The Nome nugget., 1920-10-16

The Chamber of Commerce banquet | and ball held Monday evening in hcnor of Junior Engineer E. l.. Carpenter, engineer in charge of the harbor con- Capt. J. C. Gotwals, engin- | ger of the Alaska Road Commission. !! and other distinguished visitors was not only one ofthe most elaborate and best appointed functions given by that of q new and decidedly op- timistic outlook with respect to the future of the Seward Peninsula dis trict. This was largely the result of an announcement by Capt. Gotwa1s that the Federal Road Commission is planning to inaugurate an extensive program of road and trail construc- tion in the district which will not only place Nome in close touch with the more important mineral producing centers but also contemplates con- struction of a trunk system of hign- ways SoHuttllHS "ltil tou'-Nii' Dime Creek, shelton, Deering .nd Candle.
 The optimistic view provided by Capt. Gotwals' statement wai further enhanced by the declaratio made by Mr. Norman c. Stines, tho widely cx- re fenced British minine engineer ,r the effect that his recent investigation of mining conditions here has tonvinc- ed him that the district r. a most promising field for large scale dredg- ing operations. So confident are his views in this respect that he stated he would have no hesitation toward taking steps to organize a company to exploit the local gold fields if assured that the large areas Of ground required could be secured on satisfactory terms
 Owing to q disarrangement of plans at almost the eleventh hour it was found necessary to hold the banquet in odd Fellows Hall, while the succeed
 
 The banquet was participated in by representatives of every line of local industry and something over seventy five guests were seated around the banquet board. Because of sudden attack of illness Engineer Carpenter was unable to attend and was repre- scented by. Mrs. Carpenter. Thoruif Lehman. president of the Chamber of Commerce presided.
 The banquet was opened with an of welcome by President Leh- mann. in which he stated that the function was given by the Chamber as q testimonial of the high regard in which MT. Carpenter is held by the and an expression of it's gratitude for his efforts and labors in connection with the planning and in augur;Jtion of the harbor construction. The banquet, he said, was also intend- ed as a welcome to Capt Gotwals, as well as q farewell offering to many visitors who are soon to leave on the last boats. After an expression of regret over the inability of Mir. Carpenter to appear, President Lehlnnnn presented to Mrs. Carpenter on behalf of the Chamber of Com merce q handsomely bound album of views of Nome and Vii cinity.
 Attorney Ira D. Orton was then called upon by the chairman and gave an interesting and highly informative discussion of the fuel and transporta- tion questions as relating to the de. velopment needs of the district. After pointing out that the coal deposits of the Candle section are capable of sup plying the entire fuel requirements of the district. Mir. Orton expressed the view that the solution of the fuel problem. and also large portion of the internal transportation problem, coud be achieved by repairing and ex- tending the Nome Kouragok railroad line into that section. At the conclu- sion of his address Mfr. Orton. pre- sented to Attorney Geo. D. Schofield a life membership in the Arctic Broth erhood and the Pioneers of Alaska, as an expression of thanks by the Chamber for the exceedingly valuable services rendered by him last winter in helping to secure funds for the com- ] pletfon of the harbor work. He stated that ma jor portion of the credit for the granting of the appropriation was due. to Mir. Schofeld's labors in Wash 'nston and without them. there was much reason to believe that the effort rfeht have failed.
 MT. schofield responded. express snr his appheciation for the sits in