- 1888

Ore Train, Treadwell Gold Mine, Alaska, ca. 1893. Alaska State Library, Winter & Pond Photo Collection, P87-2981.

Treadwell installed electric lights in its facilities, and took delivery of a small locomotive for hauling ore cars, the first in Alaska.

The Alaska Union mine and mill at Eagle Creek on Douglas Island (north of the present Juneau-Douglas bridge), constructed the year before to great expectations, was abandoned after the first run of ore through its 80-stamp mill only produced $40.  Over $300,000 had been expended by eastern investors excited by reports of over 75 million tons of ore at $13/ton and the short-lived town of New Boston was set up by the beach below the mine.  The mined ore only produced a few cents a ton, and the resulting failure was a hard lesson to learn for its investors and promoters.

The Juneau City Mining Record was established April 5. A free reading room was established September 6 by the ladies in Juneau.