The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-14
THE REINDEER POST.
How Uncle Sam Made Esqui-
maux Self-Supporting.
THEY NOW OWN LARGE HERDS
he Animate Thrive ana the Natives
Take Readily - Thsm-Hsv ssAs-
Sfans Herd anA Km rhsu.

DE-. J. T. White. physician and sur
geon IN charge On the revenue cutter
Bear, arrived in the city a few DAYS
ago from San Francisco, where the cut
ter 10 tied mp for the winter. and was
the guest % City Clerk r r. Stewart.
an oid-tinle churn. until Tuesday. The
Bear returned from her yearly Arctic
cruise on November IA. ana while up
North transferred over 200 head OF rein
deer from the Siberia coast to Port
Clarence. In Northern Alaska. where
they VIII In time be divided among the
natives TO be used for beasts Of burden
or for food. DIR. White has male four
trips b she Arctic in the service OF the
government. and gave a Poss-Intefli-
ge1cer reporter an interesting account
OF the condition Of the reindeer at Port
Clarence and the manner In which the
natives view the proposition OF the gov
eminent TO make them self-susraininr.
He said.
There are now about 600 reindeer at
Fort Clarence in the government herd
and an the animal are doing we'll The
forty Laps placed IN charge of the deer
oy the government are thriving and
their change OF residence seems entirely
Satisfactorily TO them In all about 100
people i've at the station. known as the
Ieiier Reindeer Station. named after
senator Teller, who was the father of
the scheme 70 transplant Siberian REIN
deer 10 Alaska for the benefit of the
ESquhnaux- The other people who live
al the station are young Esquinaux.
supported by the government. and are
being educated In the herding and care
Of the deer.
III VIII be remembered that the prop
osition 70 start a reindeer station AT
Fort Clarence was first brought up
about four years ago. The condition of
the natives on the far northern coast
Of Alaska was Becoming pitiful owing
10 the lack of a staple article OF food
the seal and waIrus. which formerly
s"arineo the shores. being driven away
by the seaieTs and whalers. The whal-
ers began wintering in the Arctic and
this caused game TO be still more scarce
ana the natives were threatened with
starvation. Their helpless condition
was brought TO the attsn ton OF the gov
eminent and at first IL looked as though
woud De necessary to etablish reser-
'ations and care for them in much the
same manner that the Indians here at
nome are attended to. but finally it was
suggested that IL the natives were
Taught 10 care for reindeer the same as
their cousins on the opposite side OF the
sea, the establishing OF reservations
might be avoided and the people made
seI-sustaining and valuable TO them
selves ana the government. The sta
ton In Port Clarence was then estab-
lined and the Bear was assigned TO
STOCK the place with deer. This work
has been going on every year since then,
until now there is heard of about 600
fine deer.
Natives Take to the Deer.
The natives take to the scheme like
ducks 10 water and are enthusiastically
learning to care for the deer. at first
Siberian Esquimaux were brought over.
but as they did not give satisfaction as
teachers. the Laps were imported. The
natives are required To re schooIed In the
care OF the deer for at least three years
and then. IL Ii is shown that they are
worthy. each graduate is given a num-
Der OF deer. twenty-fiye or more and
sent back TO bis people. With this start
and the experience. there seems to be
should not DO able to properly care for
the deer and lay the foundation for
future wealth and independence for
himself and all his people AT first the
native did not show much interest in
the matter. but as soon as they were
made to understand what the govern
ment was doing for them they changed
and are now plainly In sympathy with
he law rta
along the coast have sent young men
to the station 10 learn how to care for
the deer. and In a few years the ar
rangenent viii begin to bear fruit. and
there can be no doubt OF the ultimate
success OF the venture. There are a
good many Wild deer in Alaska, out the
natives never use them, using DOGS for
all purposes.
Trading With siberiaas.
Along the Siberian coast the natives
use dogs also but in the interior the
natives are a finer set Of people physi-
caliy, and the herds OF deer are nusner-
GUS. The deer afford these people ali
the neceSsar!es OF life. food, clothing
and beasts OF burden The deer are
hsrded IN much the same manner az
class OF people from necessity. changing
from place 10 place as the pasturage
gives out. In this they differ from their
coast Brethren. who live IN settlements
and do not move around. On this trip
the Bear brought deer all along the 81
bersan ccast, through Berfng sea and
north IN the Arctic, above the Strata
The cost AYERS ges abort So q head, Ere
natives being paid In trade. no money
being in circulation In the country. The
government has permission from ths
Russian government 70 trade with the
natives whisky and Babes alone being
contrahart. When the 6eerrfen come
from the interior 70 the coast with their
herds they all want -four. nre-erns
Ammunition. coos<irg utensils big brass
rots 20 boil things IN. and the Bear
harters for the deer. giving tAe articles
desired fl payment. the prics footing
up shout IS a hsad.
How che Deer Live ard Die
The reindeer are somewhat taller
than the ordinary cottor-taii deer. with
BIG bodies. slender legs and hoofs large
and aAca; Shs sire % a cows. They are