THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
NOME, ALASKA
Telephone Main 125 $1.50 PER MONTH
P.O. Box 610 $16.00 A YEAR
E. P. BOUCHER . Managing Ediior
CLINTON GRAY . Production Manager
Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943, at the
post office at Nome, Alaska, under Act of March 3, 1879.
Subscribers not receiving their paper by 5:30 p.m. call
Main 125 for special delivery. After 5:30 call Black 102.
THE SMALL SIZED BOTTLE HASN’T HELPED MUCH
Those Good Old Days
ALL OF US periodically yearn for the alleged “good
old days” when, for example, you could buy a
pound of meat for a mere 40 cents. We look at present
prices and shake our heads somberly.
But the truth is that these “good old days”
weren’t as rose-colored, financial speaking, as fallible
memory would have it. It’s true that the dollar-and
cents price of meat is much higher than in past time.
But when you apply the most accurate measuring
stick — the amount of time we have to work to earn
enough money to buy something — it’s actually far
lower.
Here’s the simple statistical story. The average
breadwinner of 40 years ago had to work more than 51
minutes to make enough money to buy a pound of
pork. Now he has to work only about one-third
as long.
The same thing’s true of the most popular meat,
beef. Back in 1919 the average worker toiled 4214
minutes to buy a pound of it. Now he can earn the
necessary wherewithal in less than 23 minutes.
What this meari§ is that despite inflation, the cost
of meat has not risen as rapidly as the average family
purchasing power. That can be chalked to constantly
improving methods of production, marketing, and
retailing. These keep meat prices measured in terms
of purchasing power, at a bargain level.
_ !_.— -
GRASSROOTS OPINION
From the Marion, Iowa, Sentinel — “One of the
trends in newspaper work that is regarded with grow
ing fear is the tendency of government officials to deny
the public information. This goes from the township
to the national level. Newspapers, radio and TV
stations are fighting this with everything at their
command. The most flagrant cases are in Washing
ton, where bureaucrats decide what the American
people are entitled to know. Newspapers have no
quarrel with suppression of news concerning national
safety. But this is carried far into other fields. There
is only one basis on which to go. The public is entitled
to every fact about every governmental operation,
outside of national safety.”
Alaska Cities League Reports on Bonds,
‘Free Port’ Plans, City Utility Progress
from the League of Alaskan Cities*
Free Ports
A report showing how “free
ports” or foreign trade zones
might -be established by coastal
communities in Alaska has been
compiled by Senators Bartlett and
Gruening and Representative Riv
I ers in response to inquiries from
several Alaskan cities.
According to the report, there
are only four such foreign trade
zones in the other 48 states —
at New York, New Orleans, San
Francisco and Seattle. Department
of Commerce officials, interested
in the establishment of a foreign
trade zone in Alaska, indicated
that they would not be “pre
cluded from” considering a pro
posal for (additional) sub-zones in
Alaska. The Alaska Congressmen
suggested coordination of individ
ual efforts in a study of such pos
sibilities. In the list of those al
ready expressing interest many
prominent Alaskan names were in
cluded, among them State Sena
tor John A. McNees of Nome.
News of Alaskan Cities
In Seward an affectionate and
heartwarming tribute was paid
Fire Chief Fred Kelcheski on the
occasion of his retirement follow
ing 30 years of service to his city.
Sitka voters approved a $100,000
bond issue for matching funds for
a small boat harbor April 21, by
a vote of 365 to 69.
Fairbanks electors, by a vote
of 465 to 81, approved the issuing
of $7.5 million in revenue bonds
this summer. The major part of
the issue — $6.2 million — will
be used to refund bonds issued in
1943 and 1954. The lower and
more favorable interest rates an
ticipated on the new bond issue
is expected to result in a 10 per
cent reduction in utility rates. The
remaining $1.3 million of the auth
orized bond issue will be used for
improving and extending the elec
tric, telephone and steam systems.
“Want to be a capitalist?” the
Cordova Times asks its readers.
“Here is a chance to invest in some
bonds — Cordova Public Utility
Bonds, in denominations of $100,
$500 or $1,000, and carrying five
per cent interest. When next the
Utility bill is sent out. inside will
be a questionaire slip asking how
many subscribers would buy. The
purpose is to see how much of
the needed funds for a new, mod
ern telephone system can be
raised locally, and how much will
have to be sold through banks or
finance houses.
Placement of the City of Ju
neau’s $1,487,000 water bond issue
at rates varying from 3W> to 4 Vi:
_
WHY WORRY?
CALL US
and RELAX!
Residence: Main 52
Office: Black 76
ARCTIC OIL
DELIVERY
>
'per cent with an average of 4.32
per cent interest was reported at
a recent council meeting. The
exact total of the bond issue will
be determined in August after
contracts have been let, so that
the city will not be obliged to
sell unnecessary bonds.
The Village of Fort Yukon, in
corporated last winter as a com
munity of approximately 600 per
sons, voted 78 to 16 in favor of a
two per cent sales tax late in
April. Members of the fourth class
city council are Rev. Walter Han
num, chairman; Rev. Oliver Mar
son, Hann^T Solomon, Mardo Sol
omon and Isaac Field.
The Ketchikan Public Utilities
Board was disbanded and its man
ager position cancelled by action
of the Ketchikan Council May 6
in the passage of an ordinance
which brings municipal utilities
under the control of the council.
The accounting system for the
utilities is being continued in
effect. Mayor J. E. Winston ob
served that coordination of public
utility and general government op
erations would aid a better-in
formed council in considering uti
lity expenditures, extensions and
improvements; permit joint use
of equipment for utilities and gen
eral government operations; great
er harmony and savings in joint
planning for utilities and
streets, employe salaries ' and
fringe benefits. It is claimed that
Ketchikan has the lowest utility
rate charges in Alaska, and that
these charges are well under the
national average.
Soviets Charge
Harbor Blast Cover
For H-Bomb Test
LONDON, Wt—The Soviet Navy
paper Sovetsky Flot has accused
the United States of planning a
“camouflaged test” of hydrogen
bombs under the guise of building
a seaport in Alaska.
The paper quoted American
press reports that the U. S. Atomic
Energy Commission intends to ex
plode five H-bombs in construct
ing a port near Cape Thompson,
about 175 miles from the Soviet
frontier.
Sovetsky Flot, as quoted by
Moscow Radio, said Cape Thomp
son is almost uninhabited, and
has no need for a port.
The explosion of these bombs
will be nothing but "a camouflaged
test of thermonuclear weapons,”
the paper declared.
GLUE POT
Soda Fountain
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TOBACCO
CANDY
FRESH ICE CREAM
EVERY DAY
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And Saving Begins With a Plan at the
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NOME, ALASKA
WE WILL BUILD HOME WITH YOU
HEY, GANG . . .
The BERING SEA Has
The Big gest . . . The Best
GIANT BURGER
In Town!
IFs 1/4-Ponnd Choice Beef
y
★ P - L - U - S ★
French Fries or Potato Salad
★ P - L - U - S ★
Lettuce and Tomatoes
★ p - l - u - s ★
Relish and Onions
★ P - L - U - S *
Mustard -- Ketchup - Mayonnaise
Priced at Only . . 76 cents
6 for §4 TO GO !
— Phone RED 148 —