The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-01-16
Alaska.

An Indianapolis Journal reporter re
Gently interviewed Mr.. John VI. Morton,
who recently returned from a heightened
absence in Alaska, where he was officially
connected with the islands OF ST Paul and
St George-two of the Aleutian group
and in regard to those islands, the inhab
tants and their principal occupations, Mr..
Morton SAYS:
The population of the island Of st.
Paul is about 240 natives. and that OF st.
George 100. There are not more than
1900 people upon the entire Aleutian
group, and those who live upon the two
Islands named are unquesionably much
better OF and in higher condition OF
civilization than any Of their nelghbors.
There has been a marked improve
nlent in their condition during the last
seven wears. When the contract of the
United States government came into ex-
istence these people lived in mud tents,
partly dug out, while these miserable
dwellings had no ventilation whatever
Under the conditions of the lease the
company is compelled 10 do certain things
for the Inhabitants of the islands; bIt
.hey have done more than was required
OF them. All the men are employed iii
the seal fisheries, which occupy less than
two months in the year. They drive the
seals in shore, Kill ana skin them, and
salt and otherwise prepare the skins for
shipment to San Francisco. For this
work, which rarely lasts more than about
six weeks, each man receives 500 or
$500, and all the rest of the year they
have nothing in the world TO do. The
company are also compelled TO furnish
The people with fuel, salt fish for the win
ter, and sufficient salt in barrels with
which they may preserve the flesh OF the
seal for winter consumption, this being
their principal article of diet.
They need not spend much for dress,
as they can obtain plenty of sealskin
clothing; but as Il matter of fact some of
them do buy very fine clothes, and dress
in quite stylish fashions. Some men l
know have as much as $4,000 in ne saw
ings banks at San Francisco; and there
are 10 class Of laborers getting more
money with less work than these Aient
engaged in the seal fishery. The com
pany provides a school eight months in
the year, and has built each family
comfortable frame house, thus betteTing
thcir condition to very great extent.
One stipulation Of the lease is that not
lmore than 100000 seals shall be killed in
any one year. This present year the full
number has been killed, but in 1876 and
f677"only $4,000 seals were caught each
year, the reason being that the price Of
seal skins had become somewhat reduced.
This year both the demand and the
price improved. There is no danger of
killing off the seals under the system
at present adopted, as care is taken
TO catch only the young males from
2 to years Of age. They never kill a
female seal, nor yet an old male, and as
there are several million seals around
these two iSiands-more than in all other
parts of the world combined-the repro
duction is more than enough to perpetu-
ate the stock.
The company pays to the government
may be said to represent about all that
Alaska contributes to the United States.
The rest Of the country, which is of vast
extent, covering 100000 square miles, is
practically unproductive; but in time the
spruce, pine, and yellow cedar timber
upon the mainland will become valuable,
and it is probable that extensive mineral
resources will be deveioped; their exist
ence in some localities is already known
The temperature on the island where |
reside is not of such extreme cold as in
other parts Of Alaska. Last winter was
the coolest have known, and the ther-
mometer was never more than % degrees
below zero. Strong winds and frequent
storms prevail, however, ten months out
Of the twelve, and this makes the weather
much colder than would otherwise be the
case. The two months OF summer, June
and July, are usually wet, but that is the
only time Of the year when there are no
wind storms.