THE NOME NUGGET
VOLUMK 24. No. 7. NOME. ALASKA SATURDAY, FRIIRUARY 17, l»2». 0.-tiv«rod by C^r,.r or Ma.l«d $1 00 per Month
COL.MEARS SUCCEEDED 8Y STEESE
ENGLAND WRUNG TO WITHDRAW NED TROOPS
SEC. FALL TRANSFERS
MEARSTO 9TH AREA
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17—Plans, worked out between the De
partments of the Interior and War, have reoeultod In the removal of Col.
Hears from the combined duties of operating the Alaska Railroad and
construction of roads and trails in Alaska.
Colonel Me&rs, prm-n't chief of the Engineering CommiRKion in
Alaska, 1a relieved from his duties, his service to terminate during the
month of May.
Major James G. Steese, now chief of the Alaska Road Commission
1b directed to take over the work of Colonel Means. Colonel Mears is as
signed to duty with the Engineers of the 9th Corps Area.
According to a statement made by Secretary Fall there “8s nothing
to the change except ordinary routine and the object to save money "
GOTWALS TO ACT WITH STEESE IN’ ALASKA
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17—Major John G. Gotwals has boon appoint
•d vice chairman under Colonel James G. Steese. He will act as Chair
Man and Chief Engineer of the Alaska Engineering Commission.
Wherever possible th*» two field forces of the Alaska Engineering
Qommission and Alaska Road Commission, of which Steese is also presi
dent, are to be consolidated.
HBCTRKTAKV O FWAIt ANI> OONGRIXSMKN TO TOUR ALASKA
WASHINGTON. Feb. 17—Secretary of Wiir Weeks, announoxl
that he has arranged for a Congressional tour from New York to Alaska
via the Panama Canal. The Secretary haa invited members of the Ap
propriations Committee. Sub Committees of Military Affairs of both
Houses to accompany him on a tour of inspection of all mKWtary posts
between New York and Alaska.
He frankly states that he does not think that members of congress
know enough about the canal or property under the army jurisdiction in
Alaska and that the way foT them to learn t«* to visit these places. He
proposes to make siyta knowledge easy for itihem to obtain and to this
end the Secretary has arranged for the Army Transport St. Mitafcd to
leave New York about April 15tk.
BRITAIN REFUSES FRANCK’S REQUEST TO CROSS
LONDON, Fob. 17—The latest French British Conference ended
abruptly In agreement, with the British refusing France permission to
run her troop trains thru the Cologne areas, which are in the British oc
cupational zone.
WILL WITHDRAW TROOPS IF FRANCK REQUESTS
LONDON, Feb. 17—Bonar Law told Letroquer. the French Minis
ter, that England will withdraw her troops from the Rhine If France re
quest* such action.
According to this mornings newspapers there 4s a real danger In
SonaectUm with British troop withdrawal and If such action Is carried oat
fit asm be followed by active Russian intervention.
GRONKHITK WILL STARTLE COUNTRY WITH STATEMENTS
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17—Revelations which "will shock the
sonsdeaoe of the country" were promised last night by Major General
C Ida kbits iu his first public statement, regarding tbe controversy sur
rounding his recent enforced retirement from the active army roll.
FOREIGN DIPLOMATS MAY DISREGARD VOLSTEAD LAW'
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17—Foreign diplomats In Washhagton have
full immunity from prosecution as regards InftozftaUng liquors. Secretary
Hughes declared In a letter to the House Judiciary Committee.
LIFE SAVING SERVICE PREVENTS LOSS OP LIFE
8EATTLE, Feb. 17—The Nika, Hantarla, OooJeha and Tuscan
Prince, four freighters, are reported wrecked and all a total loss. An
Srfican and Canadian Life Saving Services prevented lose of a single life
VETERAN ARRESTED POSSESSING MORPHINE IN HOME
SEATTLE, Feb. 17—David John Taylor, an overseas veteran, was
arrested by Federal Narcotic Agents. Discovery was made of twelve
ounces of morphine In hM home.
IRREGULARS ASK FOR MONTH TRUCK
DUBLIN, Feb. 17—An association of neutral members of tbe Irish
lfcgrabHcaa army, representing 20.000 members, last night forwarded
to the Free Stats leaders and hands ot the Republican movement, pro
pofols for a trues for oaa month. Dazing this period opportunity would
to given for suhmhslon of peace nsg nils then
N. W. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ACTIVITIES
BRIHG CONCRETE RESULTS FOR ROME.
COAL THE VITAL ISSUE.
Monday evening at 6:30 o'clock (
the annual dinner and election of \
officers of the Northwester^ Oham- I
ber of Commerce was held at the I
BahXke Restaurant with over 40 en ,
thnsiast'-ic participants.
