The Nome Nugget

WHO CARRIES THE LOAD?

(Contributed)

The City of Nome stands in a unique position among Alaskan cities. It is the only incorporated municipality of the first class in all of Northwestern Alaska. It is the communications, supply, transportation, court, law enforcement, and hotel facility center for a tremendous land area, and has enjoyed this position for many years.

With Statehood and an anticipated 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 communications, supply, and other aspects of municipal 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 headquartered 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 community 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 government 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 organization must scrape to gather the funds needed to send its President to another Alaskan city to represent 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 Chamber 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 Commerce, with a much needed and appreciated assist from the city government, that made some effort, though unsuccessful, to hold this important service for the community. No funds were available to retain counsel in Washington, D. C. to represent Nome, and a written statement was all this community had to rely upon in this important decision.

Trump Card for Recognition of Nome

For one reason or another some people do not like the Chamber of Commerce. It is not a requirement of success that everyone like the Chamber, for, as a tax collector, it is not expected that it will always be liked. But, like it or not, it is the one recognized businessmen's and individual's trump card in gaining recognition for Nome outside of the city as to its basic needs, problems, and desires. It is the one agency recognized 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 interests 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, undermanned 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 representative to the forthcoming road policy and planning meeting for all Alaska.

Nomeites had better get on the ball -- or on the boat!