THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday. Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome. Alaska
Telephone: Main 125 P. O. Box 618
W. A. and EMILY BOUCHER .Editors
*1.50 PER MONTH $16.00 A YEAR
Entered as second class matter October 14. 1943. at the postoffice
at Nome. Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Wednesday, April 28, 1948.
SHORE PROTECTION WORK AT NOME, ALASKA
In the matter of Nome's sea-wall project, Mr.
George A. Dondero, of the House Committee on
Public Works, submitted the following report:
The Committee on Public Works, to whom was re
ferred the bill (H.R. 6228) to provide for the con
struction of shore protection works at the town of
Nome, Alaska, having considered the same, report
favorably there on without amendment and recom
mend that the bill do pass.
Mr. Dondero further explains the situation at
Nome, stating—it is on the northern shore of Norton
Sound, an arm of the Bering Sea which lies between
this United States Territory and lands of the Union
of Soviet Socialist Republics. It is situated 2,28B
nautical miles from Seattle and 581 miles north of
Dutch Harbor, Alaska. It is the only settlement of
any size in northwest Alaska, and it is the commer
cial, communication, transportation, and ' govern
mental center of the coastal area of about 147,000
square miles comprising the second judicial divi
sion of Alaska. The tributary area had a population
of 11,877 in 1940, of which 1,559 resided in Nome,
the only incorporated city in the area and the only
place in the entire northwest coastal region of Al-i
aska having facilities for civilized life.
Mr. Dondero's report contained a passage about
the storms which strike Nome frequently in the
late summer and fall months. He states—The re
sulting storm waves attack and erode the sandy
beach, and cause extensive damage to buildings
and facilities in the immediate vicinity of the shore, j
Damages estimated at $1,750,000 were caused by |
five storms occurring since 1935. Two lives were lost j
in the storms of 1946. Damage has been consider- j
able for the reason many buildings at Nome havej
been built immediately adjacent to the beach in
order to obtain basements and sanitary facilities.
The district engineer reports that a rock sea wall
about 3,350 feet long would be the most practical
plan for protection of the area east of the existing
jetties, and that the estimated cost for construction
would be $1,875,000, and $25,000 annually for main
tenance. Annual charges are estimated as $130,400
and annual benefits as $145,800, which give a bene
fit-cost ratio of 1.12.
The Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors
recognizes the strategic nature of the Territory; that
there is undoubtedly a considerable Federal inter
est in its preservation, growth, and welfare; and
that the evaluation of this feature may well justify
the project.
The Chief Engineer reports that—
Based upon considerations normally given to,
projects within the United States, I find and report j
that the proposed shore-protection improvements!
do not meet the criteria of economic justification.1
Nome, however, is one of the most northerly out-1
posts of the United States and the sole supply center
for an area embracing northwest Alaska. The im
portance of Nome as such justifies careful consid
eration of Federal participation in the cost of works
for the protection of this locality from recurring
storm damages.
He recommends that the Congres give full con
sideration to the fact that Nome is a far northerly
outpost and as such may warrant special treat
ment.
The Secretary of the Army reports that the bene
fits from providing protective works at Nome, would
accrue to the Federal Government, the town of
Nome, and private interests. In addition to the direct
A FINE ITALIAN BOOT I
damage to land and buildings, storms affect, to some
extent, the economic stability and security of this
supply base serving the whole of northwest Alaska.
Nome is the only supply center for that large area,
and any major loss to its economy would be felt
by the mining and trapping interests dependent on
Nome for supply and communication facilities as
well as by the military installations that likewise
are served through Nome. The Federal Building
and land, valued at $668,000 is in the direct line of
attack by storms. A bulkhead built to protect this
building was destroyed in 1946 and has since been
reconstructed by the public Buildings Administra
tion.
The Secretary of the Army recommends that, if
Congress deems it advisable to authorize this pro
ject, that local interests be required to furnish with
out cost to the United States, the necessary lands,
easements, rights-of-way, and quarry rights; ac
complish without expense to the United States al
terations as may be required in utility facilities;
agree to hold and save the United States free from
any claims for damages that may result-from the
construction of the project; and agree to maintain
the works after completion. This recommendation
is adopted in the bill as reported.
