The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-17
REINDEER IN ALASKA.
The Commissioner of EducatfOn's Ar
gument for Increasing the stock.
the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-The Secretary of
the Interior has approved and forwarded to
| Congress the recommendation of the Com
missioner of Education that the sum of
$4,000 should be appropriated the present
year for the purchase of reindeer, the same
to be furnished by the lowest bidder and de-
livered at suitable points on the Alaskan
coast. Fifteen hundred to two thousand
reindeer would, it is thought, be secured by
this sum-. Added to the nine hundred or
more deer already in the herd kept at Port
Clarence, near Bering strait, there will be a
stock of twenty-five hundred or more. The
natural increase of a herd OF reindeer. judg-
ing from the experience of the last four
years in Alaska. amounts to upwards of
80 per cent. Increase of the entire herd.
With three thousand reindeer the annual in
| crease would be at least fifteen hundred.
and the Bureau of Education could dis
tribute in the first year a sufficient number
to each missionary station and white set
Element to provide herds of from one to two
hundred each. These, under the care of
Laplald herdsmen and with additions from
the central herd on following years. would
soon grow to be large herds. Through the
efforts Of the missionary schools and the
government schools the natives would learn
to breed and train tae reindeer, and the
native population would thus be raised from
the savage state of mere hunters and fisher
men TO the higher condition Of nomads or
herdsmen. WHEREAS now intercommunica-
ton between the villages in Alaska Is very
precarious in the winter time. due to the
have to creep along from village to village
In order TO procure their necessary food, on
the ether hand the reindeer can procure his
food Immediately from the moss under the
snow at any point where he Is turned loose.
The dogs travel at the rate of tairty-ive
ty miles sa q S Mnlie Il hne w rslhdef fe 'r nossibl e'n to
have communication with all Of the settle
ments scattered through Alaska once in two
large herds of reindeer are established in
Alaska. a plentiful supply of the best food
will become everywhere available. The dan
ger to miners ard other settlers who run
the risk CT running snort of provisions in
case of mishaps to their annual stores would
natives who Il have I'VE" been '' deprived prHsef Of Of their their
food by the destruction OF the walrus and
whale. There is no reason why a large
and find profitable Industries in Alaska. The
one food supply that amounts to anything
is the long. white hbrous moss caledonia
rangifera), which exists In such abundance
that ten million OF reindeer can subsist upon
II within the Territory of Alaska, judging
by the experience OF those countries like
Lapland and Finland. where similar condi-
tions exist.
The main argument used by the Commits
sicner OF Education for this appropriation
on the part of Congress Is not chiefly the
one based on the Christian sentiment OF the
people. an appeal 10 prevent starvation, al
though all missionaries and other authc l.
ties repor numerous cases OF death by
starvation. The object OF the introduction
or reindeer Is not TO afford a temporary re-
lief by furnishing food TO the natives. but
rather the transformation OF a people from
the savage employments of hunting and
Fishing into a higher grade of civilization.
Nthat of herdsmen and teamsters. In the
condition OF herdsmen and teamsters these
people at once come into profitable business
relations with the rest Of the world. They
furnish deer skins and meat for commerce,
and they furnish the rapid transportation
needed to make safe and prosperous the
settlements in that Territory.