The Nome nugget., 1925-02-28
GENERAL DESCRIPTION NOME D,sTE'r-

square miles of territory, occupies large section of Northwestern Alaska known geographically Seward Peninsula; is bounded by the Arctic Ocean on the North and Boring Sea the West and pos sesses some 500 miles of coast line. Nome. with d population varying from $50 in winter to 1000 in summer. is the chief port and commercial center the entire district, the regions farther north and a vast section of the Northeast Coast Of Siberia Nome the mali 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 The country generally is of rolling character with wide valleys and numerous lakes and The lowands merge into low rounded hills fronting single lofty range which the heart of the district The mean summer temperature ranges between 10 and 5o degrees; the mean annual tenn perature between 25 and 40 degrees. Extremes of temperature recorded in Nome around = de erees in July to SG degrees minus in January. Annual precipitation is about 15 inches
 The district is unquestionabiy one of the mos highly mineralized regions of the known earth. Gold is the chief resource but numerous varieties of lesser minerals are found 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 5 years the Nome district has produced than s10o,o00.- in gold and silver, in addition to tin tungsten. antimony and other metals valued al several mil
 lions. Copper and graphite known to exist in exploitable quantities and rich gold quartz in small bodies and low grade quartz n large bodies has been found at numerous points. Almost all the best known metals found n exploitable quantities. The gold produced is almost entirely state of active development yet Dredging has become the chief method of gold extraction. al though hydraulic and "open cue" plants operated. A very large part of the known mineralized areas have been hardly than pros pec,ed. 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 its great mineral resources the Nome district also contains tremendously important possibilities in its thriving reindeer industry. which although hardly than started cal scale has already yielded approxi- mating s5,oo0.O00.
 Fish of various species abound 5Le lakes, streams and coastal and form .-= basis for great industry. Herring are 7a,-sl-. 2-lT p.enti- ful and are pronounced b7 =Sper-5 .-ese=l=i by any herring known to the worlds alft=rs Sal and other varieties also pl=2-'s,
 The district also produces . la.z- y=-i=y of fur bearing animals which yield a7z= s-.iel rev enue, in addition to game animals all ~t fowl in large numbers Berries and wild s3ver- grow Although the district as a whole is deroii ot tim ber larger than willows, plant life exists in great profus T and the low hills and valleys covered with vast carpet of thick moss and grasses.
 Transportation
 Roads are the first essential to the development territor9 As result of an extremely 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 are less than $50 miles of permanent roads and more 25 per of the total mileage is found within 20 miles of Nome Development cannot proceed save at slow pace under such conditions ripu vaar fUn ha