THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
NOME, ALASKA
£ P. BOUCHER .'. Managing Editor
CLINTON GRAY . Production Manager
Telephone: Main 125 $1.50 PER MONTH
P.O. Box 618 $16.00 A YEAR
Entered as second class matter October 14. 1943 at the
postoffice «t Nome. Alaska, under Act of March 3. 1879
Need for a Property Tax
iFairbanks News-Miner)
A few years ago a property tax law was passed by the Alaska
legislature. This law, which was written in a manner that excluded
property within corporate city limits, public utility districts or school
districts from its tax provisions, was designed to levy a small annual
tax on homesteads, large mining claims and other property in Alaska’s
wilderness.
Subsequently, this law was repealed by another legislature and,
in our opinion, this action was tragic. Let’s look for a moment at what
is happening to Alaska because of the lack of any type of taxation
on large land holders and mining claim holders:
Out on Steel Creek road, the operator of a children's home wanted
to build a new access road to his house. His present road was so steep
cars could scarcely negotiate it in winter. There was a perfect route
■to the main road passing over property adjacent to his. But, when he
tried to get permission from his next door property owner to build
this road, he found this man was a former serviceman who had home
steaded a large block of property in 1946, and had then vanished
from the territory.
This man simply tied up a large piece of Alaska property, then
returned to his home state, apparently with no immediate intention
of doing anything with the land. No permission to put a road over an
edge of the property could be obtained because the address of this
homesteader was unknown !
Down near Knik, there are large stands of birch that could be
the foundation for an industry in Alaska. Homesteaders, sensing the
value of these trees, promptly claimed most of the stand. Today, a
person flying over the area can scarcely see the cabins these people
built to fulfill homestead requirements. After obtaining patents on
the land, the majority of these homesteaders abandoned the property
and the tiny cabins they built. This valuable resource is now “tide up’’
and nothing in the way of developing it by private industry is possible.
All over Alaska, the same story will be found. Mining concerns
patent large claims which they have no intention of working for
years, in many cases. People get a “yen” to homestead, claim hundreds
of acres of land under G1 provisions which make this possible in as
little as six, months, then abandon the land, but keep ownership so
nobody else can use it. Some of Alaska’s finest land is tied up and
worthless because of#the lack of property taxes and property regis
tration.
It is essential for proper development of the territory that a small
property tax be levied on these large blocks of property which are
tied up in homesteads or mining claims. The tax need not be large.
But some means must be provided for the territory to reclaim land
which has been settled, then abandoned by a homesteader. Such a tax
would require property registration, and land which is owned by
someone who has left the territory would eventually be returned to
public domain and be subject to transfer to new ownership.
If Alaska does not make some provision to see that its land is
properly settled and developed, a day will cdme when large blocks
of the finest property available are lying idle, under negligent owner
ship, while people who are genuinely interested in developing such
resources will be unable to obtain suitable property.
A bill has been drafted which would create a school-district-at
large, encompassing all the areas in Alaska not incorporated in
school distriqfs at present, and placing a tax for school purposes on
such property. This bill would effectively end the abuses of home
stead and'fhining claim laws which now exist.
The bill was introduced in the last session of the legislature but
not passed. We earnestly hope the next session of the legislature sees
■fit to pass this measure—or a similar measure.
Stassen Says Nixon on GOP Ticket
Would Detract Millions of Votes
-
Motor Vehicle
Accidents Up
28% From 1955
By the Teriitorial Police Dept.
JUNEAU—Following is a sum
mary of the rural traffic accidents
in Alaska for April, May and
June 1956. Information is ob
tained thru reports submitted by
participants and the investigation
reports of territorial police offi
cers.
This information is compiled
for the purpose of evaluating the
trends, causes and extent of mo
tor vehicle accidents in the rural
areas of the territory.
1. During this three-month per
iod, 377 motor vehicle accidents
were reported. This is an increase
of 28 percent in the number of
accidents during a similar period
in 1955.
2. One hundred seventy-one
persons were injured and six per
sons were killed in motor vehicle
accidents. This is an increase of
55 percent in the severity of in
jury accidents, but a decrease of
about 30 percent in the number of
persons killed, as ‘compared with
a similar period last year.
3. The leading causes of rural
accidents, in the order of their
frequency, were:
a. Speed in excess of the post
ed limit, and speed too fast for
the conditions of the roadway.
b. Failure to yield the right
of way.
c. Following too closely.
Speeding violations were pre
dominant in a majoriy of the acci
dents investigated.
BING CROSBY. PHIL HARRIS
FISHING IN ALASKA WATERS
CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C., I*—j
Actor Bing Crosby, with his son j
Leslie and band leadbr Phil Har
ris, visited here Monday after
their yacht, the Polaris, docked at
April Point on Quadra Island.
