The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-02-17
CIV1LIZ1NG alaska.
A statement of the Need of the MAJ
tives-AbOut Twenty Thousand
souls Wanting Missionaries ana
Teachers-NO Need of Troops.

The following are portions of a letter
which has been received at Washington
PORTLAND, Oregon, Jan %, 1915
Dedr Sir In September last, 1874,
called together at Fort Urangel meeting
OF the chiefs and leading heads of families
who were assembled for trade and other
pursuits connected with transportation TO
the Cassisiar, by way of the Stickeen river.
Al the meeting, from what Appropriated
by various reports from all the accessible
sources, l infer that the native aboriginal
inhabitants were about 10000 souls. ex
tending to "a 40 min. to Unaaska most
~ settled in villages along the Shores upon
Islands, estuaries, etc.. in localities best
adapted to their special pursuits, fishing,
hunting, fur trading, etc. The chiefs and
others present at the meeting purported to
represent about 5000 souls. They volun-
teered the offer that if teachers, ministers,
&c., were sent to instruct them they would
build churches and school houses at their
own cost and labor, which they arc compe
tent to do, as they are all expert in og
architecture on primitive principles. They
have long been enviOus of their neighbors
on the British side of the line, at Fort
Simpson, known as the Meta Katla uibe.
who have advanced in civilized habits and
education by the efforts of the English
Protestant mis- sionaries, quite up to the
standard of the older Christian commune
ties of the seacoasts. They haze church,
school house, etc, all erected by Indian
labor, and now have native pastors and
school teachers severaly minsteriug to
them. The assembled chiefs requested me
to prepare petition for them to the great
father at Washington, to which they at
tached their signs manual, asking for min
listers and school teachers to he sent among
them. This petition was placed in the
hands of Major M. p. Berry, collector of
Sitka, and suppose has reached the presi-
dent before now.
If government and missionary aid is ex-
tended toward the people for ciyiizing
purposes it should be in form somewhat
modified from the formula now in use by
the Indian department. There should be
no attempt made to aggregate them on re-
servations nor to change their pursuits. but
only toincrease their industries. They have
already utilized the climate and Topography
by the selection of village sites, where fur
trading, fishing, hunting, ETC., can be most
advantageously conducted. All the troops
might, under such circumstances. be with
drawn from Sitka, and revenue to cruise
along the coast, calling from time to time
al the several village stations. as the British
now have the service on their side of the
line among the same people, would keep
smuggling in better check than now, re-
strict the whisky traffic by the coasting
schooners now in the business, and insure
good order, equal or better that at present.
The two companies of artillery at Sitka
have no influence mile beyond their pa
rade ground, and so far as exertlng a police
influence over the territory, they would be
equally effective 5000 miles distant.
Yours respectfully,
JOHN A. CARR.
Dep'y Col. at Urangel Alaska Ter.
To Hon. f. p. Smith, com'r of Indian af-
fairs, Washington, d. C.