Oldest Newspaper in Alaska. ' Member of Tlie Assoeialed Press •
DEVOTED TO THE BUILDING OF A BETTER NOME AND THE SECOND DIVISION. -
-t • " _. ■ \ ~ '
NOME IS THE STRATEGIC WORLD FLIGHT AIR BASE—ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR COMMERCIAL AND MILITARY AVIATION
THE NOME DAILY NUGGET
VOLUME 35. No. 123. NOME, ALASKA. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1934 , Per Copy: 10 Cents.
* 1 • - . v ■ ■ *■ , „ «. '■ 1 ■ ,y - ■
Data Now Being Prepared For Nome P. W. A. Loans
“Veterans Of New Kind Of War”
0 . } •
. 1 4 . , . 4
HOUSE FAVORS, SENATE DIVIDED ON BONUS
_ _•-fc—.
BEFORE TWO MILLION DOLLAR FIRE DESTROYED ALASKAN CITY
The business section of Nome as it looked prioi to being swept es which csused an est.m t:d damage ot *21000.000 and left v(r- ,
tually the entire town in ruins. Hundreds were rendered homeless wit temperatures near the freezing point (Asses.at.d Press Photo
DETAILS FOR PWA LOAN
APPLICATION ARE NOW
BEING PREPARED HERE
B. D. Stewart, Territorial Mining Engineer, who was
assigned to work under the Federal Emergency Relief Ad
ministration, Nome Committee, is now actively engaged in
preparing details and data preparatory to the filling of an
application to the Public Works Administration, for funds
to rehabilitate the functions of the City of Nome.
At present he is working on details of the Federal proper
ty to be used in consideration of the construction of a new
Federal building in Nome, replacing the several buildings
destroyed in the fire. Authorities in Washington require
information and data concerning street grades, geological
information concerning the character of the ground itself;
the same information concerning surrounding land; climate,
and many other details which have to be considered be
fore defiriite plans for construction of a federal building are
made and approved.
During the past two weeks Mr. Stewart has been com
pleting the survey of the townsite of Nome, that portion in
the burned area. His work has entailed the correction in
some instances of lines and central starting points, not check
ed since the city was first laid out.
The streets in the burned area have been widened and
filled in, necessitating the running of new lines and the de
claration of property turned over to the city for the pur
pose of public highways, and streets. Property owners in
the burned area and other places have assisted materially in
making it possible for the widening and straightening of
these streets. However, the engineering details attached
become complex when such data must be registered on a
- plat of the city.
Almost all available maps of the City of Nome were de
stroyed and Mr. Stewart is now completing a new map. of
the City on the scale of fifty feet to the inch, which will be
used, henceforth as the official plat.
Under application by a municipality to the Public
Works Administration, a huge amount of detailed informa
tion is required to be furnished concerning all of the phases
of new construction, types of projects, their approval and
also any contentions of disapproval.
A circular issued by the Federal Emergency Adminis-1
tration of Public Works outlines the information required
and are under seven main heads, as follows:
General Instructions; the manner in which the applica
tion shall be made out. ,
I Summarized General Information; the details about
the community such as name when organized, population, 1
etc.
The Loan Requested; includes the amount, type of secur-1
ity, period of the loan, and corresponding information. ,
(Continued on Page Four) |<
PRESIDENT INSPECTS
BIG TENNESSEE VALLEY
FEDERAL POWER SITES
(By The Associated Press)
NASHVILLE, Nov. 17 — President Roosevelt arrived
here from Knoxville to visit the home of Andrew Jackson,
former President of the United States, and lay a wreath on
the tomb of another Tennessee President, James K. Polk, on
the statehouse grounds. -' *___■
Huge Crowds were held back by ropes while national
guardsmen prevented any but those wearing official badges
to get into the train shed, when the special arrived.
The President is continuing his tour of the “American
Ruhr” with a smile of boyish enthusiasm, as he found eager
men at work throughout the Tennesse Valley development.
They are carving into a reality a project which he en
visioned two years ago. as a pattern labratory for future
America.
Unrestrained cheers greeted him on every turn. Late
yesterday at Norris Dam, the President told listeners:
“All of you working here and all throughout the Tenn
essee Valley who are working on the remainder of this
great program, some day will be known as veterans. You
will be known as veterans of a new kind of war, the kind
that is going to improve conditions for millions and millions
of our fellow citizens.”_
-J— .- —
Survey Taken On “
Bonus Question
(By The Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, A sur
vey by the Associated Press of the
congressional sentiment shows that
the House is overwhelmingly in fav
or of a cash payment of the bonus.
