Digital Bob Archive

12 March 1980

DECEMBER 15, 1885-A public meeting was recently called so the citizens of this camp could consider the question of incorporation and how it might be done. The meeting was well attended but not well run and the citizens got switched off to foreign and personal discussions, and nothing was accomplished.

-The new town north of the sawmill on Douglas Island is growing, with new buildings going up every week.

-The Treadwell mill is again running at about full capacity. The new boarding house for the employees is about completed and also the addition to the mill for the accommodations of two more roasters.

-Mr. McGregor has resigned as Inspector of Customs for Juneau. It had been charged that he availed himself of the opportunity to smuggle whisky, but there seems to be no foundation for the charge. No official has ever yet been found of ability enough to stop the introduction of whisky into Alaska; nor will one ever be found until the character of the world changes. The most sensible thing for our government to do would be to stop its unconstitutional discrimination against the people of Alaska and give them the opportunity of drinking a good article in place of the vile stuff they are now compelled sometimes to swallow.

DECEMBER 30, 1885-Owners of mining property are increasingly frustrated by the failure of the District Court for Alaska to act on litigation pending before it and having to do with titles to their claims. It is more than a year and a half since Congress provided a civil government for Alaska, and still the court is not functioning. Ward McAllister, the first judge, did little except to organize the court, admit a few attorneys to practice and hear some minor cases. He went out of office with the change of administration and now his replacement, Judge Edward J. Dawne, has disappeared. Apparently he has flown the coop and left our shores. Judge Dawne went from Sitka to Wrangell last month, presumably on court business. At Wrangell, he was seen to board a dugout canoe and head south, his destination said to have been Fort Tongass and the B. C. border. Nothing has been heard from or of him since.

-Attorneys thus far admitted to the Alaska bar include John F. Malony and John G. Heid at Juneau, Willoughby Clark, M. P. Berry, John J. McLean and M. D. Ball at Sitka.