The Nome nugget., 1922-06-17
General Description Rome District

 Northwestern Alaska known geographically Seward Peninsula is bounded by the Arctic the North and Bering Sea West possesses miles of coast line Nome with population varying from $50 In winter to 2000 in summer, is the chief port and mercal center of the entire district the regions farther north and section of Northeast Siberia Nome is the mail distributing center for the entire district and also the judicial headquarters for the Second Al aska Division In practically all things the entire dvi sion is served from this port The country generally is of rolling character with wide valleys and lakes and streams The lowlands into low rounded hills fronting single lofty which the heart the district. The summer temperature he tween 40 and 50 degrees the annual temperature between 25 and 40 degrees Extremes of temperature corded Nome around v degrees July to 30 minus in January Annual precipitation is about Is inches.
 The district is unquestionably of the most highly mineralzed regions of the known earth Gold b the chief resource but numerous varieties of lesser minerals found large portion of the district and petroleum is known to exist in the region of Point Barrow. short distance the north of the peninsula Oil indications also found within the district at era points The only real tin mines in Alaska and the largest known deposits of tin in America located in the Port Clarence section and coal beds of important tent exist in the Kugruk and Cape Lsburne regions the northern coast.
 Since the discovery Of gold s2 years ago. the Nome District has produced more than $S10O0.0O0 in gold and silver in addition tin gsen antimony and other metals valued at several millions. Copper and graphite known exist in eypoable quantities and rich gold quartz in small bodies and low grade quartz in large bodies has been found at numerous points Almost all the best known metals found in expoita be quantities. The gold produced is almost entirely from placers quartz mining not having reached state of active development yet Dredging has become the chief method of soi attraction although numerous hy draulic and "open cut" plants operated very large part of the known mineralzed have been hardly than prospected remoeness and inadequate transportation facilities having greatly hindered develop ment in the past and many placers and other min eal discoveries be expected in the future when the district is thoroughly exploited.
 In addition to its great mineral resources. the Nome District also contains tremendously important thriving reindeer industry. which. altho hardly more than started commercial scale. has all ready yielded revenues approximatng $3.0O0,0
 Fish of various species abound in the lakes, 1 streams and coastal waters and form the basis industry Herring particularly plentiful and pronounced by unexoelled by any herring known to the worlds markets. Salmon and other va rieties also plentiful
 The district also produces large variety of fur bearing animals which yield large annual in addition animals and wild fowl in large numbers. Berries and wild flowers in abundance in the ending daylight of summer. Although the district q whole is devoid of timber larger than willows plant life great profusion and the low hills valleys covered with vast carpet of thick and TsanSpcrfdfioH Roads are the first essentials to development of a territory. As result of an extremely sighted iibera policy the part federal government inadequate and costly trans portation facilities have been the chief drawback to tensve exploitation the great mineral wealth known in the Nome District. Within the nearly 23.ooo square miles territory less than 25o miles of permanent than 25 cent of the total mileage is found within 20 miles of Nome Develop proceed at slow under such con- ditions During the past year two the government has inclined to liberal spirit and prospects are now bright for important extensions of present highways which will prove vast benefit. projected govern ment extension of the NomeKougarok railway through the heart of the Kugruk coal fields will not only open great mineral lands to exploitation but will also enable the acquisition of cheap fuel the a sence of which a powerful deterrent to mining and industrial development in all lines.
 HoId n1inind The Nome District has been the source of nearly fourth of the mineral wealth pro- wthal is the least developed portion of the country largely the fact that only the districts received the attention of the miner and prospector. There still hundreds of known mineral bearing territory untouched by industry owing to the absence of roads and resultant difficulties of transportation.