The meeting and dinner was j
presided over by President Ralph i
Lumen, who introduced the various j
speakers and outlined the program !
After the excellent dinner was 1
enjoyed the members settled back
to enjoy their after dinner cigars
’and listened to the report of Secre
tary A. Pole! and the speeches
made by the various individuals re
presentatives of the industries and
' activities of Nome and Seward Pen
The burning quest ion of the
I evening—tfhe question that hue been
jnnd is now the main question of
,prognose fin Seward Peninsula.—•
l lie COAL SITUATION, was dwelt
upon by various speakers.
Two solutions were presented
' one toy G. A. Adams and the other
by R. Tuessant. Mr. Tuessant read
a im.por on the development of the
Nenana coal fields and the govern
ment’s plan to place boats and
barges on the Yukon as auxiliaries
to the government railroad. These
boats and barges will this summer
ply along the Yukon river, bringing
coal and other freight to St. Michael
at a greatly reduced cost of 'trans
portation. With Nome but one
hundred and ten miles distant from
St. Michael It ia deemed the oppor
tune time to induce the govern
ment to extend its shipping activi
ties to this port via St. Michael.
Sea going: barges and tugs can no
doubt be obtained thru government ,
activity and enable this community I
of Nome to obtain a supply of first
daea coal at a price that will en
able prospecting and mining to pro-i
ceed at a rate impossible hereto-1
G. A. Adams stated that he was
advised thru a letter to Marshal
Griffith from James H. Maguire of
Kotzebue as to obtaining sufficient
quantities of coal for Nome from
the coal fields of Waiinwright.
Following is the letter:
Kotzebue, Alaska. Jan. 6. 1923
Mr. M. W. GRIFFITH.
U. S. Marshal, Nome, Alaska.
Replying to your letter of Novem
ber 28 last with Inquiry concerning
deposits of available coal along the
Arctic Coast, I beg to advise that
the Bureau of Education has for
several years past used Wainwright,
Alaska coal, at a number of stations
along the coast with considerable
satisfaction.
Last flail we had a small shipment,
from Wain wright delivered to Noor
rik, on the Kobuk River for use in
the hospital furnace and range and
for use in the teachers’ residence.
I quite recently observed the effic
iency of this service and foond the
coal quite satisfactory.
Last winter on my northern tra
vel I placed an order for 100 tons
of WaJnwright coal for delivery at
Barrow. This coal was delivered
late in the fall and is now being
used at the Barrow school, which
institution has consumed Wa1n
v/righit coal for many years.
Concerning the source of the
Wain wright supply, can say from
personal knowledge that there is
an immense deposit o fooal all along
the Northern coast which same
appears on the surface In many
placet. The location of the Waln
a right supply Is on a lagoon or in
let about 16 mile* from the vtUace.
The Wainwright Co-operative store, i
native Eskimo Concern—under
Bureau of Education supervision
ope rules the mine. The coal is
carried by wow, dory, whaleboat or
seine such craft to the Wainwright
beach and stored there until trans
portation to stations is available. |
for delivery on th< beach of 2,000 1
on*- hundred pound sacks at seventy
As i expect to be at Wainwright
their* to get out additional coal ton
nage in anticipation of a possible
Nome market.
If at any time 1 can be of service
to you dn the matter of fuel supply
or of anything e’.ae for the good and
welfare of the people generally,
please consider me at your service
Most sincerely yours,
JAMBS H. MAGUIRE.
Su.pt. Northwestern District.
Tn both of these solutions trans
portation is the crut of tho sitwn
t;on and it Bs believed that relief
will have to come thru government
Intervention as the existing steam
ship companies maintain a prohibi
tive rate, one that wiflil uot cheapen
the coat to our community. When
the government completes the Nome
Snake River Harbor barges and
boats will b** able to land their
cargoes cheaply and safely, a con
dition which at the present time
does hot obtain.
Mr. G. R. Jackson, of the Miners
Merchants Brnk, speaking for
Wainwright coal stated that Wafoi
v;right is essentially a Seward Pen
insula integrant and money spent
in developing that coal field would
redound to the interest of the entire
Seward Peninsula. Money spent at
home circulates and builds up the
community, whereas money sent to
the outside or other sections of Al
aska. deprives this community of
its legitimate revenues and benefits.
As to the quality of the coal, experts
state that Wainwright coal is infer
ior to none in Alaska.
('digested Mail *1 IInaJakI«*et.
