Digital Bob Archive

13 March 1980

JANUARY 12, 1886-A lawless and violent element has come to Gastineau Channel, and there are manifestations here of the anti-Chinese feelings that have been so unfortunately prevalent at Seattle, Tacoma, Portland and other cities on the lower coast. There has been some talk against the Chinese ever since John Treadwell began hiring some of them last summer, and in August there was a small dynamite explosion under the house where they lived on the island. At the same time, another charge was found under the stamp mill, but it failed to explode. After Governor Swineford reached his post at Sitka and heard of these events, he sent the Navy ship Pinta to Juneau and she remained here for approximately three months, during which time all was relatively quiet.

At about 4 o?clock this morning the residents of Juneau were awakened by a terrific explosion and, upon investigation, it was found that a charge of dynamite has been set off under a corner of a log building on Second Street, just behind the Koehler & James store, formerly the Northwest Trading Company. The damaged building was occupied by a number of Chinamen who had formerly worked at the Treadwell mill and had been laid off when lack of water curtailed mill operations. The dynamite badly wrecked one corner of the log building and it will probably have to be torn down, but it did not harm the men inside although they were badly frightened. The blast also did some damage to the Koehler & James store and to J. J. McGrath?s restaurant and a good deal of damage to the office and living quarters of John G. Heid, attorney at law.

A number of our citizens, aroused by the blast, took up arms and went to the aid of the Chinamen, escorting them to the waterfront and putting them aboard a boat which took them to Douglas Island to join their countrymen. Other men went to Joe the Baker?s shop at Third and Main streets. Joe is also Chinese and is known to all in Juneau. He was in the Cassiar in early days and was generous with his flour one winter when he had the only supply in that country. The old time miners have a great fondness for Joe.

There is a great indignation in the camp over the blowing up of the Chinamen?s cabin and a subscription has been started for reward money. Already more than $500 has been raised and it will be paid for the apprehension of the culprits. Much suspicion is aimed at James Williams, a miner who has been very vocal in this anti-Chinese sentiments. Williams was one of the men who gave John Treadwell so much trouble on Douglas Island a few years ago.