Digital Bob Archive

JANUARY 5, 1887-Dr. White, our teacher, has completed his census of Douglas Island, with the following results: White men over 21, 211; white women over 21, 16; white boys under 21, 8; white girls under 21, 10; total white population, 245. Indian men over 21, 176; indian women over 21, 130; Indian boys under 21, 61; Indian girls under 21, 78; total Indian population, 445; total population of Douglas Island, 690. These figures include both island communities, Treadwell and Douglas.

Douglas, or Douglas City as some of the residents call it, has enjoyed great growth as the neighboring Treadwell mine has flourished. The town now has four general stores, eight saloons, one music hall, one shoemaker, one restaurant and one billiard hall. One of the merchants is Frank Bach who formerly ran the Franklin Hotel for Wheelock and Flannery in Juneau. He established his business in 1885. Another is Patrick H. Fox. Residents of the settlement are now getting up a petition for a post office to be established there and are asking the Mr. Fox be appointed postmaster. Oscar Ohman & Bro. is another of the Douglas merchandise firms. A small steam ferry makes regular trips across the channel between Juneau and the island, calling at both Douglas and Treadwell.

The Alaska Mill & Mining Company recently hired upward of 60 men from below at $2 per day. The company, holds back 15 per cent of their pay to guarantee that they will remain during their contract time of one year. At the end of a year they will be paid the money held back in a lump sum. Some of these men are employed as common laborers around the mill and mine but many of them are engaged in stripping the surface of lodes owned by the company. The company owns the ground for approximately 3,000 feet south of the present operation, including the original claims named the Oro, Oro Fino, Omega, Mexican, Golden Chariot, Starr and Reed, Jumbo, Ready Bullion, Florence amd Manila. In the past much of this stripping work was done by Indians, but at present many of them are going trapping and hunting. Buyers at Juneau are paying high prices for furs and are also offering around 15 cents each for green deer skins. Not many of these have so far been brought here, but the other day at Killisnoo one canoe delivered 135 deer skins.

Since the wreck of the Ancon last September, we have been having only one steamer a month on the channel, but it is believed this may soon increase because of coal shipments for the Treadwell mine. It is reported that the Ancon is being repaired and refitted and will be back on the run next summer.