CARRIES THE LOAD?
(Contributed)
THE CITY OF NOME stands in a
unique position among Alaskan ci
ties. It is the only incorporated muni
cipality of the first class in all of North
western Alaska. It is the communica
tions, supply, transportation, court, law
enforcement, and hotel facility center for a tre
mendous land area, and has enjoyed this position
for many years. With Statehood and an antici
pated influx of population into many areas of
Alaska, it is possible that Nome’s position could
change and that other areas of Northwestern
Alaska will take on increased importance in com
munications, supply, and other aspects of muni
cipal endeavor.
Point of Decision
However, regardless of progress elsewhere,
Nome stands today at a point of decision for the
future. It has many natural advantages for its
development. Since the city has been the center
of court and law enforcement for this area for
many years, and facilities are available in Nome
for the continuation of such, it may be assumed
that these services will continue to be headquar
tered here. As a supply base for a wide area, and
a transportation center, airport, steamship and
lighterage facilities are more adequate in Nome
than in any other sector of the State which the
city serves, Nome has, but perhaps for a limited
time, the only permanent payroll in this vast area
geared to support a local population upon a local
industry. The city enjoys international historical
renown, and the name “Nome” is synonymous in
the minds of most Americans with Alaska, gold,
goldrush days, and Eskimos.
Yet, with all these natural advantages, the
city, one of the few remaining in Alaska with
oldtime Alaska charm, finds itself fighting to hold
its own in a modern and advancing world. This
fight was a reality under Territorial status and
continues with Statehood, but our weapons are
stronger now if we will use them. Facts indicate
they have not been well used in the past.
Future Resources May be Lost
In recent years Nome has lost its District
Land Office, its area headquarters for the Bureau
of Public Roads, its only Nome-Seattle direct
airline connection, its local Armed Forces Radio
Service outlet, to list a few of many. In the
future it is possible that other major activities
and resources of the community may be lost or
transferred to other parts of Alaska, and this
type of change has already been suggested by the
Public Administration Service to the forthcoming
State Legislature. And in the face of this, who
carries the load in Nome?
Mostly a small and diligent group of com
munity workers with faith in the future, who
meet every Monday to attempt to face and solve
the community’s growing problems. This small
group, rarely more than twelve, gives amply of
its time, effort and limited funds. It is the only
organization in the city, except for the city gov
ernment itself, whose functions lie elsewhere, that
has the position, authority and recognition to gain
the ear and confidence of important officials and
persons of other areas to present Nome’s case.
Recognized and Heeded Voice
This organization, and any city worth its salt
in the United States has one, is known as the
Chamber of Commerce. For all its importance
as a recognized and heeded voice by others of
the needs and desires of this community, it gets
little or no support from a major portion of the
citizens of this city. Homeowners, businessmen,
individuals and companies with substantial and
life-work investments in Nome give it no time or
assistance. The officers and Board of this organi
zation must scrape to gather the funds needed to
send its President to another Alaskan city to rep
resent Nome in a forthcoming meeting which will
set and determine basic policy and planning for
the future Alaska road program, and which may
mean sink or swim to Nome, its roads, and its
future development. Yet, no real interest appears
in the community at large to help the small Cham
ber of Commerce group fight this all important
battle for roads or no roads in the years to come.
When the company operating Nome’s only
direct Seattle airline connection petitioned the
Civil Aeronautics Board for suspension of Nome
Fairbanks service, it was the Chamber of Com- j
merce, with a much needed and appreciated assist j
from the city government, that made some effort, I
though unsuccessful, to hold this important service j
for the community. No funds were available to j
retain counsel in Washington, D. C. to represent
Nome, and a written statement was all this com
munity had to rely upon in this important de
cision.
Trump Card for Recognition of Nome
For one reason or another some people do not j
like the Chamber of Commerce. It is not a re
quirement of success that everyone like the Cham i
ber, for, as a tax collector, it is not expected that j
it will always be liked. But, like it or not, it is I
the one recognized businessmen’s and individual j
resident’s trump card in gaining recognition for i
Nome outside of the city as to its basic needs,
problems, and desires. It is the one agency rec
ognized and influential elsewhere in the building
of the city’s commercial life.
Not every effort of any Chamber of Commerce
succeeds, and sometimes feelings are hurt, but
no Nomeite need run his finger too far over the [
map of Alaska to the East or Southeast to find ;
Alaskan cities with vital, vocal, financed, and
well supported Chambers of Commerce that are
boom communities and getting the cream from
the top.
The substantial and life-work financial in- j
terests existing in Nome today may be the empty ]
buildings of tomorrow.
No Interest Shown In Tourists
The tourist industry, with the advent of
Statehood, is about to smother Alaska, but Nome
is not interested beyond a struggling, earnest, un
dermanned and ill-supported tourist committee of
the Chamber of Commerce that has done a splendid
job with the little offered it with which to work.
The airline carrying the great majority of tourists
into Nome spends a few morning hours here, and
then overnights in another Alaskan town. No
interest is shown in a very possible and,lucrative
winter tourist industry.
