The sun., 1896-10-25
THE REINDEER In ALASKA.
SUCCESS or the REV. SHELDON
JACKSON'S PLAN.
Mere Thau 1000 Head or tho Animals
Now ThriVIng In Alnska-Their Value
20 the Nntives-A Great Demand tor
Reindeer Among the Yukon Miners.

Now ThriVIng In AInska-Their Value
TO the Nntives-A Great Demand tor
Reindeer Among the Yukon Miners.
TACOMA, Oct 24.--Tho Rev. sheldon Jack
on, whom tho United States employs as gem
eral agent OF education in Alaska, has Just
arrived from the north, and has good deal TO
say about the progress of his experiment in in
Producing reindeer from siberia and Alaska.
Alaska now has more than 1000 head of rein
deer, and tho herd is increasing at the rate
OF GO per cent. a year.
II left Sitka Juno on the revenue cutter
Bear" said he, "and have been aboard tho
Bear most OF tho time siucc. We cruised In
Behring Sea, and in the Arctic Ocean as lar
north as Point Barrow, the northernmost
point In that country. The season has been
unusually inclcment, whalcrs stating that
the ice remained later this year than for many
years past. 1t was not until the latter part OF
July that the Bear was able to reach tho rein
deer station at Point Barrow on account of
the ice. The Bear made four attempts to get
through tho immense ice foes. and finally had
to tie up within Ave miles of the station to an
ice foe that was six miles long and two miles
wide and had grounded there in October OF
last year. One whaler was crushed by the
Ice and wrecked. the crew being brought down
by the Bear. The steamer Jennie. which acts
as q tender for the whaling fleet was crushed
in by the ice foes. but managed. with the aid
of her pumps. to keep afoat until tho neces-
sary repairs could be made.
II Am pleased to say that the experiment of
bringing reindeer from Siberia and colonizing
them in Alaska had proven great success
Tho reindeer are distributed at four stations.
at Cape Prince of Wales, at Point Barrow. at
Cape Nome, aud at Galovin Bay. These herds
now aggregate 1.o9l head. OF which mum
ber 337 were born last spring The herds are
in splendid condition. being fat and sleek as
It is possible for them to be. They are increas-
ing at the rate of 90 per cent. a year. sixty or
the reindeer have been trained to drive TO har-
ness. and are able to haul a big load They are
used to haul supplies to The several stations.
In order to encourage the native herders
q few OF the reindeer have been given to them.
and now between seventy-fve and eighty are
owned by natives. The natives take a deep
interest In tho animals, and those who own
three or four head are looked upon By the
other natives as plutocrats.
THE object sought in introducing these use-
ful animals into Alaska was to give the natives
q permanent food supply and a better method
OF transportation than that afforded by dogs.
The white hunters have killed of the seals and
ur-bearing animals, and the result is that the
natives were reduced to a state OF starvation.
which was not the case previous to the advent
Of the white man. The natives greatly appre-
ciate tho reindeer and guard them as closely as
| q white banker does the depcsits in his bank.
Tho influx of white miners into the basin OF
| the mighty Yukon River has created a demand
| for reindeer for hauling freights to points adj
jacsnt to the river. Now the miners. in most
instances, have to leave the mines in the winter
because II ia next To impossible to get supplies
| to where they are Wrestling the precious metal
| from the frozen earth. This would not be tho
&, ,s;ll ia rnfr Ian ha,1
visions and supplies. have received num-
Der OF letters from Yukon miners asking
whether 1t was rosshe to let them have a few
of the reindeer for freichting purposes. While
l would greatly like to accommodate them, I
find under existing conditions that cannot do
so. expect. however TO DO able to supply tho
demand in about three ears.
IF Congress would give a good big appro pri-
alton Immediately. l think the demand could
be supplied much sooner. The supply Will have
to be large enough so that t..e miners can dis
pense entirely with dogs. You see. the dogs at
tack and kill the reindeer and. therefore. it
will not do to put the deer in any section until
tho dogs have been got rid OF. Another fault OF
the dogs 10 the fact that you have to carry prov-
s,ons for them to consume during journeys, and
this cuts down the quantity OF freight TO be
transported during long trip considerably.
Ono firm In Chicago put up tons Of dog food
this summer. which is to be used by Alaska
, dogs during tho coming winter. The food is
the lard and refuse meat from the packing
tablishments OF Chicago. and is put up in three
gallon cans. Reindeer. on the Other hand. live
the moss and vegetation that grow so pro-
lincally In Alaska. and there is no necessity for
carrying food for them. and he Ce they arc
| much moro valuable for transportation pur-
| poses than dogs. The reindeer Ia about tho
| only ruminant that can stand the intense cold
If Alaska and live upon the vegetation peculiar
80 far tho locating of reindeer in Alaska
has cost the Government $50. 200. or less than
$50 head. II the miners could get reindeer
at a reasonable figure, they could go into sec
tinns now inaccessible through lack of proper
| transportation facilities, and ada many mil
| lions I" the national veal tn
I'm my ,G GPi1i11 Gd the dsyelopmsnt OF the more
the reindeer, ;Th"y are today, the most i'm i'm
portant animal in Alaska. Tho fate of the
eneFf she usurs net Of t. be rsn.sr in
Of S25, 900 from Congress this year that may
| be able TO import another big band OF rein
mort from j 500 to 1000 head. and would soon
ia have cen enough ugh 70 furnish the Yukon miners with
w, What is your opinion of the future of tho
II think tho seal Is doomed to extinction un-
Less the Government stops their slaughter In
ers can xiii seals in gehrins % Sea % in aIl:plsees In
except within q sh ort distance OF the islands,
| where tho rookeTies are located. Seal KILL
ing should bo totally prohibited In all parts OF
Bshring Sea. l do not think the sealing in
the open season will destroy the reals.
| There ia great activity on the Yukon River
There are 900 white miners and between u. 900
and 10000 natives there. The ,Alasks Com
morcial Company and the North American
| Transportation and Training Cmpany are vying
with each other to get supplies In to meet the
| great demand. Each constructed large
river steamer this summer. besides several
b"rRes. There are now hve large steamers
on the river, which make from two TO three
round trips year. and yet they cannot carry
enough freight TO supply the constantly increas-
| Ing demand"
DO you think Alaska should have . better
form of RoverL mentf"
| ~ think Alaska should have q territorial
delegate in Congress, and that q Commission
| should be appointed TO prepare a code OF laws,
| for Congress To enact, for tho government OF
the country: The code of Oregon is not suited
u, Alaska. beauso the former Is an agricultu-
| raj and the latter a mining country. and there
fore the Oregon code is not suitable for Its
government. Later on we can have terri
Mr.. Jackson is now on his way to Washing