Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-01-12
CATTLE RAISING IN ALASKA.
The Country said to be Very Favor
able TO the Industry,


The Fort Benton Press is in correspond
cnce with Lieutenant Schwatka, the Arc
tic explorer, who recently made recon-
noissance of Alaska in the interest Of the
Government-in regard TO the project of
establishing cattle ranches on the Aleu-
tan Islands, a portion of the Territory of
Alaska. Lieutenant Schwatka is enthu-
siastic on the subject and thinks there is
no such cattle country in the world, as
every circumstance is favorable and every
element OF success in this business sup
Piled. Mr.. Tingley, OF Butte City, Mon
tana, who has visited nearly all portions
OF North America, is able TO confirm this
report from observation, and il he were
not in the beef business in Montana-a
stock country that he thinks is pretty
hard to improve upon-he would give
this enterprise serious consideration. We
CLEAN the following facts OF interest from
Lieutenant Schwatka's report on the is
lands, with reference to the advantages
to some company that will utilize them
as stock range:
The area of the Aleutian group is about
5000 square miles, and of this at least
1000 square miles is unexcelled pasture
land. The climate is almost tropical, the
lowest temperature recorded since 1880
being one degree above zero. In this re-
gard the British Isles, even, cannot com
pare with the Aleutian group.
The islands are covered with luxuriant
grasses, among the varieties being the
celebrated bunch grass, the most nutri-
tious of all. "Without going into any
scientific or even common classification OF
the grasses, 1" says the renowned explorer,
81 will say it is as luxuriant and of as
good quality as have ever seen in my
life, and twelve years OF that life has been
spent in close contact with the cattle in
terests OF Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado,
Montana and other great stock growing
districts. The domestic cattle belonging
to the seal company saw on Oonalaska
Island were in better condition than many
thousand carloads l have seen shipped
east from the plains"
The market for stock will be the Pa
cific coast OF North America and possibly
Asia. Cattle can be shipped from the
islands to San Francisco for $40 a head,
which is the cost of sending a steer from
our ranges to Chicago.
Lieutenant Schwatka suggests numer-
GUS advantages the cattle kings OF these
islands would have over the sovereign OF
the boundless plains. No fencing for
ranges are "girded by the sea-" the ma
tives are docile and friendly, and would
supply all the labor the company needed
at q nominal cost to round up would be
the work of a few days instead Of many
months prairie fires are unknown; cattle
pests, such as flies, mosquitoes, etc, are
swept away by the sea breezes. 1t is
proposed, if possible. to organize a COM
pany this winter to embark in the enter
prise next season. The Lieutenant is
willing TO take the management and
prove that the project is feasible and
profitable one. 1t looks like it ought to
be such, and we have no doubt that in
time not only these islands. but much Of
the Alaskan coast will become an impor.
tant stock growing region.