water or sea wall be erected par
allel to the beach east of the jetty
and extending from the jetty to
the eastern limits of the City. The
material he has recommended is
principally rock which is avail
able locally. Complete details of
construction and materials neces
sary, would no doubt be submitted
by him, if same were requested
by the City. He has already sub
mitted an estimated cost of $150
per lineal foot of breakwater or
sea wall. As the distance from the
jetty to the eastern limits of the
City of approximately 6,000 feet,
the total estimated cost would be
approximately $900,000. Despite
the fact that his figure is of alarm
ing proportions, it is insignificant
compared with the losses sustained
by the City and property owners,
since the business section of the
City was rebuilt after the disas
trous fire of 1934.
No detailed accounting is avail
able covering losses by storm and
erosion sustained since that year.
^ However, from newspaper memo-r
anda, City tax rolls and other
other sources, the following fig
ures have been compiled, which
we believe to be substantially cor
rect. Due to storm during 1935 all
the buildings in the area compris
ing 2500 fet of frontage on the!
south side of Front Street and re
corded on City tax roll as Block 8,
9, 10 and 11 were demolished or
moved off, and the lots rendered
useless as building sites. Building
and property loss and damages to
bulkhead and buildings in other
parts of the City were reported at
$450,000 for that year. In the'
years following, damage and loss
from major storms were sustained
as follows: 1937—$350,000; 1942—
$450,000; 1945—$550,00 and 1946—
$500,000.
% In the meantime, minor storms!
continually eroded away the pro-'
tecting beach and did damage to
defenses, which apparently went
unrecorded, but when added, swell
the total to approximately $3,000,-1
000.
During this period between 1934
and 1946 approximately $250,000 j
was expended on beach log, tim-1
ber, plank, steel piling, sand filled
barrels and other types of bulk- i
heads. These bulkheads were de
signed and caused to be built by
individual property owners at
their own expense and varied ac
cording to the ideas and affluence
of the property owner. Their
weakness somewhat reflected the
I
attitude of their designers. They
so different from each other that
they did not present a united front
against the sea. However, the con
* tinuous erosion so undermined
these defenses that they are no
longer considered adequate, even
by their designers.
If sufficient concern, foresight
and planning had ben exercised
eleven years ago, ^lome would not
be in the precarious position it is
today. True, the erosion of the
beach was in its early stages and
it is doubtful whether anyone had
knowledge that it was taking place
^ at that time; it may be recalled
however, by some of our older
members, that a lusty group of
taxpayers and property owners,
some of whom were from the south j
side of the street, did, during the;
reallocation of property after the
fire in 1934, agitate, argue and
otherwise strive to convince their j
burned out fellows that all pri- j
vately owned real estate south of
the old street be released to permit
’ an engineered sea wall, ^artificial
beach or breakwater to be built
k adjacent to and a part of Front
•Street in the burned-off area. This
move was, needless to say, unsuc
cessful, due to the refusal of the
south side property owners to co*
operate, who preferred to battle
the sea by themselves. They have
made a great fight, but after ten
years and at a loss of approximate
$2,000,000, admit their preserva
tion depends upon the building of
the sea wall.
This is not a criticism of our
south side property owners. They
had many good reasons for want
ing to retain their property. First,
the area is thawed ground and be
ing so, made possible the building
of basements on permanent foun
dations, also because of being
thawed, it afforded drainage and
modern sanitary conveniences.
Our fellow townsmen of the south
side have built fine buildings and
in each, business is being conduct
ed that is indispensible, a credit
to our City. In this area our City
Hall is located. At present prices
of material and labor, the build
ings in this area would cost $1,
000,000 and if abandoned to the
sea, these buildings could not be
duplicated with their valuable
basement storage and drainage fa
cilities elsewhere in the City of
Nome, as the cost of preparing
frozen ground to accommodate
them would be prohibitive. The
business houses in this area, store
large stocks of goods and mer
chandise which is essential to the
needs of our City and this totals
a $750,000 valuation. Thousands of
dollars in services are dispensed
here also.
