Digital Bob Archive

11 January 1980 issue

JULY 27, 1915-Work commenced this morning on an extension of Willoughby Avenue beyond Ninth Street. James McKanna has the contract for 1,100 feet of grading. The extension will open a new part of the Casey-Shattuck addition to development.

APRIL 30, 1926-The Juneau Transfer Company, a pioneer Juneau business, has been sold by Mrs. A. M. Blackman to Mrs. S. E. Duncan and Arvid Anderson. The firm was started by the late W. W. Casey nearly 20 years ago. Roe Hile, who has been with the company for 15 years as a driver, will remain.

JANUARY 11, 1927-The Thomas Hardware Co. will open its doors on January 31 in the building on Front Street formerly occupied by the Juneau Hardware Co. J. C. Thomas, president of the company, said today that alterations to the store space are nearly complete and new fixtures are being installed. (Note: Thomas Hardware Co. was succeeded by Lyle?s Hardware which occupies the same site.)

DECEMBER 11, 1929-Gastineau Lodge No. 124, F. & A. M., at Douglas, held its annual election last night and named Sam Devon worshipful master. Senior warden is Thomas E. Hall, junior warden is Edmund Andrews and Charles Sey is treasurer. Other officers include William R. Spain, secretary; A. E. Goetz, chaplain; William E. Feero, marshal; Adolph Hirsch, senior deacon; William Ott, junior deacon; Ragnar Kromquist, senior steward; E. E. Engstrom, junior steward; Glen Oakes, organist; and Alex Gair, tyler.

APRIL 3, 1933-Carr?s Grocery store opened today at Second and Seward Streets and carries a line of staple and fancy groceries as well as fresh and smoked meats. Orville R. Carr, the proprietor, has had 12 years of chain store experience with Piggly Wiggly and other chains.

MAY 13, 1934-The Hayes Shop is now in the process of moving from its long time location on South Front Street to the corner store in the Shattuck Building on Third and Seward Streets. Jack Hayes is proprietor of the shop which has been in business for more than 30 years and is one of the oldest curio and stationery stores in this part of Alaska.

JUNE 4, 1934-P. R. Bradley, president of the Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Company, is in town for several days in connection with the proposed purchase by that company of the old Alaska Gastineau Mining Company, now owned by the Alaska Mining and Power Company. A transfer of 53,802 shares of A. J. stock, worth approximately one million dollars, had been offered for the Perseverance Mine, the property at Thane, and other properties of the Alaska Gastineau. (Note: This offer was rejected on June 20 but the Alaska Juneau did later acquire the Alaska Gastineau properties.)

APRIL 20, 1935-The gleaming white steamer North Sea, newest vessel of the Northland Transportation Company?s fleet, arrived here at 7:30 this morning on her maiden voyage to Alaska. Originally built as a cargo vessel for the U. S. Shipping Board in 1918, she failed first as the Mary Weems and was later converted to carry passengers and was used on the New York-Baltimore route. In 1927 she came to the Pacific Coast, was renamed Admiral Peoples and was placed on the Portland-San Francisco run. The 312-foot steamer can carry 3,700 deadweight tons of cargo and has 22,000 cubic feet of cold storage space. She has been completely refitted for the Alaska run and can carry a total of 347 passengers including 145 first class. She is in charge of Captain A. W. Nickerson with B. R. Gillespie as purser, D. A. Noonan as chief steward and R. K. Willis as chief engineer.

SEPTEMBER 5, 1935-Postmaster Albert Wile has received notice of the closing of the Thane Post Office. Mail for Thane residents will be handled through the Juneau Post Office. Effective date will be September 30. The Thane office opened on February 12, 1914, with Anna C. Campbell as postmaster. Others who have been in charge of the office were Laura M. Stevenson, Anna M. Stevenson and Charles C. Whipple.

JUNE 11, 1937-Combining a fountain lunch with a modern grocery store, Wilbur Irving will open the doors of Irving?s Market tomorrow in the former location of the Terminal Cafe and Hollywood Style Shop. Irving formerly operated the Totem Grocery and Liquor Store. (Note: The location is presently occupied by the Twentieth Century Market.)

DECEMBER 29, 1938-Fire of undetermined origin yesterday destroyed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Lane on the fox farm on Coghlan Island in Auk Bay. The flames took their toll while Lane and Carl Swanson were skinning foxes in the pelt house a short distance away, unaware of the blaze. Two other men, Dallas Kearn and Hugo Bergstrom, had gone to the other side of the island to trap foxes. None of the 75 pelts in the pelt house were damaged but the house and its furnishing were completely consumed. Mrs. Lane is employed at the First National Bank in town and so was not at home at the time of the fire.

DECEMBER 28, 1939-Charles D. Beale, manager of the Capitol Theater, will head the Juneau Chamber of Commerce during the coming year. Vice presidents are Wellman Holbrook of the Forest Service and Dr. M. J. Whittier. R. H. Stevens was reelected secretary-treasurer. Charles W. Carter has been president of the organization for the past two years.

AUGUST 27, 1940-Four candidates who took the recent bar examinations have now passed their oral examinations before the District Court and will be admitted to the bar. They are Robert Jernberg and John Hellenthal of Juneau, J. Earl Cooper and Ernest Bailey of Ketchikan.