The bill moved the seat of government for Alaska from Sitka to Juneau. But the capital move wasn't such a dramatic affair at the time; in fact, the seat of government wasn't even called the capital yet.

" The whole thing probably didn't involve more than 10 people," said historian Bob DeArmond.

The governor's office didn't move until 1906 when a new governor, Wilford B. Hoggatt, who was already living in Juneau, was appointed.

At the time a far more important aspect of the Alaska bill was that it gave communities the power to incorporate as municipalities.

" Practically every town in Alaska immediately incorporated," DeArmond said. Juneau and Skagway were the first to do so.

By June 29, citizens of Juneau had voted by a 161-19 margin to form a city. The newly elected city council wasted no time dealing with the pressing problems of the day.

Ordinance No. 1 dealt with garbage disposal and sanitation. Ordinance No. 2 provided for fire protection, with the city taking over the volunteer fire department.

By September the council had adopted Ordinance No. 3. It required dogs to be licensed and set up a city dog pound on Fourth Street, where the present-day Alaska Office Building stands.

It's not surprising that dog control came before taxation or formation of a police department.

Dogs were a real problem in Alaska communities, DeArmond said. In some places literally hundreds of them ran loose.

Although the seat of government was in Juneau, the mining community of Treadwell on Douglas Island was actually larger than either Juneau or Douglas, DeArmond said.

"The employment was there," DeArmond said. " There was no large-scale employer on the Juneau side until about 1913 when the Alaska-Juneau (mine) got started."

The Treadwell Complex included milling and mining operations of three companies, the Alaska Treadwell Gold Mining Co., Alaska United Gold Mining Co. and the Alaska Mexican Gold Mining Co.

The complex included a machine shop, electrical shop, carpenter shop, sawmill and foundry. There were mess halls and bunkhouses for the bachelors and cottages with electric lights, steam heat, water and sewer. A general store and meat market supplied food.

" They were mostly single men," DeArmond said. " They lived in big boarding houses there. A lot of them were foreigners, particularly from the Balkan countries."

Treadwell included a few houses, but most workers with families lived in Douglas.

About a dozen mining operations large enough to have milling facilities operated at one time or another from the years 1900 to 1910. They were scattered all the way from Snettisham to the south to Berners Bay to the north. For instance, a 10-stamp mill operated off and on through that decade in the Jualin Mine in the Berners Bay District.

Petersen Mine in the Eagle River district was a family operation, involving John G. Petersen, his wife Marie and two daughters, Irma and Margaret. They first mined the surface, then started lode mining. A three-stamp mill was put up in 1906. After Petersen died in 1916, his wife and daughters continued the operation until 1922.

Not everyone mined. There were lots of supporting roles in Juneau's economy. Those advertising their services included attorneys, dentists, pharmacists, dressmakers, shoemakers, tailors and confectionaries selling " fresh candies and fruit upon the arrival of every steamer."

Mamie Jensen, who was born in Douglas in 1906, said her father, John Feusi, had a big store on the waterfront there selling hardware, furniture and other goods. He also bought and sold goods made by Alaska Natives, such as basketry and totem poles.

" Front Street was a busy place in those days," she said, " Saloons, restaurants."

Tourism also played a small role in Juneau's economy in the first decade. The June 13, 1900, Dispatch announced: " Tourists Arrive; the Queen (a ship) brings a large crowd; Indians sell curios; the city was taken by walking delegates of the " rubber' (as in rubbernecking) society."

While some Alaska Natives sold goods to tourists, others worked in the mines. Most, however, lived a great deal by subsistence.

" They caught fish and smoked them and got clams and shellfish and so forth," DeArmond said.

John Borbridge, who worked on Native land claims issues in the 1960s, said as early as 1900, tensions between Natives and newcomers were probably bubbling below the surface as settlers encroached on land traditionally used by the Tlingits. Such tensions helped lead to the formation of the Alaska Native Brotherhood in the next decade.

" I think there was a real concern about loss of rights to the land and control of the land," Borbridge said.

Commercial fishing, which often conflicted with Native subsistence use, was beginning to play a minor role in Juneau's economy by the end of the decade. By 1909, 30 halibut boats were fishing out of Juneau.

A small cannery was established probably about the end of the first decade just south of Juneau, DeArmond said.

Communication technology was improving in the first decade of the 1900s.

Telephone service was expanded so that by In 1903, calls could be made 24 hours a day.

In 1902 the first telegraph service was available. It didn't work well, however, because there were frequent breaks in the cable. A new cable installed by the Army Signal Corps in 1904 brought more reliable service to Juneau.

Fashion was apparently a concern for some early Juneau residents - or at least merchants tried to make it so.

In August 1904, Kaufman Bros. advertised they had engaged Mr. H.E. Frazier, an expert corset fitter, late of Boston, " who makes a specialty of fitting all corsets free of charge." The corsets themselves were on sale for 85 cents.

There were also ladies' fine straw walking hats, normally a $1.50, $2 or $2.50 value, on sale for 45 cents; men's suits for $7.85; and men's patent leather shoes, guaranteed not to crack, for $3.50.

Those weren't the only choices in clothing, however. The Goodyear Rubber Co. advertised pure rubber boots, Mackintoshes, rubber clothing and oil clothing. Decker Brothers claimed it was the place to buy groceries, including Scott's kippered herrings, domestic and imported olives and stuffed mangoes.

Stores also apparently sold fresh game. " The markets of Juneau are being well supplied with deer, as they are being brought in from all parts," the Oct. 13, 1904, Dispatch reported.

Most supplies, however, came by steamer from the Lower 48 in those days. Steamship sailing schedules were advertised frequently in the Dispatch, and the paper's news columns announced arrivals and departures of residents and visitors by steamer.

Early Juneau residents occasionally took time out to play, although even some of the play was based on the mining industry.

Events advertised for the 1900 Fourth of July included a double-handed drilling contest and single-handed drilling contest. Early residents could also compete in a double scull race, running high jump, potato race, egg and spoon race for young ladies, pie-eating contest and mush-eating contest.

The Elks Lodge was an important social organization, with events sometimes receiving front page coverage.

Other social happenings also made the news. In Douglas in summer of 1900, the ladies of St. Luke Guild " gave a very pleasant entertainment and dance on last Wednesday evening," according to the Dispatch. "An informal program consisting of music and recitations was given, and strawberries and ice cream were served."

Baseball and boxing, dances, card parties and silent movies also entertained early residents. The Douglas Opera House advertised drama, opera and " refined vaudeville," with program changes weekly.

Epsteyn's Smokery claimed to have " one of the finest billiard parlors for its size in the United States."

The Metropolitan advertised that it had opened " the finest bowling alley in Alaska. You will not doubt it when you see it."

That old Alaska favorite - liquid entertainment - was always on tap. The Germania was " where the jolly good fellows hang out." There they could get Juneau draft beer, Olympia, Rainier and Schlitz, as well as the " best of liquors."

" The boys are always assured a good time at this house," its advertisement read.