The Portland daily press., 1893-10-09
RAISING REINDEER.
The Government Stock Farms Established
in Alaska.

The reindeer enterprise in Alaska, or
the effort to introduce the raising OF
these animals::for the benefit of:the inhanl
tants of that part of the United States,
is in very promising condition. Capt.
NJ A. Healy of the revenue steamer Bear
who has spent much time in Alaska,
and whose duty is to inspect the manage
ment of the reindeer station at Port
Clarence, as well as the purchase OF the
animals in Siberia, has submitted an
interesting report to the Treasury De-
partment He says:
Congress by making an appropriation
during it's last session for the introduc-
ton of .domesticated reindeer of Siberia
into the territory of Alaska has by that
act emphasized it's approval of the pro-
iect. The Interior Department has also
shown deep interest in the matter by
many eoficial acts, and the Treasury
Department has announced 1ts symPa-
thy with the movement in unmls5aKap le
terms. A great lumber OF phlianthroplsUse
have given their strongest lndorsement
of it by many contributions, ana no
more forcible evidence of earnestness
than this can be adduced. Anything
that man can accomplish can be done
with an adequate fund to work Win.
The interest shown by Congress, py
private individuals and the material alo
furnished by them have resulted IN tne
establishment of what is known as Eoro
Clarence Reindeer Station.
The experience of two years has demon
strated beyond doubt that the purchase
in Siberia and the transportation TO
Alaska of domesticated deer is possible
feasible and practicable and in one winter
may be taken as a criterion, the deer
when once landed on our side grow more
vigorously and thrive better in Alaska.
than in Siberia. While vast numbers OF
the deer died last winter in Siberia ow-
ing to the severity of the season, those
that were landed last summer in Alaska
did wonderfully well during the same
winter. They found an abundance OF
food, were in prime condition through-
out the year, and they multiplied III a re-
markable ratio. The fact being estab-
lished that the deer can be easily bought
and as easily transported, and when once
landed all Of the conditions being found
infinitely better ON this coast than on
that of Siberia for their increase az q
propagation, it appears that the natural
state of things being proven rests entire
ly with the methods employed IN the
management of the government reindeer
SUOCk laT1u W1Gu d pIOPOi Ahche'SSSrAi
based on strict business principles can
foresee, without being Utopian, great
benefits that will come to the natives
and to the country at large. Since the
location the natural advantages OF Port
Clarence have been tested and found
conducive to the propagation ofsthe deer,
1 would suggest that the government
reserve a large tract of land here, includ-
ing coast and interior sections, in order
to protect against presumption by private
parties and thus to secure permanency
of possession where it is known that the
animals will thrive.
Had 1 the organization of the establish
ment | void call to my aid the methods
employed on the model stock farms OF
the West the modes of conducting SINH
lar work in many agricultural and indus
trial colleges, the systems inforced
at various religious missions where sue
cess in the management of stock has
been at hand. With these as guides /
would draw up regulations for the gov
eminent of the reindeer farm. OF course
the information obtained from the above
sources would be modified by the pecu-
liar conditions existing in this undertake
ing, and as the industry developed and
the interests become widely spread other
notifications would doubtless be neces-
SarV