The Nome nugget., 1925-07-25
GENERAL DESCRIPTION NOME DISTRICT

or Northwestern Alaska known geographically Seward Peninsula; is bounded by the Arctic Ocean on the North and Boring Sea the West and pos some COG miles of coast line. Nome with a population varying from $50 in winter to 20oo in summer, is the chief port and commercial of the entire district the regions farther north and a vast section of the Northeast Coast of Siberia. Nome is the mail distributing center for the entire district and is also the judicial headquarters for the Second Alaska Division. In practically all things the entire division is served from this port The country generally is of rolling character with wide valleys and numerous lakes and streams. The lowlands merge into low rounded hills fronting single lofty which crosses the heart of the district. The temperature ranges between 40 and 50 degrees; the mean annual tenn perature between 25 and 40 degrees Extremes of temperature recorded in Nome are around v de- grees in July to 30 degrees minus in January Annual precipitation is about IS inches
 The district is unquestionably Of the most highly mnerazed regions of the known earth Gold is the chief resource but numerous varieties of lesser minerals found over large portion of the district and petroleum is known to exist in the region of Point Barrow, short distance to the north of the peninsula. Oil indications are also found within the district at several 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 extent exist in the Kugruk and Cape Lisburne regions near the northern coast.
 sirce the discovery of gold 25 years ago, the Nome district has produced more than sloo,ooo,- 900 in gold and silver in addition to tim tungsten antimony and other metals valued at several mil nd in exploitable quantities and rich gold quartz in small bodies and low grade quartz in large bodies has been found at points. Almost all the best known metals found i'll eXploitabe 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 gold extraction al though numerous hydraulic and "open cue" plant are operated A very large part of the known mfueralized areas have been hardly than pros pected remoteness and inadequate transportation facilities having greatly hindered development in the past and many placers and other mineral discoveries may be expected in the future when the district Is thoroughly exploited.
 In addition to it's great mineral resources, the Nome district also contains tremendously important possibilities in it's thriving reindeer industry. which
  cial scale has already yielded revenues approx- mating $5.o00,o0o
 Fish of various species abound in the lakes, streams and coastal and form the basis for 8 great industry. Herring particularly penti- full and are pronounced by experts unexcelled by any herring known to the worlds markets Sal mon and other varieties also plentiful
 The district also produces large variety of fur bearing animals which yield a large annual rev. enue in addition to game animals and wild fowl in large numbers Berries and wild flowers grow in abundance in the amending daylight of summer Although the district as whole is devoid of tim her larger than willows plant life exists in great profusiou and the low and valleys covered with vast carpet of thick moss and grasses.
 Transportation
 Roads are the first essential to the development of a territory. As a result of an extremely short sighted and liberal policy the part of the Federal Government. inadequate and costly trans portation facilities have been the chief drawback to extensive exploitation of the great mineral wealth known to exist in the Nome District With in the nearly 23 square miles of territory there are less than $50 miles of permanent roads and within 20 miles of Nome Development cannot proceed save at a slow pace under such conditions. During the past year or two the Government has inclined to more liberal spirit and prospects are now bright for important extensions of present highways which will prove of vast benefit pro- jected Government extension of the Nome-Kougarok railway through the heart of the district to the Kugruk coal fields will not only open great area