The Daily Alaska empire., 1928-06-15
CHAMBER URGES
 DEPARTMENT TO APP 0INT JUDGE
Declares Absence of Judge in This Division Inimi-
 cal to Public Good

Declaring the public interest de manded the immediate appoint ment of a Federal district judge for the First Division, the Cham Der of Commerce today authorized Secretary Frank A Boyle 10 tele. graph the Department of Justice asking that such an appointment be made It also directed him communicate by wire with other Chambers in Southeastern Alaska asking them to take similar ac. tion.
 The local judgeship has been vacant since the death of Judge Thomas NJ Reed. May l. last. No judge has been available in the Division since May 23. when Judge c. J. Lomen, temporarily prosid- ing here, returned 10 Seattle ell. route to his headquarters at Nome.
 Recommended by Committee
 The Chambers action was re- commended by the Legislative Committee which pointed out that the First Division has "the larg est population and the largest amount of commercial and proper ty interests requiring the protec- ton afforded by the powers given to the District Court" and that the absence of functioning Dis trict Court in this Division "is inimical to the best interests of the people thereof and to their personal and property rights. and if continued, necessarily will re- suit in injuries and losses that cannot be recouped.'
 The Chamber by unanimous vote adopted the Committees re- commendation that it cali by telegram the attention 0s the President and the Attorney Gen. eral of the United States to the situation and that they be respect. fully requested to promptly cause a competent and qualified lawyer, pTCleTdDiy dn hidohah, to pS "b pointed to fill the vacancy now existing in the office of the Judge of the District Court in this Di- vision.
 Sees No Problems
 No unusual problems apparentl.' present themselves in the assess ment of local property, according to J. E. Johnson, City Tax Asses sor, who was a guest of the Cham Der today. He recently arrived from Ketchikan where he holas ! similar position and is also City Clerk.
 q don't think it will be at all difficult to make an assessment of the property in this city," de clared MT. Johnson. He said so far his contacts with local proper ty owners had been very pleasant He has been in touch with vari- ous business men and found a very fine spirit of cooperation. All of them, he said, discussed the assessment work problem frankly and put their cards on the table," Their attitude, he said, made the work easier. He pointed out that the business sec ton of Juneau is larger than thai of Ketchikan and he thought that the value of property in it would not run as high per front foot as in the latter community.
 Ketchikan raised annually about S1l5,O00 by direct taxation as compared to slightly less than $S0,000 in this city. The Ketchi kan rate is IT mills as compared to 20 here.
 Suggests Band Concerts
 Open air concerts by the City Band were suggested by Mayor Thomas B. Judson as being high ly desirable during the summer months. And they probably will be given after July 4, according to Frank Garnick, owner of what he humorously termed the asy, lum for the band" He told the Chamber that out of the allow ances of $25 each month from the Chamber and the City Treas ury, the band has paid a local leader and purchased uniforms for all members. These arrived re gently. The band is purely To n members receiving no pay or fees. Several of them work in the Al aska Juneau mine or mill and others elsewhere, making it diff ficult at times to give concerts.
 Suggest Light Decorations
 Special decorative lighting TOT portions of the downtown section for the Fourth of July and the tourist season was suggested by R. l.. Bernard. Such a plan is in use at Ketchikan. Strings of colored lights are strung across the main street there and add much to the appearance of the town, he said. The Fourth of July Committee was asked to see if the scheme could be worked out here.
 Prospects are excellent for the establishment of large marine ways here in the near future, said a report from the Local Industries Committee. Tom Wade, Long Beach, Calf, boat builder with whom the Chamber has been n ]