The Secretary of the Air Force reports that Nome
is considered an important station in the chain of
installations contemplated for the defense of Al
aska, and this station is the only Air Force base in
over 1,000 miles of coast line on the Bering Sea from
which operations may be conducted. In addition to
air operations it is proposed to use Nome in their
radar and long-range warning system in Alaska.
In order to maintain the Air Force station at Nome,
it is necessary that port facilities be maintained.
The Assistant Secretary of the Interior reports:
I am in accord with the views expressed by the
War Department's proposed report. The passage of
this measure is in the national interest for not only
would it promote the economic well-being and de
velopment of Nome, but it would also protect Fed
eral prbperty and form a more stable base for mili
tary installations in that area.
It was developed during the hearings on the bill
that Federal investments in air installations near
Nome probably exceed $10,000,OCX); that taxable
and non-taxable property in Nome is appraised
at over $6,000,000; and that Russia is only 160 miles
distant from this area.
Mr. Dondero's Committee considered this project
on the basis of its value in the interest of national
defense in the light of the reports of the Secretary
of the Army, the Secretary of the Air Force, and the
Assistant Secretary of the Interior,.
The text of the original bill (H.R. 2865) to provide
a seawall or other form of shore protection at the
town of Nome, Alaska — begins as follows:—
“That the following work
of improvement is here
by adopted and author
ized, to be prosecuted un
der the direction of the
Secretary of War and
supervision of the Chief
of Engineers, the cost
thereof to be paid from
appropriations hereafter
made for improvement of
rivers and harbors: Con
struction of a sea wall
or other form of shore pro
tection at the town of
Nome, Alaska.
It goes on to give the
position, relative import
ance, and th£ proximity
of military installations--"
In addition to the foregoing re
port on the sea-wall, the City
of Nome has received reports from
Carl Lomen, who is in Washing
ton, D.C., trying to secure an ap
propriation for a sea-wall for
Nome.
Common Council of Nome,
Nome, Alaska.
Gentlemen:
“I arrived in Washington Jan.
25. Realizing as I did that there
are hundreds of beach erosion
projects in the United States, and
that there would be no opportun
ity of securing aid from the Fed
eral Government because of beach
erosion only, I attempted to se
cure from the Army, statements
to the effect that Nome was im
portant in the picture of national
defense, and for that reason alone
was entitled to the protection
asked for, not alone to save the
town, but to save the entrance to
the river and the harbor facil
ities.
General Gruenther, who is
Director of the Joint Staff of the
Army and who was with General
Eisenhower in Nome last summer,
advised me that the matter of
the importance of Nome was a
matter affecting the Air Corps
directly. Later I consulted with
’Generay Gaffney, whom you all
know, General Streett, who led
the Black Wolf Squadron to Nome
in 1920 and who is now a Major
General, and also Major General
Partridge. I was assured that
Nome was important.
“There are many steps neces
sary to be taken. First, a report
from the Rivers and Harbors
Board; following their report, a
report from the Chief of Engin
eers wes necessary; the Chief of
Engineers forwarded the Rivers
and Harbors Board report, to
gether with his own, to the Sec
retary of the Army, Mr. Royall,
through the legislative Liaison Of
ficer of the Army.
“'Before all these steps were
taken, Grant Jackson' arrived and
we worked together every day
and all day for weeks. —
*fBy this time Frank Whaley
af Nome arrived in Washington
and was one of our very import
ant witnesses. General Gaffney
testified, also Col. W. S. Moore,
l who was the local member of
the Rivers and Harbors Board,
and also Congressman Fred Craw
ford, who was one of our guests
in Nome last summer.
“We then requested Congress
man Angell of Oregon, Chairman
of the Rivers and Harbors Sub
Committee of the House Public
Works Committee, to hold hear
ings on our bill H.R. 2805. Hear