Postmaster John Hegness stated
that at the present time there is a
congestion of mail at Unalakleet
and that efTort is being made to I
hove the Department authorise a '
special carrier to distribute the ac
cumulated matter. Regarding the
fire along the Railroad Mr. Hegness
stated he had been advised that
very little mall for Seward Penin
sula was destroyed.
Officers Reelected.
Election of officers for *th© new
year was hold, resulting with the
former Incumbents being held fOT
the new year, wtfth the exceptton
of the resignation of T. Lehmann,
his office as one of the directors
being filled by J. J. Hamlyn.
The personnel of 1923 Is:
Palph Lomen.President
R. B. Julian.Vice-Pres.
A. PoJet.Secretary
O. S. Weaver.Treasurer
Geo. Schofield. .National Councellor
The Board of Directors consists of:
J J. Hamlyn. J. J. Keenan, W. J.
Rowe. John Hegness. Wm. Webb.
The report of Treasurer O. S.
Weaver shows that the Chamber Is
hi a satisfactory financial condition
Secy. Polet Renders Annual RrfMirt.
Following is the exhaustive and
comprehensive yearly report of the
Secretary, A. Polet of the Chamber
t>f Commerce:
Nome. Feb. 12. 1923.
ro the president, officers and mem
bers of Northwestern Alaataa Cham
her of Commerce, Norn*-. Ala.ska:
Yout secretary heps to submit
this following report for the year
Another year has passed into hls
ttory and in the net results Nome
prospered. As we go into 1923 let
us resolve to do all we can, as well
and then we can feel we are giving
our good home city exactly what
The threshold of the new year is a
good time to take stock of oursel
ves. How much of the good will
Cood will is a stock and trade
f< r business, why not. for indfvb'
nals and organizations. Inventory
comes to every firm, why not to men*
cities and nations?
Wo are in the midst of far roach
itg industrial, social and commer
cial change, present and future
business and ronnnunity problejm
can only he solved' by careful study
and aotyve co-operation.
Outfit »Vv&id* in tne fiture will be
in direct proportion to the good will
we have bniR into ourselves, our
will Ik- in exact ratio to the ser
what degree of enthusiasm we have
entered into all of the activities
directly benefit ting our community.
There was a time when a Cham
A Chamber of Commerce should,
be fully informed on every phase of
sympathetic touch with the needs
and aspirations of the people, it
should in fact be the very backbone
of the community and the sponsor
of every constructive effort. Thu
Chamber of Commerce should be
gather, to build up civic pride and.
keep alive that unselfish spirit
NOME REPRESENTATIVES
ARRIVE AT NENANA
In a telegram to the Nugget dated Nenana Feb. 16-th, John Wilson
and Chas. Brown state that they arrived at Nenana Feb. 15th, twenty four
days from Nome, having made the run from Ruby in six days. Rev. Bald
win of Nome, also arrived at Nenana on the same day. The Nome part}
will leave on Fob. 20th.
FORMER NOME AXll IDITAROD RANKER DIFS IN SEATTLE
SEATTLE, Feb. 17 — Charles Ross, President of the Miners and
Merchants Bank of Iditarod, died luere and his funeral was held yester
day. Mr. Roes was formerly of Nome, where he was for many years
connected with the Scheid Machine Shop.
BRITISHER WANTS TO T.AX AMERICAN TOURISTS
LONDON, Feb. 17—Chancellor of the Exchequer Baldwin de
clined to entertain the proposal made in the House of Commons by Henry
Lo rimer for a tax upon American citizens visiting the United Kingdom.
MINERS THRU OUT FRANCE INAUGURATE GENERAL STRIKE
PARIS, Feb. 17—Miners thruout France walked out in a general
strike yestreday. It is reported that Conununitrts precipitated the
walkout.
LAW REFUSES PERMIT BUT OFFERS EXCHANGE OF ZONES
LONDON, Feb. 17—It is reported that at the conference with the
French representative® Bonar Law refused to permit French occupational
troops to pass thru the British zone of Cologne, but offered to transfer to
the French a small section of the zone to complete the French control.
SEVERE WEATHER CLAIMS HEAVY DEATH TOLL
CHICAGO, Feb. 17—The deaths, due to the severe storm which
swept the region from the Rockies to the Mississippi, number 25. Pneu
monia claimed an additional 24 Mves in Chicago alone yesterday.
SOUTHERN VESSELS IN DISTRESS
NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 17—The Coast Guard Service is unable to
locate the freighter Monceeisio and the schooner Friendship, which were
reported In distress off this coast yesterday.
RESIGNATION OF FORBES ACCEPTED BY HARDING
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17—The resignation of Forbes, Director of
the Vetemas Bureau, has been accepted by President Harding and will
become effective February 28th.