The Polaris left later in the day
on its fishing cruise thru upcoast
waters
MASTERPIECE’
CHRISTMAS CARD
ALBUMS
now at the
POLAR CURIO SHOP
> WASHINGTON, 0P>— H a r o 1 d
Stassen said yesterday Vice Presi
dent Nixon’s name on the Repub
lican ticket “will detract, millions
of votes from the very broad pop
ularity of the President.”
Stassen reported he would
“continue to forthrightly express
my views” that Massachusetts
Gov. Christian Herter would be a
better running mate for President
Eisenhower.
Stassen spoke out before a
crowded luncheon at the National
Press Club a few hours before
meeting with Eisenhower at the
White House. He arranged to call
on the President to make arrange
ments for an aide to take over his
disarmament duties during a four
weeks’ leave of absence granted
him Monday by Eisenhower.
Stassen’s claim that Nixop
would cost "millions of votes" to
the Republicans constituted his
bluntest criticism yet of the vide
president.
“No one has denied that <Her
ter) is a man of greater experi
ence and proven ability and is
not a controversial figure and will
not detract from the President’s
vote.”
Defying the storm of criticism
aimed at him since launching his
Herter boom eight days ago, Stas
sen said he “in all humility" had
this message for the Republican
leaders:
“Punish me if you wish. I ex
pected it and am ready for it.”
The former Minnesota governor
did not elaborate on this point
but he noted “the heaviest bar
rage of high-level criticism" that
was hurled at him was subsided.
Twelve Residents of
Nursing Home Perish
In Blazing Death Trap
PUXICO, Mo., UP>— A fast
spreading fire engulfed a nursing
home “like paper" late Monday
night, turning it into a blazing
death trap for 12 of the 13 resi
dents.
Most of the victims, all from
Puxico or nearby towns, were
trapped in or beside their beds.
Nine were from 72 to 91 years old.
Only Mrs. Charity Frederick, a
77-year-old mental patient from
Poplar Bluff, escaped. She was
pulled to safety by two men who
scrambled up to the roof of the
front porch and smashed a win
dow of her second floor room.
The fire chief and a highway j
patrolman found a hole burned I
in the ceiling above a sofa on the
first floor. They theorized that a
smoldering cigaret had fallen on
the sofa.
----
EVANGELISTS BERTHA BLAIR and NORMA GARLAND
YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND
REVIVAL
Assembly of God Church
Beginning Tuesday, July 31
Nightly Except Mondays, 7:30 pan.
SONGS THAT INSPIRE!
SERMONS THAT STIR!
SPECIAL — Boyi' and Girl*' Half-Hour
7 p.in. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
Miss Harriet Brown, Pastor
Boy, 13, Disqualifies for
Soap Box Derby, Then
Dies of Lung Cancer
VALPARAISO, Ind., (4V—Doug
Hoback won’t be in the starting
lineup of the annual Soap Box
Derby at Akron. Ohio, August 12.
Lung cancer killed the 13-year
old youth and also the dream of
his lifetime.
Death came Sunday in a Valpa
raiso hospital, just 24 hours after
he had failed to qualify for the
Akron race in regional finals at
Gary, Ind.
Hoback’s racer veered into a
curb and put him out of the race.
He watched the remainder of the
race from a wheelchair after
treatment for minor injuries.
A day later his cancer condition
took a turn for the worse and he
was taken to the hospital where
he died.
In the regional finals at Gary
Saturday, Doug was so weak he
had to be lifted in and out of his
racer.
The diamond was credited with
magic properties long before it
was considered as a stone for
wedding or engagement rings.
*LOSE A
POUND
A DAY...
FOR 14 DAYS
WITHOUT SUFFERING HUNGER
PANGS OR LOSS OF ENERGY!
To reduce we must eat less
(fewer calories) and when we
do, we may feel the uncomfort
able, almost painful pangs of
hunger. We may also become
nervous and irritable because of
the lack of sufficient vitamins and
minerals in a restricted diet. With
Kessamin Tablets, Formula # 14,
and the Kessamin Reducing Plan
this can never happen!
SEE WHAT THE KESSAMIN
REDUCING PLAN OFFERS!
1. A reducing diet (The Kessamin
Booklet) prepared by a physician
and a dietician to give best possible
diet.
2 Vitamins to prevent deficiencies
which cause nervousness, irritability
and that tired, dragged-out feeling.
Also supplemental minerals and iron
to help prevent nutritional anemia.
3. Vitamins plus the bulk. Carboxy
Methylcellulose. to stimulate normal
intestinal elimination.
4. The “hunger control" factor, Car
boxy Methylcellulose. to reduce hun
ger if taken according to directions.
•See your druggist. The complete
Kessamin Reducing Plan is in every
package of Kessamin Tablets. For
mula #14' THE KESSAMIN RE
DUCING PLAN IS GUARANTEED
TO TAKE OFF A POUND A DAY
FOR 14 DAYS OR YOUR MONEY
BACK! TRY IT!
McKESSONS
KESSAMIN
TABLETS |
(Not for
Glandular Obotity)
Nome Drug Store