New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-05
MORALS OF ALASKAN INDIANS.
xoT 60 BAD AS THY HAVE BEEN PAlNTho-
WHAT THE SENATE COMMITTEE SAW
ryy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE-I

g. Dan, Ninp Aur 4-The United States Senate
Committee on Indian Affairs headed by senator D@"o''
of Massachusetts, which has been examining lh'o u'
dition of Alaskan Indians, passed through here on
H. wav 70 Chicago. senator ana MIS- dawes anu
sor,tr stoclbrldge of Michigan, the sergeant
~ II Conodev of Washington W. NJ. DIN, }. H.
,torshau NJ Massachusetts,: Thomas Ii. Cavanaugh
and Y Parker of Washington, made up INC parry
u ol,n gave reporter the story OF their "ahderlhss
and said A., 49,. ,.z,o+
Won must know that the Aaskan Indians have permanent
hal loc.houses where they live IN the WhDef uihe
- a. rho salmon begin TO they leave them and 20 70
Tho nles and rivers and fish for the salmon for themselves
and for the canning factories. Tnere we loolo ~'S"
They are hard-wOrklng people, the men hShhz anu u
ing and the women making baskets The ofdet men oa'o
sok I'm ,,sh hut the younger generation Is beginning 10
40 "a One OF the committee asked one OF the sDoNesineh
AZ Port Chester what the village would 10 II u'
nent would give them $4,000 1--WE don't want 'ne
C;overnment to give a cent was the reply it T"
,Id Io,s us enough to build a sawmill and a canning
f,ctory We would pay good interest on IT, put W" uo '
as. for anything" The Indians down at thls emu "a vi"
nossessions are called Thnkets, and we spent nearly W
~ our time with them Further north are the Aeuts' VINO
ara said TO be warlke and beyond them are the
We went lid as far a. Chkat and the Chllkat lnie'
there are bands Of Indians Of the same name lne -,
Is furtlest north, and up the inlet ana the sueS rr
into It is o pass over into the Yukan country A"
Chilkat Indians have village right on us pass w
they limos, tax OH white going across IN inc sh'p'
Of packing fees. They refuse to allow he Whites
mack tber own baggage, will they dlo" u'eIn 70
bi, ber Indians TO do 10 them. They insist upon
tber MONOPOLY The Indians saw were mostly UiS
and filthy I'm their habits. For instance their la'ol
food is obtained by buryng the head and enVai', u
.lnon I'm tho dirt until Is actually deeomposeu' anu
then digging IT, up and eating ib with seal OH. We
we're at Juneau which is now the largest p'@re !"
Alaska Sitka is practically dead Juneau Is thiiF
inc mining and trading There are tho MINES oNeN
~ IT, and at Douglass City across from Juneau 10 INC
mine In which Senator Jones. OF Nevada is lnefete
There the orebearng rock is right on the hisde' ~ "
they take It out as in quarry. IL Is hoS Ne'S ~
averaging So per ton but they take out more 'n' 20
hundred tons a day they must make more tndh iN'i
y,.,r ont Of IT, and the cost OF working it Is small
What we saw of Alaska does not impress me as Oei"s
country that Will be thicl<ly populated lt goes up
almost straight the waters edge Ihere j. 'n 'i
roueols impression abroad that the committee was sem
ee 10 investigate that horrible tale OF innofaiy 'u
bv Mrs Voorhees, OF New York last winter. As h'"i
~ fact the resolution authorizing the trip was passu
February l. 1887, and the committees work had hotnhs
10 do at first the alleged outFages Senator D'"'
however thought II would be well to inquire hle IVo
The matter lAe committee found no such state OF aHaI'
a. WAS set forth by Voorhees, 1t did find thai IL
good many cases Indian women were living with whlV"
men and that there dlsreputabie dance houses
freouent.d by miners in Juneau But it could nnd no
ses As ALLEGED where violence used in drag
cling away the women. 1t for the Indians TO
sell their women among themselves. The state Of NOR
au,, among the Indians themselves is low.
senator Dawes said: " | am very well satisfied
Senate, aud shall probably make some recOmhehua'
rio, al haf