The Nome nugget., 1927-11-05
A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF
 NOME, ALASKA


 origin in the great placer stampede |. Ae Nome Beach in 1898. The discovery of gold by Jafet Lind berg, John Brynteson and Err Lindbloom, caused a great influx of stampeders from every corner of the globe, and within a year or two, there were congregated at this. camp between 2S,000 and 3O,OOO souls.
 Beach mining soon began to give out with the great multitude of miners and they spread in every direction from Nome, to prospect in every valley, plain and creek in the district, but still Nome remain ed, and still remains the greatest city on Seward Peninsula. because of her strategical position, which makes her the logical and actual base of supplies for the entire re- zion.
 The old methods of mining have long since given way to the scien- tific and mechanical extraction of gold. and while gold mining is still the chief industry in this section, other industries have sprung up until their combined output bids fair, in short time, to overshadow mining altogether, although the mineral output from this region has supplied approximately one fourth of the mineral wealth pro- dHced by the Territory
 The climate of Nome and vicinity is pleasant, the temperature rang ing from extremes of v degrees in July to 30 degrees minus in Jan nary. The mean temperature is from 40 to 50 degrees in summer while the mean annual temperature ranges from 25 to 40 degrees.
 All Roads Lead to Nome
 Nome's potentialities for becom- ing a great harbor within the not far distant future. loom big and promising. The official reports of the local Collector of Customs show that the tonnage entered and clear ed through the port of Nome is eN- ceeded by that of only two other cities in the Territory, namely, Ketchik:.n and Cordova. The pop nlation of Nome ranges from about 1.500 in winter to 2,5Qo in sum mer.
 Through Nome, naturally, passes all the output of the northern sec tions. Through this port passes all the minerals. furs and other raw materials produced The min erals found in this district are: gold, platinum. tungsten, silver, antimony, copper. tin. iron graph ite, and coal. The furs produced are: fox, ermine. fur seal, muskrat. mink, otter, beaver and bear. and lately large uses have been found for reindeer hides which are now being employed to a large extent in the manufacture of gloves, and other commodities. and are found to produce articles of excellent durability. Nome was in pre-war days the base of supplies for all those trading in furs in Siberia, trade which totalled more than million and half dollars annually for Nome. and should trade rela- ions be resumed between the Un- ited States and Russia, that figure will be doubled or trebled.
 Reindeer
 The raising of reindeer meat as an article of food has reached a high state of development in this section. Before Congressional Committee in 1922. the late Dr. E. w. Nelson, then Chief of the Blu reau of Biological Survey, in charge of reindeer experimental work in Alaska, testified as follows:
 "I believe Alaska contains avail able range to maintain from four to hve million of reindeer-That will give an output of about a mil lion and quarter of reindeer per year. A reindeer carcass dressed for the market now averages about 150 pounds Taking this weight and the present value of reindeer meat, the fully developed reindeer industry in Alaska should yield ap- proximately $43,000,00 co year"
 100000 carcasses at 150 pounds each makes 15O,00O,0O0 pounds. or 75.OOO tons, the amount that eventually will have to be trans