The foregoing story of the past
should be an object lesson nad we
hope that we will be guided ac
cordingly, because of the fact that
in 1934 we overlooked planning
for the future, we should immedi
ately begain action on the plan of
Colonel Hewitt and aggressively
seek aid from the Federal Govern
ment to the end that the breakwa
ter will be built.
To show the amount of property
value that is sure to be wiped out
in the next few years unless this
breakwater is built:
Valuation of business section on
the south side of Front Street al
ready shown to be $1,000,000; bus
iness section, including Federal
Building on the north side of the
street, an equal amount; Streets,
Power Plant and Power Lines,
Fire Mains and other public prop
erty, another Million Dollars,
making approximately a total of
$3,0000,000.
The following shows possible
reclamation:
Of the 4,445 feet of frontage lost, I
1,945 feet was rendered untenable
for buildings during the storms of
1946. It was in this area that the;
greatest loss occurred. Severe
damage to Power Plant and Power
Lines; Fire Mains; Buildings de-1
molished, and two lives lost. These1
utilities are now exposed and are
threatened to be completely de
stroyed. These installations would
be preserved and the whole area
reclaimed which would accommo
date $750,000 additional building.1
The remaining approximate!
2,500 feet of frontage extending to1
the east limit of Nome was render- J
cd untenable by previous storms
and erosion. If reclaiming by a,
breakwater would make available
home sites with thawed ground j
for permanent foundations and,
modern sewage possibilities, a rea-;
sonable estimate of potential value
of such buildings, this area would |
accommodate is $500,000.
In addition the small boat har- j
bor and jetties, which according j
to competent engineers contribute
to the erosion action of the water,
are adjacent to the City and form
the west end of the area affected
by erosion. At the present rate of
erosion, this instalaltion will not
be secure unles protected by a
breakwater, which in this instance i
would serve a duel purpose, as it,
would provide a convenient place j
for the disposal of sediment being
dug from the bottom of the Har- j
bor, where it continually accumu-j
lates.
A summary of the foregoing
data reveals the following:
Busines property value of build
ings, goods, merchandise in the
threatened area heretofore shown
1 to be $4,500,000, to which may be
added real estate to be reclaimed
with potential accommodation for
building sites in the amount of
$1,500,000.
Your Committee suggests that
the Chamber abandon all other
projects, in favor of the building
of a breakwater or sea wall anil
encourage the City Council to
comply with Colonel Hewitt’s plan
as outlined above.
Further, that a committee be
appointed to meet with the City
Council for the purpose of draft
ing a letter to Colonel Hewitt, in
forming him that the City has
elected to go ahead with the break
water or seta wall project and
must have financial aid and for
this reason, request Colonel Hew
itt to do all in his power to imme
diately have the Beach Erosion
Board begin the investigation so
that the Federal Government will
realize their responsibility and ex
CITY COUNCIL HELD
MEETING MONDAY
The Nome City Council held its
regular meeting last Monday at
the City Hall.
Mr. Harper presented a report
prepared by his committee of the
Chamber of Commerce on the
necessity of a breakwater or sea
wall. The report was endorsed by
the council.
The resignation of Guy Mish
was received and Wilfred Boucher
was appointed in his place. The
resignation of Carl Anderson was
pend the necessary funds for the
building of adequate protection of
the City of Nome.
H. F. Harper,
Committee Chairman.
Dated at Nome, Alaska,
January 13, 1947.
received but no appointment was
made.
A discussion was held concern
emergency existing in relation to
a wing being added to the school.
The school is now crowded to ca
pacity and 56 more children are
expected in a couple of months
when the Alaska Native Service
school will be closed and con
demned.
The City Clerk reported that
she had written a letter to the
Boy Scouts thanking them for
their effort in making numbers
for the houses in Nome and prais
ing them for their civic interest.
They were aho asked to submit a
bill for their work.
A discussion was seld concern
ng the changing of closing hours
for liquor stores and bars but n»
action was taken.
Be Wise—Nugget Advertise
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