THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome, Alaska
Telephone: Main 125 P:0. Box 618
W. A. and EMILY BOUCHER .Editors
S1.50 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.
Monday, July 5, 1948
THE FOURTH OF JULY
THE FOURTH OF JULY is a patriotic American holi
day, annually observed by the people of the
United States in commemoration of the occasion
172 years ago today when their forefathers declared
their intention to become free citizens in a sovereign
nation.
It was a way of life much sought after by those
who made it possible, subsequently to attain that
end, and in spite of the terrific hardships, has been
maintained by their children, and their children's
children.
It was not the mere separation from the British
crown which made the revolution, it was the true
achievement of a freedom of a people to rule them
selves. An ambition which inspired those hardy
individuals to make a Declaration of Independence
and a subsequent breaking of ties to a foreign
power.
It can be noted, if one reads the history books,
new nations are constantly being formed; some
are being annexed to larger nations; some break
ing away. The changes are continuing, and will
do so until the world is no more. People, (not the
rulers) are constantly striving for a better way of
life. Some are even ambitious enough to fight for it.
It was indeed a revelation to the world when the
American peoples achieved a goal, a desire for free
dom which is as old as life itself, to rule themselves
by laws and regulations made entirely by them
selves.
It seems strange that more peoples of the earth
have not been willing to change their present
way of life, which they cannot help but know, would
indeed be an improvement. Ambition seems to be
lacking in the main. Many however, have achieved
their goal by coming to America, the Land of the
Free.
It is the belief of many statesmen that the Peo
ple of the United States of America, are to a great
extent, the only people ever to attain, a true free
dom. The one guiding thought in that light is the
coming to America of the few people who have
learned of the true nature of the American quality;
of freedom, have come to America to learn more1
about it, then decide it is for them, —they stay.
Although these people write volumes home about
their new-found land of plenty, and freedom, the
mere reading about some strange land does not
necessarily affect the majority of people ,as they
do not have the vision necessary to see, through
written pages, the true picture of freedom in Amer
ica.
These people, foreigners, we call them, are no
different than Americans are today. We are be
coming indifferent to freedom, in that we have had
it for so long it has grown on us, and we do not
realize there can be anything else. That is an en
tirely erroneous idea. The American freedom can
be lost if we do not keep ourselves prepared to de
fend it against all odds.
The answer is obvious. We must sacrifice now for
peace so there will not be the mortal sacrifice in
war.
Today we are commemorating an important
event in our history. Observance of the anniver
sary of that original declaration of American free
dom, today is of vital importance. It should remind
us that the freedom we continue to enjoy, has had
its price in the blood of American youtn. Remem
t
•UIOWW LWHT_
ber, it is the only such freedom in the entire world
and we must work to maintain it.
All the peoples of the world deserve and most
of them desire freedom. We must continue to keep
our light shining in a turbulent world.
SEATTLE GROUP GIVES NOME
SPECIAL MENTION
SEATTLE'S "GOOD WILL" concert tour of Alaska
worked both ways, as the enthusiastic Univer
sity of Washington Men's Glee Club returned to
Seattle by PAA clipper.
Sent by the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and
many businessmen of Alaska to promote good will
for the city of Seattle within the Territory, the tour
resulted in fostering better understanding of Al
aska's problems among the group of prominent
University students, according to Dean Charles W.
Lawrence ,director of the group said.
"We found Alaskans are the most hospitable peo
ple in the world," said the dean. "Everywhere we
went they were most receptive to our music—and
very charming hosts besides!"
Typical of the reception they received in all of
the cities, was their visit to Nome. Flying to this city
by PAA clipper from Fairbanks, the pilot of the
plane took them out over the Bering Sea ice fields
where the Alaska Steamship Company's motor
ship lumper Hitch was stuck, trying for a week to
bring supplies to Nome. Sightseeing through the
town, including a trip to one of the largest gold
dredges, was followed by an elaborate dinner pre
sented by the civic leaders of that city.
The NOME NUGGET summarizing the thoughts
of Alaskans throughout the Territory wrote editor
ially:
Nome is indeed grateful to the City of Seattle
and many Alaska businessmen who made it pos
sible for the Territory to hear the University of Wash
ington Glee Club.It is a gracious and neigh
borly gesture of good will.....
In celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the gold
rush to Alaska, the businessmen of Seattle were
aware that something should be done, and laid
plans for a grand celebration in Seattle during the
summer.
But on second thought came forth with the idea
that Alaskans could not participate fully during
their busiest season, so evolved the idea of sending
the Glee Club on a tour of Alaska.
Again Seattle, we thank you."
We can only say that if Seattle can be proud of
its "gift to Alaska" in the Glee Club tour, that Alas
kans can feel satisfied that their hospitality was
more than equal to the occasion, as acknowledged
by Seattle.
Polar Bear Costs
$5,000 Per Ton
Says Bank Exec.
By Ben Funk
DENVER, — </P) —Shooting a
2,000-pound Alaskan bear is a
tremendous thrill, two Colorado
sportsmen testified today, but
don’t get any ideas about trying
it yourself, dear reader.
Don’t that is, unless y(0’re in
the higher income tax brackets and
can stand lots of excitement. For
it will cost you plenty of money—
and maybe your life.
You can shoot bears right here
in the Rocky Mountain region—if
you’re satisfied with a measly an
imal of 400 or 600 pounds. You
might even bag a grizzly weighing
up to 1,000 pounds.
But the lifetime ambition of
Kenneth King, Denver banker, and
Herb Hollister, a Boulder, Colo.,
radio executive and businessman,
was to get a crack at the really
big boys of the Alaska regions.
They satisfied that desire re
cently—and sacrificed big chunks
of their bankrolls.
King returned from Alaska with
the hide of a one-ton polar bear.
The trip cost him “slightly less
than $5,000,” he reported rue
fully. and he had two brushes
with death near the Arctic Circle.
Hollister came back from the
far north with a 2,000-pound Ko
diak bear, the biggest carnivorous
animal in the world.
It was a splendid trophy but
Hollister said sadly that he was
out about $3,000 and he’ll be nicked
another grand by the taxidermist
who is mounting the specimen.
King’s first narrow escape oc
curred north of Point Barrow,
when a plane he had chartered
was closed in by fog. His eskimo
pilot managed to get the plane
down on an icepack after finding
a hole in the fog blanket just be
fore he ran out of gas. They were
rescued after 12 hours on the ice.
Later, near Anchorage, King
got a shot at a Kodiak bear. The
animal was hit in the neck just
as it dived into a channel. The
current carried it down stream
and King and his pilot attempted
to take off and fly downstream
to retrieve the trophy.
The plane struck a sand bar,
sideswiped a tree about 20 feet
off the ground and crashed up
side down. “Only our safety belts
saved us,” King recalls.
The banker shot his polar bear
while hunting with a party of
Eskimos.
SAGA OF THE
“CLOBBERED
TURKEY”ENDED
^Continued from Page One)
trudged over the treacherous tun
dra to locate and pick up the body.
The natives wrapped and car
ried the body back the seven
miles to where Cross had his plane.
From there, Cross flew the body
to Kotzebue, Alaska.
Inclement weather prevented the
immediate transportation of the
body to Nome, until on Friday, 2
July. A young pilot for Wien Al
aska Airlines, Dick King, flew to
Kotzebue and returned the body
to Nome in his Norseman plane.
Thus ended the final chapter
in the rescue and recovery of men
who lost their lives in the per
formance of their duties, endeavor
ing to lend aid and comfort to
their downed companions.