Digital Bob Archive

16 May 1980 issue

JULY 24, 1909-The United Wireless Station in Juneau has now installed a telephone and persons wishing information on the position of any vessel in Alaska waters may obtain it by calling No. 8-6. There is 24 hour service.

JANUARY 10, 1917-Emery Valentine has been advised by Delegate James Wickersham that all arrangements have been made for two Juneau boys to take the entrance examinations for admission to the Naval Academy at Annapolis. J. Simpson MacKinnon will be examined in February and Raymond Johnson in April.

MAY 29, 1919-Senator William Britt, owner of Britt?s Drugs on Seward Street, has decided to close his Skagway store and open a second store in Juneau. This will be located in the Gross Building at Front and Franklin Streets, in space formerly occupied by Wills Grocery. Frank N. Feero, manager of Britt?s Skagway store, will have charge of the new store here.

APRIL 7, 1922-The Alaska Juneau mine will increase its output by 2,000 tons a day beginning May 1, giving a daily production of 7,000 to 8,000 tons of rock. Present production averages about 5,400 tons a day. About 75 men will be added to the work force. The mill will be operated three shifts instead of two, as at present. While the plan was only announced today, word of it has been in the air for some time and as a consequence the company?s stock increased from 65 cents a share early in March to $1.25 a share at the end of the month.

SEPTEMBER 16, 1925-Engineering work on the Eagle River Landing road has been completed, it was announced today by M. D. Williams, assistant District Engineer for the Bureau of Public Roads. A floating camp for a construction crew will be moved to Amalga Harbor and the crew will start grading the road at once. It is expected to be finished by fall.

OCTOBER 4, 1928-While hunting ducks on the Mendenhall flats near the Mendenhall Dairy, the Rev. Harry Allen this morning bagged a large wolverine. The animal is seldom seen in this area and this is the first known to have been killed here in many years.

MARCH 22, 1929-One of the largest real estate deals in recent Juneau history took place yesterday when the building housing the Juneau Ice Cream Parlor and the Piggly Wiggly grocery store was purchased by Roy Noland, A. M. Mills and Douglas Mead. The former owners all live elsewhere than Juneau, some of them in England. A rooming house operated by Mrs. E. Loomis occupies the second floor of the building. Before prohibition, the Juneau Liquor Company occupied the building and it was succeeded by the Juneau Billiard Parlors. (Note: The space was later occupied by Percy?s and now houses The Viking.)

AUGUST 5, 1930-General William R. Mitchell, retired stormy petrel of the Air Service, was a Juneau visitor yesterday with Mrs. Mitchell and their daughter and Mrs. Mitchell?s father. They had been visiting the interior areas where General Mitchell served on the telegraph line in the early years of the century. Later he saw service in the American air forces in France throughout the war and was the first American officer to fly over the battle lines. He criticized the War and Navy departments for their air policies, was court-martialed and sentenced to five years? suspension with the forfeiture of all pay. He retired in 1926 after 27 years of Army service.

MAY 9, 1933-Halibut landed here over the weekend was purchased by the Juneau Cold Storage and E. E. Engstrom at 4 1/4 and 2 cents per pound. Deliveries included the Louhelen, Captain K. Hildre, 13,300 pounds; Avona, Captain O. Larsen, 13,700; Thelma, Captain B. Alstead, 11,000; Margaret T., Captain P. Hildre, 11,500; Missouri, Captain O. Jackson, 2,300 and Addington, Captain A. Siebold, 10,000 pounds.

SEPTEMBER 1, 1934-Radio interference elimination is to be pushed forward with all the resources of the City of Juneau, the City Council decided at a special meeting last night. Property owners have been apathetic about making changes in equipment which causes interference, according to H. E. Regele, radio interference locator for the city. The ordinance which calls for a maximum penalty of a $100 fine, will be strictly enforced.

MARCH 25, 1937-Clarence Wise, who recently purchased the Hotel Zynda at Third and Main Streets, is changing the name to the Hotel Juneau, the better to publicize Alaska?s capital. Wise was formerly assistant manager of the New Washington Hotel in Seattle.

APRIL 13, 1937-Work on the new Standard Oil Company plant to be located at Willoughby and Capital Avenues was started today following action by the City Council to issue a permit under the old city fire ordinance. The plant will include a fill 500 feet long from Willoughby toward the channel, 900 feet of dock approach, a tank yard with seven tanks and a total capacity of two million gallons, and office and warehouse buildings. Tom Dyer is local manager for the company.

JULY 9, 1941-Dean Williams was elected president of the Juneau Ski Club for the coming year at a luncheon meeting of the organization at Percy?s Cafe. Oscar Bodenski was elected vice president. Williams succeed Myron Christy.

AUGUST 6, 1941-James Orme, formerly owner of the Sanitary Refuse Company, has organized a new transfer company to be known as Orme Transfer. Headquarters for the company will be the Parsons Electric Company on South Seward Street. He recently sold the Sanitary Refuse Company to the Peterson Refuse Company.

APRIL 16, 1942-Miss Belva Williams, with the Office of Indian Affairs in Juneau, with the Organizations and Credit Division, has transferred to the U. S. Reindeer Service at Nome and will leave for there as soon as transportation is available.

AUGUST 30, 1942-The grocery department of the B. M. Behrends Company has greatly increased its refrigerated space and will be able to take care of more perishable products in the future.