seward Building at the junction of Front and Franklin Streets and is owned by George Simpkins and Leon Freiman. They expect to be open for business by October 15.

OCTOBER 27, 1913-John R. Irwin, manager of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company, arrived on the Admiral Sampson to look over the local communications scene. His company is contemplating the early erection of a high powered station in Juneau. The plan is to install a 10 kilowatt station, with a 400-foot steel tower, in the spring. The tower will be at the foot of Mount Juneau just beyond Gold Creek and near the head of Twelfth Street.

FEBRUARY 20, 1914-Hubert van Der Wyer and Ray Rohrabaugh are both training hard for the big skating race that will take place at the Douglas Roller Rink on the 25th. It is said that $400 in bets has already been placed on the outcome of the race, with more bets being placed daily.

MARCH 18, 1914-The Imperial Billiard Parlors is being opened this evening by J. Homer and A. N. Stocker. The establishment is located in the new Jaeger Building on Front Street, almost directly opposite the Alaskan Hotel. It will have five tables plus a cigar and tobacco store.

MAY 5, 1914-The Douglas Hotel Company, capitalized at $40,000 and headed by E. H. de Wolf, will soon start construction of a 45-room modern hotel on the corner of Front and D Streets. An architect is now preparing the plans. John Feusi, who had owned the site, is one of the principal stockholders.

FEBRUARY 20, 1917-Bridges have now been completed by the city on Gastineau Avenue and make it possible for teams and automobiles to travel from Third Street clear to the Juneau General Hospital at the end of the avenue. C. W. Bender had the contract for the several hundred feet of bridges across ravines and gullies.

JUNE 12, 1924-Fire early yesterday evening heavily damaged the First National Bank Building at Front and Seward and for a time threatened the entire block. The fire itself, which started in a storage room on the second floor containing old bank records, was confined to the second floor but the bank suffered heavy water damage with a loss of fixtures, stationery and supplies amounting to at least $5,000. Burford?s Corner, also on the lower floor, sustained an estimated $1,500 damage according to Charles Snipes, proprietor. On the second floor, the offices of the Alaska Road Commission has a loss of furniture and fixtures, and the offices of Dr. L. P. Dawes sustained water and smoke damage. (Note: The building is presently occupied by the Twentieth Century Market.)

JUNE 15, 1926-Amos Burg, Jr., 24, and F. A. Hill, a sailor friend, left Juneau this morning in an 18-foot canoe headed south. They arrived from Skagway yesterday in the canoe and propose to travel to the mouth of the Frasier River, then up that river to a place where they can portage nine miles to the headwaters of the Columbia River. Burg will take both still and motion pictures of the trip.

MAY 3, 1929-An oil painting plaque honoring the honorary members of the Juneau Fire Department is now on display in the window at the Goldstein Emporium. The plaque is the work of Dr. George L. Barton who presented it to the department. Honorary members are those who have served for five years or longer. Names on the plaque are: Emery Valentine, L. V. Winter, Percy Pond, Thomas Ashby, Lockie MacKinnon, B. M. Behrends, John Peterson, Tom Price, Charles B. Price, Max Endelman, O. M. Olson, Fred Tanner, Fred Nowell, Fred Heid, G. B. Swinehart, T. P. Jorgenson, Milton Winn, H. R. Winters, Tom Foster, Ed Hurlbutt, Sim Freiman, Charles Carter, Marion Goldstein, Frank Metcalf, Frank Sargent, John Henning, John Fremming, A. E. McKinnon, H. M. Sides, Walter B. King, Frank Humphrey and Ed Sweeney.

FEBRUARY 2, 1931-The flag was raised for the first time over Alaska?s new Capitol Building at 9 o?clock this morning by Governor George A. Parks while 400 school children cheered. The event signaled the occupancy of the $800,000 Federal and Territorial Building by government offices. The Post Office is being moved from Third Street and will open in its new quarters tomorrow. Ground for the building was broken on September 18, 1929.

JANUARY 4, 1932-An extensive addition is being made to the building of the Harris Hardware Company on Front Street at Shattuck Way. A second floor is being added to the building, which has a 56-foot frontage on Front Street and extends 74 feet along Shattuck Way. Ralph Peterman is the contractor for the job. Frank Harris, principal owner of the hardware business, announced that he will soon incorporate his company. (Note: The building is now a part of the Ace Hardware building.)

APRIL 6, 1932-John Feusi, pioneer hardwareman, was elected mayor of Douglas on an Economy Ticket, defeating L. W. Kilburn by an 80-77 vote. Elected to the council were Hans Loken, Joe Riedi and James Sey. Defeated for the council were F. A. J. Gallwas, Dewey Frankforter and A. F. Grandberg. Mrs. Flora Kirkham was unopposed for the School Board.