The Nome nugget., 1925-07-18
GENERAL DESCRIPTION NOME DISTRICT

Seward Peninsula; is bounded by the Arctic Ocean the North and Boring Sea on the West and pos some 600 miles of coast line Nome. with . population varying from $50 in winter to 2'o"o in summer is the chief port and commercial center of the entire district the regions farther north and section of the Northeast Coast of siberia' Nome 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 range which the heart of the district The mean summer 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 '' oe- grees in July to 30 degrees minus in January. Annual precipitation is about Is inches
 The district is unquestonably one of the most highly mineralized 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 
 deposits of tin in America are located in the Port Clarence section and coal beds of important extent exist in the Kugruk and Cape Lisburne regions near the northern coast
 s,,ca the discovery of gold 25 years ago. the Nome district has produced more than s1oo,ooo'- 900 in gold and silver, in addition to tin tungsten antimony and other metals valued at several mil .ions Copper and graphite are known to exist sn expoitable quantities and rich gold quartz III small bodies and low grade quartz in large bodies has been found at numerous points Almost all the best known metals found in expoitabe quantities. The gold produced is almost entirely from placers quartz mining not having reached state of active development as yet Dredging mas become the chief method of gold extraction, al though numerous hydraulic and "open cue plants are operated A very large part of the known mnerazed areas have been hardly more than pros pected remoeness and inadequate transportation facilities having greatly hindered development in the past and many plaeers 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 its thriving reindeer industry which although hardly more than started on conner cial scale has already yielded revenues approxi- mating $5,oooooo
 Fish of various species abound in the lakes streams and coastal and form the basis for . great industry. Herring are particularly penti- full and are pronounced by experts unexcelled by any herring known to the worlds markets. Sal mon and other varieties are also plentiful
 The district also produces large variety Of fur bearing animals which yield 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 Der larger than willows, plant life exists in great profuson and the low hills and valleys covered with vast carpet of thick moss and grasses.
 Transportation
 Roads are the first essential to the development of territory. As result of an extremely short sighted iliberal 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 23 900 square miles of territory there are less than $50 miles of permanent roads and more than 25 per cent of the total mileage is found within 20 miles of Nome Development cannot proceed save at a slow pace under such conditions. During the past year two the Government has inclined to liberal spirit and prospects are bright for important extensions of present highways which will prove of vast benefit pro- jected Government extension of the NomeKousarok railway through the heart of the district to the 0,w No1Ao uvf11n onlV