- 1914

The Alaska Gastineau Mining Company drew world attention for some of its innovative projects constructed in connection with developing its Perseverance mine. It built the world’s first constant-angle variable-radius dam at Salmon Creek to provide hydroelectric power for the mine. As designed and built, compression held the foundations in place without need of reinforcing steel within the structure (the dam still provides water and power for the area today.)

Bored through Mount Roberts, the Sheep Creek tunnel was completed April 1 at 10,947 feet long to connect the ore body at Perseverance to a new mill site being constructed at Thane.   The tunnel work set a new international record for time of construction (averaging 544 feet a month, a world speed record.) Juneau’s first passenger stage began service between Juneau and Perseverance with a truck fitted with seats. Thane post office was established.

Dupont came into being as the location of a powder warehouse built by Dupont Powder Company on the mainland side of the channel 3.5 miles south of Thane The company purchased a site there in the summer and erected a wharf and warehouse for the handling of explosives received from the lower 48 states. Dynamite from the Dupont wharf was then conveyed by boat to various localities where needed.  The site was operated until the closing of the local mines.

Willoughby Avenue, constructed as a plank road on pilings, extended from Main Street to cross Gold Creek and connect with a short road to Salmon Creek. It crossed in front of Áak’w K’waan village buildings, the first step in cutting off their beach and waterfront access. Juneau Camp No. 4, Alaska Native Brotherhood, was organized January 29, combining Juneau Camp No. 2 and Douglas Camp No. 5 together.  Large schools of herring showed up in front of Douglas in February for the first time in many years, and most of those caught were given away for free food.

Juneau’s first auto crash occurred when a Model-T failed to make a corner on Main Street. Maximum speed limit was set at 8 mph in Juneau October 9, The U.S. Marshall announced April 17 that a Sunday closing law would now be enforced for liquor establishments, and this was received positively by affected owners. Juneau Public Library opened December 5 with 1,000 books, replacing a free reading library by a private club.

A new baseball field in Last Chance Basin was donated to the city and named Thane Park for its donor, mine operator Bart Thane. Camp 34 of the Arctic Brotherhood built a large hall on Main Street, which also contained Juneau’s first swimming pool in the basement. In January Juneau and Douglas high schools played their first ever basketball games against each other in Jaxon’s Rink with an overflow crowd, initiating a rivalry that continued up until the two schools were combined in a unified school district in 1956.  In the first contest Juneau beat Douglas 26-10, but Douglas quickly got their revenge the next weekend, downing Juneau 12-6.

Alaska Sunday Morning Post began February 1.

The newly-incorporated Taku Railway and Navigation Company announced plans to build a railroad from Taku Inlet to the Canadian boundary to connect with the proposed line to be built by the Atlin Railway Company, a Canadian firm (never built).