Digital Bob Archive

Business Depression Causes Saloon Closures

News of the Gold Camp - 10/22/1980

JULY 8, 1896-The Juneau City Hotel, new from the ground to the skylights in everything but name, was opened to the public on Thursday evening. The three-story building on Second Street between Seward and Franklin was put up by J. J. McGrath, a Juneau resident since 1882 and hotel proprietor since the very early days of the camp. The new hotel will be operated under lease by Wert and McCulloch.

Buck Riley and T. Welch, who hail from Sheep Creek, won the double hammer double handed drilling contest on the Fourth, defeating two teams from Juneau and two from Treadwell. It was a beautiful performance. They started the stroke with 75 blows a minute for the first minute, dropped to 73 blows during the second minute, then maintained a steady and even 70 blows a minute for the remaining 13 minutes to capture the $150 prize.

JULY 11, 1896-The baseball game which was postponed on the Fourth because of rain will be played Sunday on the grounds of the Calhoun ranch near Gold Creek.

JULY 15, 1896-The McDougall & Southwick Company, Seattle dress goods and clothing firm, has opened an order branch in the Schmeig building in Juneau. Miss Belinda Mulroney, who has been a stewardess on the City of Topeka, is in charge of the branch. Goods ordered through the branch will be delivered to the customers without freight or

JULY 22, 1896-The Juneau Gospel Mission has changed its meeting place from the Log Cabin Church to the new library building on Second Street above Franklin.

JULY 25, 1896-G. L. Grant, superintendent of the Alaska Electric Light & Power Company, reports that the new plant on Gold Creek near the Auk village will be in operation by August 15. Westinghouse alternating dynamos are driven by Pelton wheels and will have a capacity of 2,000 lights. The machinery from the old plant will also be moved tot he new location and when installed will increase the total capacity to 2,700 lights.

JULY 29, 1896-The current business depression has caused the B. & M. and Owl Saloons to close their doors but the remaining 36 saloons are still in active operation.

The planking of Seward Street was begun Friday and the block between Front and Second Streets is finished.

Frank Brown received a lot of 20 homing pigeons on the last City of Topeka from Puyallup, Washington. He plans to work some of the birds between Juneau and the mines at Berners Bay.