The Daily Alaska empire., 1927-12-24
EARLY JUNEAU DAYS, HOLIDAY
 THNEREvEALED
Mrs. Jack Rowe Tells of Incidents Saloonkeep-
 CTS in New Light


 Saloons. those retail dispensers of liquor, which were knocked out of business with the adoption of the Eighteenth Amendment, did some good in their day, in spite of the hard regulations which they may have had. according to Mrs. Jack Rowe, Juneau residen; since 19OO
 In Juneau's gold rush days and in the years following, when sa. looms were more numerous than most of the other business housea put together. the liddies of the town were given big Christmas tree. even as they are now. And although the children were not allowed to enter saloons. the saloon keepers had just as big hearts as anybody else, Mrs Rowe declares, for they furnished many of the things for the big tree that were given to the little tots.
 Always willing to help the ch.l- dren, the saloon keepers, one and all, would chip in and purchase candy. gifts, etc., and would help decorate the evergreen. And this source of fun for the youngsters was one of the greatest in tho city. rs
 Good Reputation And that isn't the only reputa- tion of kindliness, that has been earned by people of Juneau. The saloon men were kind to the kids, but they were not in class by themselves for the benevolent spirit prevailed in other circles. Witness the Christmas spreads that were put out by the wives for their families and for some friend who might have been less fortunate in Juneau's early days and even in these days. for in those days there were always a few who had little or nothing when the winter days set in.
 As a rule, though, Mrs. Rowe said in calling back the days of Juneau in the early nineteen hundreds, most of the bachelors and other men who had no Win. min Folks" with them would get together and have their own Christmas spread and there were few, if any, who missed out in the long run.
 outsider's View An example of how an outsider looked on the situation is worthy of note. This incident is not en- tirely relevant to the Christmas celebration but shows how people from the States were impressed with Juneau.
 A letter. written by woman was printed in one of the early day papers here. It spoke of the men who could be seen around town and who made up large part of the population, lauding their open and above board looks. No mashers in Juneau, wrote the woman. only the best and kindest type of humans.
 To bring the story up to date, Mrs. Rowe cited the fishermen's banquet that has been given Christmas week each year for some time by I. Goldstein, who is the proprietor of fisherman's outfitting store in Juneau
 And as an example of the pres ent attitude of the people, Mrs. Rowe asserted that every year the Salvation Army and the busi- ness men of the town speak high ly of the way in which local peo- pie donate to help those who are in need.
 Even local lodges help the fam. flies who should have their homes frightened up and who. in some cases, are so misfortunate they can not afford the kind of Christ mas they should be able to en- joy. said Mrs. Rowe. The Elks Lodge is one of the boosters of this manner of bringing cheer to all homes at least one day each year.
 ''I like Juneau. and wouldn't live anyplace else." Mrs. Rowe said, and her attitude is echoed by many other Juneauites. for a,- ter all Juneau is q great place, especially on Christmas Day.