The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-07
NOME DESTROYED
Famous Gold Camp Wrecked
by Boring Sea Storm.
Fire Follows and Completes
Work of Destruction.

Nome, Alaska, Oct. Fire has
| broken out in the storm stricken city
of Nome and the flames have attacked
the Pacific Cold Storage plant. where
is stored the chief supply of meat for
the winter. The fire apparatus was
destroyed in the gale.
Front street is a mass of wreckage
into which seas are breaking, while
hundreds of homeless persons are
struggling to save necessities of life.
Receding seas are carrying away the
contents of wrecked houses and stores
as we'll as parts of wrecked structures.
None of the buildings on the sand pit
remained standing and the 1eveled
structures there are in flames. This
portion of the community is cut off by
the turbulent waters.
Nome has been destroyed by a
storm. All the south side of Front
street is gone. The sand pit is gone.
Two miles of territory next to the sea
was devastated.
The storm that began Sunday night
beating in from Boring sea was the
worst ever known here. Men and wo-
men worked all night in the icy water
to save their household effects. The
electric plant was wrecked and tele-
phone service cut off. The loss is es-
timated at a million and a half dollars.
There will be much suffering and
outside help will be required
Winter is at hand and it will be i'm
possible to get in supplies needed. The
amships Victoria and Corwin which
were lying in the roadsted ran to the
open sea and escaped damage. All
the small boats on the beach were
destroyed. Five hundred houses have
been demolished and more are falling.
Communication Cut Off
Seattle, Oct. Communication at
Nome. Alaska, has been interrupted
1t is believed the storm which ate
away the sand spit and demolished a
Lotto =;
abled the wireless station there.
The famous gold camp on Bering
sea, the most northerly city in the
world, was built on a sandy sea beach.
The principal part of the town, which
dozen years ago had population of
10000, is on the east side of Snake
river, with long finger extending to
the west along a narrow sand spit.
and the early settlers built their cab
ms there.
OF late years the sands have been
worked out and little except dredging
operations, which require large capt.
tai, is being DONE 1t has been esti-
ground in sight to operate fifty years
more Nome has produced more than
$35,0OO,OO0 in gold dust
The storm is abating. Three uni
Identified bodies have been washed
ashore. Five hundred persons are
homeless Help from outside will be
necessary. The steamships Victoria
Navajo and Corwin are safe at anchor
seven miles out
Wireless Is Busy
Washington, Oct. livery availa BILE
government wireless was suffering out
messages toward Alaska today calling
for reports of the destructive storm at
Nome. One brief reply came from the
Nome life saving station saving the
water front had been devastated in a
tidal storm. The Red Cross prepared
to extend it's aid as soon as the needs
could be learned. The revenue cutter
Bear now at Nome, has a capacity for
bringing about $50 people to Seattle.
ofhclals here thought the steamships
winch Weathered the gale in the sea
out of Nome would bring others