Digital Bob Archive

16 March 1979 issue

JUNE 12, 1914-An Arctic Brotherhood camp, to be known as Juneau Camp No. 31, was decided upon last night when 52 men signed the application for a charter which will be secured from Governor J. F. A. Strong, Grand Arctic Chief of the fraternal order. Grant A. Baldwin is the Grand Arctic Recorder. Captain Frank Johnson took the initiative in establishing the local branch of the order.

JUNE 28, 1917-Negotiations were closed yesterday for the Juneau Ferry & Navigation Company to take over the business and property of the Island Ferry Company, including the passenger ferry Gent. J. P. Corbus, vice president and general manager of the Juneau Ferry & Navigation Company made the announcement and said that the Gent will be kept on the run between Juneau and Douglas. New schedules will be announced. Mr. Corbus also announced a separation of the management of the ferry company and the Alaska Electric Light & Power Company. They are separate corporations but with the same owners and heretofore have had the same management. Henceforth Captain Waldo States will manage the ferry operations.

APRIL 22, 1920-The property known as the Juneau General Hospital and now occupied by the Dawes Hospital was sold today at Public auction and was bid in for $11,000 by John Reck, representing the First Territorial Bank of Douglas, holder of a mortgage on the property. Dr. William Pallister is the former owner. (Note: The building stood at the south end of Gastineau Avenue and last operated as the Home Hotel before it was razed a few years ago.)

JUNE 18, 1929-Final inspection of the Fritz Cove section of the Glacier Highway was made yesterday by M. D. Williams, District Engineer for the Bureau of Public Roads, and the road was opened today for traffic. Actually, the road has been used for some time by property owners whose holdings are adjacent to it, but final grading was not completed until this week. The road has an eight-foot gravel surface and cost $108,000.

MAY 2, 1931-The reorganization of the All-Alaska Chamber of Commerce was effected at a noon meeting today. Robert S. Bragaw of Anchorage was elected president. J. E. Johnson of Ketchikan, Alfred J. Lomen of Nome and Andrew Nerland of Fairbanks are vice presidents, and M. S. Whittier of Juneau is the executive secretary.

OCTOBER 8, 1931-Forty years ago tomorrow a tall, slim young man with limited capital opened a sparsely stocked general merchandise store in Juneau. Today he is one of the territory?s largest retailers.

?On the morning of October 9, 1891, I opened the doors of my store in a building on the site of the present Alaska Meat Company, (today?s New York Deli),? B. M. Behrends told the Empire today. ?That same year I bought the southeast corner of Third and Seward and soon moved my business there. Coincidental with the beginning of my mercantile business was the start of my banking business, which at first was merely acceptance of money for safe keeping. In a few years this expanded into various forms of banking.?

Mr. Behrends came to Alaska to prospect for gold in the summer of 1887, landing at Sitka. He went to work for a Sitka merchant, John G. Brady, who later became governor of Alaska. Mr. Brady had opened a branch store in Juneau when the gold discovery was made here and in December, 1887, he sent Mr. Behrends to Juneau to manage this branch. It was known as the Sitka Trading Company and Mr. Behrends managed it until Mr. Brady closed it out in April 1891. He then began to make preparations for opening his own store.

MARCH 2, 1932-The United States Signal Corps telegraph service yesterday went on 24 hour continuous operation, with radio communication to Seattle and all parts of the world, according to H. W. Irvine, operator in charge. The Signal Corps office in the Capitol will, however, be open only from 8 a.m. until midnight, six days a week, with shorter hours on Sundays and holidays.

JUNE 4, 1932-The Juneau Sportsmans? Club has been organized to promote soccer, tennis and handball during the summer and basketball, wrestling, boxing and general gymnastics during the winter months. Officers are Theo S. Peterson, president; Ernest E. Stender, vice president; Roy Anderson, athletic manager; F. Joseph Waite, secretary; Joe Johnson, treasurer.

JULY 17, 1934-Halibut prices took a drop on the local market over the weekend, following a trend along the entire coast. Two trips were sold to New England Fish Company, represented by W. O. Carlson. The Sadie, Captain S. A. Stevens, had 7,200 pound and the Fane, Captain Ole Johansen, had 3,300. Price for both was 5 and 3 cents a pound. Previously the price had been 6 and 4.

AUGUST 1, 1934-E. E. Ninnis has completed a deal to take over Juneau Motors from Frank McCafferty. The transaction includes the garage and the Ford agency but not the building. Ninnis, who was reared in Douglas, has been employed at Juneau Motors for the past eight years.

AUGUST 10, 1934-Juneau?s newest grocery, the United Food Company, will open its doors tomorrow morning in the corner of the Goldstein Building at Second and Seward. R. R. Brown is manager of the company which will carry complete line of groceries, produce and meats. On the staff are T. L. Allen, Verne L. Stedman, Herbert F. Neumister, Ed Johoda, Alvin Bloomquist, Hilding Haglund and Drank Hermit.

JULY 24, 1938-Marcus Jensen of the firm of Feusi & Jensen of Douglas yesterday completed negotiations with Joe Riedi to take over the latter?s grocery store, stock and fixtures. There will be combined with the Feusi & Jensen business. Mr. Reidi established his grocery store about 25 years ago. He will now give his full attention to his new business, Joe?s Beer Parlor.

MAY 6, 1939-Walter P. Sharpe, director of the Unemployment Compensation Commission of Alaska, has been issued a building permit for the construction of a dwelling at 603 West 11th Street, in the Casey-Shattuck Addition.