Digital Bob Archive

DECEMBER 15, 1881-Ever since last February when a miners? meeting adopted the name Rockwell for this camp, there has been some agitation for a new vote on the name. It has been pointed out that only 34 men voted in that election, and the camp has grown a good deal since then. Friends of Dick Harris, of whom he has many, feel that he didn?t get a square shake when the name of the camp was changed from ?Harrisburgh? to ?Rockwell,? because he was not present at the meeting. In addition, Joe Juneau, Harris?s partner in the gold discovery, has been buying drinks for friends at the saloons-Newcomer?s and French Pete?s-and complaining that nothing around here has been named for him while Harris has his name on the mining district. He points out that at the last election ?Juneau? g

Yesterday afternoon there was a meeting at Newcomer?s to take up the matter of a code of local laws, especially rules about property rights within the townsite. The matter of a name for the camp was then brought up by friends of Harris, who insisted on a new vote. They said that Lieut. Commander Rockwell, for whom the camp is now named, is no longer a resident and is unlikely to again become a resident, although he owns some mining property in that district. They also point out that the Post Office Department has recognized the name Harrisburgh and that mail arrives here with that designation and that the name has therefore become established nationally.

Supporters of Joe Juneau derided this last assertion and pointed out that many towns in the United States have changed their names and that the Post Office Department usually goes along with the wishes of local residents. The question was brought to a vote upon a motion by Mike Gibbons and ballots were distributed to the 72 men present. Richard Dixon, Dick Willoughby and Edward DeGroff were named tellers and when they tallied the vote they announced 47 for Juneau City, 21 for Harrisburgh and four for Rockwell.

Dick Harris, who was present, then moved that since not all residents of the camp were present for the vote, a meeting be called for the sole purpose of voting on the name. This motion was defeated 43 to 23 and the matter seems finally and firmly settled. Juneau City is it, and Postmaster DeGroff was requested to notify the Post Office Department of the action by the next mail steamer.