The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-12-27
SUNDB0RG RETURNS TO JUNEAU FROM
 NOME, INFERIOR TRIP

Alaska Development Board, return ed aboard the steamer Alaska after an absence of more than month. He has been in Anchorage, Un- alakleet, Nome, Fairbanks, and Cor dova discussing problems of the territory with officials of these cities.
 Sundborg attended the conference of Chamber of Commerce repreS- entatives from all parts of Alaska while in Anchorage. Main issue f concerned the water transportation problem in the discussions which involved the Territory as whole. He will offer a report on the con- ference to the local Chamber of Commerce as soon as copies of the resolutions which were adopted at the Anchorage meet have been received. Sundborg said these reso- lutions were adopted with the in- tention of transmitting them on to the various Chambers through out the Territory for their fur ther consideration and approval.
 Sundborg spent ten days in Nome conferring on the flood damage to the city last fall It is estimated that the damage ran in the neigh borhood of half a million dollars with loss of two lives. He brought time of the flood showing the ex- time of the floow showing the ex- tent of the wreckage suffered along the main streets of the city. He said that the people of Nome are seriously concerned over the pre- carious situation and the poSsibili- ty of re-occurrence is constant worry.
 Sundborg revealed that opinion is about equally divided in Nome as to whether the entire city should be moved back about three miles distance from the present vulner- able site CT a breakwater be con- structed offshore to offer protection to the waterfront area of the city. He is leaving for Seattle sometime in January to confer with Col. l.. H. Hewitt, district engineer, on the advisability of such an undertak- i,1n Gn1 TJoyuitf ic in nl1o n river and harbor construction in Alaska. Estimated cost of the pro- posed breakwater for Nome is be- tween half million to three mill lion dollars. While the Federal Government will provide one third of the construction cost the prob lem of raising the remaining funds required has not been solved. Sund- borg said that there is much doubt as to whether the breakwater would be a satisfactory protection since the shoreline around Nome is un- dergoing constant erosion and the water is gradually pushing further into the city. He said that the Federal Building, built in Nome during 1897. has sunk almost two feet. Since the ground at Nome is permanently frozen, construction is one of the main headaches asiSe from the storm havoc threat.
 Sundborg also stated that he spent his Thanksgiving with Char lie Traeger and his nephew, Fred Machetariz, in Unalakleet. Ma chetariz, who has won fame as an artist-photographer and author, is now preparing an illustrated book on Alaska for the Development Board and Sundborg discussed the material and ideas with the author during the visit.
 He said that Cordova has made a fine comeback as an industrial center in the past few years by development of the fishing indus try. Several new cold storage plants and clam and crab canner- ies are now in operation. By utilizing the different seasons on the fisherman's calendar, Cordova has been able to operate full shifts throughout ten months of the year.
 Sundborg spent five days in Cor dova awaiting plane transportation. He said the airfield at Cordova is in bad condition from ice and snow and planes would not risk landing.