Digital Bob Archive

2 November 1979 issue

JUNE 12, 1915-Charles W. Young, founder of Juneau?s oldest hardware store, died at 9 o?clock this morning at the Mayo Brothers hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. He was born on a farm near Meadville, Pennsylvania and was about 62 years of age. He came to Juneau in 1885 and built a carpenter shop that summer on the present site of the Alaska Supply Company. He later sold the property to Sitka Trading Company. Twenty-two years ago he established the C. W. Young Hardware Store, and in 1904 he incorporated as the C. W. Young Company with Edward W. Pettit and William Geddes. In 1906 Young retired from the business, selling his entire interest to a local group headed by John C. McBride. (Note: The C. W. Young store is presently occupied by the Ace Hardware Co. The Alaska Supply Company, where Mr. Young built his carpenter shop, is now Lyle?s Hardware store.)

JULY 18, 1925-The Goldstein Fur Farm in the Mendenhall Valley, 11 miles from Juneau, is being enlarged and improved, according to Charles Goldstein, president of the company and manager of the business. A new section is being built especially for marten, now an important branch of the farm. Breeding stock now at the ranch includes nine pair of silver foxes, 30 pair of blue foxes, 50 pair of mink and 16 pair of marten. The farm will be open for visitors each Sunday until further notice.

JANUARY 9, 1926-At a business meeting of the Ladies League of the Congregational Church in Douglas last night, Mrs. Robert Fraser was elected president, Mrs. Alex Gair became vice president, Mrs. Guy Smith was named secretary and Mrs. Felix Gray was re-elected treasurer.

MARCH 1, 1927-Nick Rocovich, lessee of the Arctic Brotherhood Hall, is busy getting ready for occupancy by the Eighth Territorial Legislature which is to convene next week. The hall, built in 1915, will again become Alaska?s capitol for the 60-day period.

MARCH 2, 1927-The Juneau Motor Company has received one of the latest products being offered by the Willys-Overland factory. It is a new Whippet six sedan and there is much local interest in the car which is said to get 30 miles to the gallon of gasoline.

APRIL 4, 1928-Mayor Thomas B. Judson was unopposed for re-election yesterday and drew 723 votes out of 784 cast. All three members of his Citizen?s Efficiency ticket were elected to the City Council: C. H. MacSpadden, Walter P. Scott and Wallis S. George. Grover C. Winn was unopposed for the School Board.

NOVEMBER 1, 1929-Halvorsen?s, a women?s apparel shop, opened this morning in the corner store of the Triangle Building at Front and Franklin streets. Miss Christine Halvorsen is the proprietor.

JANUARY 4, 1933-The Douglas City Council has voted to cancel the lease of the Douglas Island Packing Company on dock space and buildings owned by the city. Non-payment of rent is the reason given. D. B. Dudden is manager and principal owner of the canning company.

MAY 10, 1934-The Missy Shop will open next week in the Goldstein-Hellenthal Building near the corner of Second and Seward Streets. Sybil Bacon and Alice Eliason are the proprietors of the women?s apparel store.

MARCH 29, 1935-Douglas Gray, grade school instructor, was elected secretary of the newly formed Juneau Sportmen?s Association at a meeting today. Dr. W. W. Council had previously been elected president of the organization and Norman Banfield has been acting as secretary. Others attending today?s meeting were George A. Parks, C. W. Carter, J. P. Williams and Ralph Reischl.

MAY 7, 1937-The Douglas Fire Department at its regular meeting last evening elected Erwin Hachmeister fire chief to succeed Mick Pusich, the incumbent. Others elected were Claude Erskine, president; Angus Gair, vice president; Jack Langseth, secretary-treasurer; James Manning, foreman; Dick McCormick and Ed Roller, trustees and Alex Gair Jr., truck driver.

MAY 17, 1937-Making his first flight as a pilot for Alaska Air Transport Company, L. F. Barr this morning flew the company?s Stinson seaplane to Wrangell with one passenger. Pilor Barr flew down from Whitehorse yesterday in his own Pilgrim wheel plane. He has been flying it between Whitehorse, Atlin and Juneau as the North Canada Air Express Co.

JULY 7, 1937-Radiotelephone service between Juneau and the states will be inaugurated tomorrow by the Alaska Communications System, a branch of the Signal Corps of the U. S. Army. Staff Sergeant Roger H. Stevenson, operator in charge of the Juneau station, made the announcement today. A three minute conversation between Juneau and Seattle will be $9 on week days and $6 during evening hours and on Sundays.

OCTOBER 25, 1939-Seaplanes made perhaps their last landings of the year today on Taku River. Alex Holden and Shell Simmons flew a total of three trips to the river and found it slowly closing up. Slush ice was running heavily and landing conditions were poor. Mail, freight and passengers were flown to the Polaris-Taku mine.

MARCH 23, 1940-Fire of undetermined origin last night did considerable damage to the Thrift Co-op grocery store on Main Street next to City Hall. The alarm sounded at 12:45 a.m. Al Amundsen, store manager, was unable today to estimate the loss.

APRIL 20, 1940-Transfer of management of the City Wharf from the City of Juneau to the Northland Transportation Company will take place tomorrow under a leasing agreement recently negotiated by the two parties. Henry Green, Northland agent, said no change in personnel or policies is contemplated at present. The Northland Company will pay the city $200 a month and will manage the property as a public wharf.