Digital Bob Archive

AUGUST 31, 1885-The upset Democratic victory in last year?s national elections, which swept Grover Cleveland into the White House, boggled our new district civil government before it got itself established. Local mine owners are especially disappointed in the lack of action by the District Court on cases they had brought before it. Members of the first Alaska administration have left for their homes and their replacements have not yet arrived, so essentially we are again without a government. But a new governor has been appointed and is expected to reach Sitka soon. He is Alfred P. Swineford, an Ohioan by birth, newspaper publisher and editor, member of the bar in Minnesota, former member of the Michigan state legislature, and former commissioner for mineral statistics in Michigan.

District Judge Ward McAllister, Jr., has been replaced by Edward J. Dawne of Salem, Oregon. Little is known of him here and when Commissioner Henry States, who hails from Salem, was questioned he was very tight-lipped, indicating that since he says nothing good, he will say nothing. Unfortunately for Juneau, States whose principles are firmly Republican, will undoubtedly by replaced in his office. Owing to pending litigation involving the titles to several of the most valuable mining claims along Gold Creek, operations there were greatly curtailed this season. Only from 20 to 25 miners have been at work, compared to around 100 last year and twice that number the year before. The claims that were worked this season did well.

The new U. S. Marshal for Alaska, appointed on July 21, is Barton Atkins who hails originally from upper New York State. He has operated a small steamer on Lake Michigan and served as railroad agent in St. Paul, Minnesota. The bright light among the new appointees, so far as this district is concerned, is Mottrom D. Ball who has become our U. S. attorney. He is a former Collector of Customs for Alaska, to which office he was appointed in 1878, and has been a resident ever since. He has many friends in Juneau, attended the political convention here is 1881 and was subsequently elected an unofficial Delegate to Congress by the people of Alaska. He did not persuade the House of Representatives to grant him a seat in that body, but he was an effective lobbyist for Alaska?s interests and must be given some of the credit for the ultimate passage of the Organic Act last year.