The fate of any such legislation
rests with the Senate which is ev
enly divided among those who an
swered the questions put to them.
Two Blows Head
Killed Little Girl
NASHVILLE, Nov. 16, Officials
*ere disclosed that Dorothy Ann
Distelhurst, met death by two blows
>n the head. Part of the body was
iestroyed by acid in an effort to
prevent identification. The funeral
tt the little girl took place today.
'■■■ II I I. .. .
‘ • I
Italy And Germany
Now In Conference
(By The Associated Press)
ROME, Nov. 16, A swing in Italian
sentiment may result from the pend
ing conference between Mussolini
and Schuschnigg of Germany, who
arrived here today from Berlin.
Some observers believe that Muss
olini wishes to regain the balance
of power in continental Europe,
particularly as between France and
Germany.
Bulgaria Cannot
Pay Foreign Debt
(By The Associated Press)
SOFIA, Bulgaria, Nov. 16, Bulgar
ia today decided to cancel payment
on her huge foreign debt and will
ask creditors to make a study of her
financial position.
NUNIVAK ISLANDERS
ARE DESCRIBED IN A
SPECIAL LIFE STORY
(Special Nugget Correspondence)
The native life at Nunivak Island can well be explain
ed by their paramount teaching, “for life existing don’t be
lazy and sleepy at the same time,” for these two together
spell disaster, says Paul Ivanoff of the island, Ivanoff has
consented to tell some of the customs of the island and about
the people there.
In order to have well-defined working seasons, he says
the natives have divided the year into seasons and moops..
The latter starting with January, which is known as “oppos
ite of moons;” February, “mother of rivers;” March, “month
of seals”; April, “month of fowls”; May, “bird month”; June,
“young bird”; July, “leaving auks”; August, “leaving of puf
fins”; September, “running of nose”; October, “freezing of
lake”; November, freezing of sea”; and December is again
“opposite of moons”.
Their seasons correspond to ours, and during the first
one of the year, winter, the regular annual feast is given. At
this, the messenger feast, new kyaks, dishes, parkas, hunt
ing gear, and needs for every day life are made. At the
same time the young men and women of the island are
taught their physical, mental, and spiritual duties. Fur
trapping is going on during these winter months.
When spring comes everyone is preparing to leave the
winter hunting grounds for the spring grounds to procure
seal skins, ugruk, or big seals, walrus, and game birds. Dur
ing this time, strict attention fs paid to hunting, and hunting
alone, for one day of neglect might mean some family’s suf
fering from hunger.
It is during the spring hunting; that/a kind of contest,
with ceremonial, takes place. It isttoe rule that no family
may use their new dishes and clothes-made in the winter
until the father of the family kills a large seal, or ugruk.
The first man to kill one comes ashore and unloads his kill.
He drags the animal on to the ice, dons his hunting outfit,
and waves a symbol flag, running toward the village with it.
Anyone seeing the flag, which is a sign of victory, shouts,
“Symbol Flag,” with all his might. The young children of
the village run to meet him, the first to arrive obtaining the
largest piece of meat, and the last, the smallest.
When the hunter is recognized, his wife takes a bath
and puts on her new clothes. The hunter taps the four cor
ners of the skylight window at the Kazim, which is the
men’s Community House, anci utters his compliments to the
Spirit. Then with his wife and sled he goes out to bring in
the catch. The entire village is out of doors to watch the
ceremony. After the animal is brought in, the wife of the
hunter hands out to the “spirit man” a strip of oil and meat
for his inauguration with lighted lights in the kazim. She
Sings the humer’s ancient family song while he is blowing
the bladder to be dried and hung above his place in the ka
zim.
When summer comes, all new kyaks, clothes, and dishes
are put away, and anything old that is still wearable or us
able is pressed into use for summer living, which is all out of
doors. Every member of every family is busy getting and
drying fish. The women are out berry picking and putting
away pre-cooked dok leaves, which are sour and grow on
the tundra. They also dig celery roots, wild parsnips,
plant roots, and sedge roots. Sea foods such as mussels,
clams, sea anemones, herring eggs and the contents of §ea
shells are cooked and stored for winter use. Young willow
leaves and other plant leaves are put away in oil and placed
in seal pokes, also for winter use. The very serious and in
dustrial nature of the natives on Nunivak can be seen from
their adage that “one small smelt dried and put away is
more than mountains of plans not carried out.”
In the fall, although the occupations are much the same
as in spring and summer, more time is spent in seal netting
and the improvement of living quarters. Wood to burn in
the winter is put away, and a store of light fluffy dried grass
(Continued on Page Three}