The Nome nugget., 1903-06-13

eastward from mound to mound on that long spit. He could go no further to- ward the mainland. There he rolled the largest drift logs he could find, and piled them together and saved himself from being washed away by the waves that were threatening to sweep him into Port Clarence bay. When the gale moderated. his friends carried him home exhausted and nearly starved. Every incident that occurred during this gale remember well. Ten years ago the first of last October was the last continuous gale this coast expert enced. l regret that the velocity of this gale is unknown.
 Let us ask the oldest inhabitants of Nome what will be the fate of this town when one of those gales occurs? Some of them have surely seen the ear marks of those that have occurred in the years that have passed. They were very plain and could not be mistaken. On the tOwnsite where Nome now stands, logs from one to two feet in di- ameter could be found all along as far as Cape Nome, upon the tundra, in the fall and winter of lS99-l900. The best logs and wood were found up on the tundra. A party of men sawed and piled up upwards of one hundred cords between Fort Davis and Cape Nome. Driftwood la! all along on the table land which Is from eight lo twelve feet high above tie average rise and fall of the tide. And the inhabitants of Nome hauled all their fuel from this source of supply. Coal could not be had at any price and this driftwood sold readily for from $40 to $6O per cord. What q strange anomaly. One cant help but think it very strange that a city like Nome should be built at the mouth of Snake river where the sea is shallow, and no holding ground for any crafts, large or small. There is course. kind of anchors can hold when strong gale is blowing, and high swell is running. The many casualties and great losses of life and property will continue until the town is swept away by one of those continuous gales. The business men of Seward peninsula will then look for townste where at least their barges, tugs and small boats can find shelter. They will only have to go twenty miles east of Nome to find such harbor at Port Safety where, there is from eight to twelve feet of water during southerly winds and during north and northeast winds from six to eight feet. Thi, channel should be buoyed every spring; then it would be safe for small craft to run in during southerly weather. If they want d har- bOr for ocean steamers, they have only to go west about 60 miles to Port Clar- ence Bay. On this bay they can build a city, and shipping will be protected from all storms and ice pressure. Ocean steamers can enter and lie at anchor protected from any gale that blows from any point of the compass. Aud the long circling sandspit from twelve to fourteen miles long forms a perfect protection from southeast, south and southwest gales. No ocean swell can harm ships in this part of the bay, only a local swell, caused by a northwest ,v,d tcS ind isNsr hn Prince of Wales range of mountains. which extends seaward far out beyond Point spencer, or the long Sandspit mentioned above. East of Point Reilly the bottom i, d blue clay, the best kind of holding ground, and from l2 to IS feet of water, d cables length from shore. Ocean steamers can lie in from four to six fathoms half mile from shore, and at the entrance to the lay they will find from seven to nine fa,h- oms. am sappoSin2 that few readers know these facts, but they have only 10 look ut any chart and be convinced. Around Point Reilly and then about eight miles east, d l:ttle north, k the entrance; if the reader looks ou the chart, he will find enc fatholn marked. but during strong north and north n est winds there will be les, and during strong south and southeast gales the mariner will find from fathOm aud u half to two flthoms in the entrance to Grantley harbor
 Where the town of Teller is located, on low sandspit. having a lagoon or lake where the tide rises and falls dur ing ordinary gales, back of the town, and Grantley harbor in front. during the gale of 1900 which did so much dam age along the beach at Nome, & large portion of ti, san SD va under water. Let Us sup. p.,,s. ihi ,i" mad continued and the sea uad risen l. or l6 feet the Te ler cabin aud ..e of . the larger buildings would have noated