Digital Bob Archive

Juneau Voters Elect Local Leaders

News of the Gold Camp - 12/23/1980

JUNE 30, 1900-Yesterday was voting day in Juneau, with citizens going to the polls in the the Chamber of Commerce Building and casting their ballots between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Judges for the election, appointed by Judge Brown, were John Olds, Frank Young and F. D. Kelsey. Incorporation was approved by a vote of 161 to 19.

For the City Council, the high vote getter was B. M. Behrends with 295. Others elected were C. W. Young, 294; Lockie MacKinnon, 249; George F. Forrest, 243; John F. Malony, 248; Sol Blum, 232, and A. K. Delaney, 214. Others who ran included J. S. Davies, Thomas Price, J. P. Jorgenson, E. Valentine, E. J. Margerie and E. R. Jaeger. Elected to the School Board were H. F. Robinson with 269 votes, W. W. Casey with 243 and Frank Hammond with 230. Allen Shattuck and George F. James also ran for the School Board.

This afternoon at 2 o?clock, five of the seven Councilmen-elect met at the offices of Malony and Cobb and from there marched in a body over to the office of U. S. Commissioner H. H. Folsom, who administered the oath of office. They then went to the Chamber of Commerce office where they held an organizational meeting. Two members were absent and it was decided to await their return before electing permanent officers. One of those absent was former U. S. District Judge Arthur K. Delaney and it is understood that, in view of the effort he has made to bring about the incorporation, he will be elected Juneau?s first permanent mayor. In the meanwhile, John F. Malony was named temporary mayor and Sol Blum was elected temporary secretary. Juneau is believed thus to become the first city in Alaska with an organized municipal government.

JULY 3, 1900-Judge Melville C. Brown, having returned from the court session at Skagway over the week-end, in open court this morning formally accepted the election held here on Friday.

Hurrah! Juneau is no longer a mere gold camp. It is now a fully incorporated city and in addition is the designated seat of government for the whole District of Alaska.

THE END

Note: This series, which started in the Empire on January 2, 1980, and has had 25 installments, has chronicled some of the highlights of Juneau?s first years ? from October 4, 1880, when the first gold discovery was made, to July 3, 1900, when its incorporation as a first class city was approved by the District Court.