Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-25

Secretary Window. 1t is a very valuable
one, despite the heavy tax imposed by the
Government. In seven years the receipts of
the United States were over $5,OOO,O 900 from
this source alone The company that had
the contract during the last 20 years pro-
poses to bid for it again.
ESPECIAL TELEeRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.I
PHILADELPHIA, December 24.-The ad-
vertisement issued by Secretary Window
this afternoon, inviting proposals for the-ex-
elusive right to take fur seals upon the
islands of St. Paul and st. George, Alaska,
attracted widespread attention in business
circles in this city. The immense profits
which accrued from the fisheries Of the
Alaska Commercial Company during the
last 20 years make it probable that there
will be considerable competition among, the
capitalists Of the country to get the con-
tracts.
Secretary Windows advertisement calls
for sealed proposals for the exclusive right
to take fur seals upon those islands for 20
years from May 1, 1890, and stipulates that
the successful bidder will have to maintain
schools on each island six months Of each
year. pay the inhabitants for labor per-
formed, etc. The number Of seals to be
taken during the next year is limited to
so 900, and the Secretary is to determine the
number to be taken yearly thereafter.
A PROFITABLE MoNoPoLY.l
The Alaska Commercial Company have
had the sole monopoly of the Alaska seal
fisheries since the contracts were signed In
August, 1870. The provisions of the lease
read that the company should pay rental
to the Government of S55, 900 per year, with
revenue tax of 81 per skin taken during
the 20 years that the company had possession
of the fisheries. Since the lease went into
effect the royalty of 62H cents per head was
added, making total tax of 50 621<. The
number of sealskins captured can be esti-
mated when it is known that the total re-
ceipts of the Government during the period
from May, 1870, to June, 1887, amounted to
81, ,O09, ,065. The stockholders of the COM
panv have made great fortunes.
One Of the rumors circulated to-day
stated that the company had slaughtered so
many seals that the monopoly was not as
profitable as at first. To ascertain the truth
of this statement Captain Kohl, who holds
fifth interest in the monopoly, was inter-
viewed this evening. Captain Kohl lives
IN a luxurious suite Of rooms at the Con-
tinental Hotel.
TOO GOOD A THING TO GIVE UP.
"Does your company propose to submit a
proposal to Secretary Window. for a new
lease?" he was asked.
Certainly we do" Captain Kohl replied.
"0ur investments in the shape of houses,
churches and schools, which we have erected
at our own expense during the last 20
years, are too valuable to surrender without
trying for another lease. But the industry
Of obtaining the skins of fur seals is not
what it used to be. The fisheries suffer from
the extensive poaching which the British
vessels from Victoria are continually carry
ing on. The Government Of the United
States do not send anything but revenue
cutters into Alaskan waters. These vessels
are too small to be very formidable to the
poachers.
"Now on the Russian coasts the Canadians
meet with a very different reception. As
soon as the season opens for seal hunting.
several war vessels from the maritime sta
tions Of Siberia appear on the scene and
carefully guard the industries of the coast
all through the hunting grounds.
1.-THE number of seals which the company
kill yearly has decreased considerably dur
ing the last few years. This is shown by
the decrease in the number Of casks Of skins
which we ship yearly. The number Of
casks we ship just now is 135 less than what
it was few years ago. This decrease is on
account OF the small size and number of
the animals we kill The seal is naturally
very shy animal. l suppose we only capt
ure one in every 80 seals that we aim at.
The instant seal is wounded it sinks be-
meath the water. If the wound is serious it
never rises again, and that is clear loss to
the hunters"
In conclusion Captain Kohl said that
he thought the contracts would not neces-
sarily go to the highest bidder ''There are
some companies" he said, "who have ad-
vantages which the Government will take
into consideration, and 1 don't believe the
contracts will be awarded to the people who
offer the greatest monetary considerations. :"