Non-precious metal mining beckons in this
rich Seward Peninsula area, but few here will paste
a stamp on an envelope to invite outside capital.
Vital Route 97, upon which, in the opinion
of many, the future of Nome rests, is advancing
at the rate of six miles a year for 600 miles of
road, and the Chamber of Commerce struggles to
get the necessary funds to send a personal repre
sentative to the forthcoming road policy and plan
ning meeting for all Alaska.
Nomeites had better get on the ball — or on
the boat!
Horsing Around In
Vermont Hospital
ST. ALBANS, Vt., UP — The
patient walked rather awkwardly
through a corrider of Krebs Me
morial Hospital Wednesday, start
ling patients and employes.
In this case, the patient was a
5-year-old trotting horse named
H-Bomb, a $10,000 winner at har
ness meets last year.
The hospital agreed to X-ray
the horse because no veterinari
ans in the area had X-ray equip
ment.
Trainers had been treating the
horse for a calcium deposit built
up on the front leg, but they could
not determine the effectiveness
of the treatment without X-rays.
MOTHER DROPS DEAD ON
RETURN FROM SHOPPING
MILWAUKEE, (M — “Get help
— Mommy doesn’t answer me,’’
a childish voice pleaded.
A telephone operator checked
the source of the call and sent
police to the William Wickert
home where officers met two boys,
William, 7, and Daniel, 4.
William, who had made the call,
explained his mother had gone
shopping and on her return said
-P an t fell down.
Officers found Mrs. Lorraine
Wickert, 27, face down on the
living room, a bag of groceries on
a footstool beside her.
A medical examiner’s post-mor
tem revealed she died of a rheu
matic heart condition she had had
for several years.
\
"DO IT ALL
WITH ONE CALL"
★
Modern Laundry
AND
Dry Cleaners
★
Complete Dry Cleaning
and
Laundry Service
A
FOR PICK-UP — CALL
MAIN 113
A
Jim and Ruth McLean
Proprietors
Lutheran Synod President
Answers Call to Serve
As Pastor At Juneau
SEATTLE, Iff — Acceptance of
a call to the pastorate of Resur
rection Lutheran Church at Ju
neau has been announced by the
Rev. Dr. H. L. Steinhoff, president
of the Pacific synod, United Lu
theran Church of America. It is
effective July 1.
Dr. Steinhoff was pastor of Uni
versity Lutheran Church here 10
years prior to accepting the Pa
cific synod presidentcy nearly 11
years ago. He is completing his
second term in that office.
Harvard University
Receives $2 Millions
For Scholarships
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Iff — The
bread Harvard figuratively cast
on the waters many years ago has
been returned much more than a
thousand-fold.
President Nathan M. Pusey dis
closed last week that a former
student, who went through Har
vard courses on scholarships had
left the university two million
dollars.
The donor insisted on anony
mity.
The gift brought to 50 million
dollars funds for scholarships for
needy students.
Man ‘Frozen Stiff’
Has Good Chance
For Recovery
SAHJLT STE. MARIE, Mich., UP)
— Hospital attendants watched
carefully the condition of William
Korpie, 55, found “frozen stiff,”
in near-zero cold Friday.
War Memorial Hospital offi
cially listed his condition as
“poor.” However, Dr. William
Mertaugh, atending physician,
said Korpie had a fair chance to
recover.
Korpie was found unconscious
beside a road on Lake Huron’s
Drummond Island by state con
servation officers. Beside him lay
two open quarts of whisky.
Dr. Mertaugh said Korpie was
“stiff as a board” when he was
found. The conservation men said
he apparently had wandered onto
the side road and fallen asleep
after drinking. He had lain in the
cold an estimated 12 hours.
Korpie’s legs temperature was
39 degrees and “his hands and
feet felt like icicles,” Dr. Mer
taugh said.
Brought to the hospital at noon,
Korpie came to at 10:30 p.m., asked
for a cigarette and talked ration
ally, the hospital said He had re
gained some motion in his hands
and feet.
Success Usually Begins With Saving,
And Saving Begins With a Plan at the
MINERS & MERCHANTS
BANK OF ALASKA
NOME, ALASKA
" WE WILL BUILD NOME WITH'YOU
Guaranteed QUAKER
Dependable and
Fuel Service ziegler
OIL HEATERS
LP Gas STOVE PARTS
and Appliance* AND REPAIRS
Main 152 Main 152
DEAL WITH CONFIDENCE AT
Green’s City Fuel and Transfer
TO THE PEOPLE . . .
Who have their water delivered by bucket
TIRED...
OF CLEANING UP the mess
from spilled buckets ? ? ?
TIRED...
OF SLIPPERY STEPS ? ? ?
TIRED...
OF BUYING 12 BUCKETS
and still not getting your
tank filled ? ? ?
Wliy Not Try ...
OUR NEW
Small Bulk Pump Delivery Service
PIONEER WATER COMPANY
* MAIN 14 +