Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-24
REINDEER KING.
Alaska Cannot Be Developed Without
This Animal.
Only Domesticated Animal That Thrives in
That Frozen Country Extinction Of Fur Seal.

Among the passengers on the steamer
City of Topeka from Alaska yesterday
was Rev. Sheldon Jackson, United States
general agent of education in Alaska. Mr.
jackson is d prominent figure in Alaskan
affairs, and looks after the various schools
there devoted to the education and ad,
vancement of the aborigines q that coid
and benighted country. In addition to ed
ucating the natives, he is anxious to heip
them to Il better means OF living. CWins
to the destruction of fur bearing animals
and seals by white hunters. the mat I'VE
were at times on the point OF starvalion'
Mr.. Jackson conceived the IDEA OF nrins-
ing reindeer from Siberia so as 10 give lne
Alaska natives permanent anu sure
supply and a ready means OF transpoIide
ton over the frozen face of the country OF
perpetual ice and snow. He agitated ms
question till he got appropriations from
Congress and contrinu ~ his i affnrts Aias
ka now has over 1000 head or reindeer
which are increasing at the rate OF ~ per
cent. per annum 49,, ,<,,,
c,,tter Rear he said yesterday, and
have been on board the Bear most OF the
time since We cruised in Behrlng sea ana
In the Arctic ocean as far north as POINT
parrow which is the northermost point
in that country The season was unusual
" Indictment The whalers say the ice re-
manned later this season IMAM ioT a.. nun I'm
Ter part of July that the Bear was able to
reach the reindeer station at Point Bar
row. on account OF the Ice
..,rhe Bear made four attempts to get
through the immense ice foes IN that vi
cinityand finally had to tie up within five
miles of the station to an ice foe that was
six miles long and two miles wide. and
that had grounded there in October of the
preceding year One whaler, ! have for
gotten the name. was crushed by the ice
and wrecked. The crew was brought
down by the Bear. The steamer Jennie.
which acts as tender for the whaling
fleet. was crushed in by the ice foes. but
managed with the aid of her pumps to
keep afioat until the necessary repairs
could be made
How are the reindeer getting on that
we're brought from Siberia?"
Il am pleased to say that the expert
ment of bringing reindeer from Siberia
and colonizing them in Alaska has proven
a great success. The reindeer are distr-
buted at four stations. at Cape PRINCE OF
Wales, at Point Barrow. at Cape Nome
and at Galovin bay. These herds now ag-
gregate 1891, of which number 1851 We're
born last spring. The herds are in SPLEEN
did condition. being fat and sleek as it is
possible for them to be. They are increas-
ing at the rate of 60 per cent. per annum.
Sixty of the reindeer have been trained
to drive to harness and are able to haul
a big load. They are now in use to haul
supplies to the several stations.
I'm order to encourage the native herd
ers few of the reindeer have been given
to them, and now between seventy-five
and eighty are owned by the natives. They
a
those who own three or four head are
looked upon by the other natives as plu-
tocratS.
The object sought in locating these use
full animals in Alaska was to give the ma
tives a permanent food supply. and to
give them a better method of transporta-
ton than that afforded by dogs. The white
hunters have killed off the seals and fur
bearing animals. and the result is that
the natives were reduced to a state OF
starvation. which was not the case pre-
vious to the advent of the white man in
those cold and inhospitable regions. The
guard them as closely as a white banker
does the. deposits in his bank.
THE influx of white miners into the
basin of the mighty Yukon river has Gre
:ated a demand for reindeer for hauling
freight to points adjacent to the river.
Now the miners, in most instances, have
to leave the mines in the winter because
it is next to impossible to get supplies to
where they are wrestling the precious
metal from the frozen earth. This would
not be the case were it possible to get
reindeer to haul provisions and supplies
I have received a number of letters from
Yukon miners asking whether it was pos
sible to let them have few of the rein
deer for freighting purposes. While
would greatly like to accommodate them
j find under existing conditions that
cannot do SO. | expect, however. to be
able to supply the demand in about three
years.
- IL congress would give Il SOOu Dig APP
preparation Immediately | think the de-
mand could be supplied much sooner. The
supply will have to be large enough SC
that the miners can dispense entirely with
dogs. You see. the dogs attack and kill
the reindeer. and, therefore. it will not dc
to put in the deer in any section until the
dogs have been got rid Of Another fault
of the dogs is the fact that you have te
carry provisions for them to consume dur
ing Journeys. and this cuts down the guam
tity of freight to be transported during
a long journey considerably. One firm II
Chicago put up tons of dog food this sum
mer, which is to be used by Alaska dogs
during the coming winter The food is the
lard and refuse meat from the meat pack,
ing establishments of Chicago, and Is put
up in five-gallOn cans.
Reindeer, on the other hand. live OF
the moss and vegetation that grows sc
proliiically in Alaska, and there is no ne
cessity for carrying food for them. and
hence they are much more valuable foi
transportation purposes than dogs are
The reindeer is about the only rumnan
that can stand the intense cold of Alaskf
and live upon the vegetation peculiar Il
that country.
so far. the locating of reindeer il
Alaska has cost the government $40 900
or less than $40 per head. The San Fran
cisco Chronicle recently said that the gov
ernment was spending millions of dollar.
annually to maintain a useless patrol o.
government vessels to protect the seals
1t thought it would be much better tt
ply Alaska with plenty OF relndeer,so tha'
the richest gold mining region known II
the world could be properly developed. Il
the miners We're given reindeer, or wer.
given an opportunity to purchase them a.
a reasonable figure. they could go into
sections now inaccessible through lack Of
proper transportation facilities, and ado
many millions of wealth to the nation.
THE development of the more remote
gold fields of Alaska. in my opinion is
dependent upon the reindeer. They are
today the most important animal in Alas
ka. The fate of the fur seal is not to be
compared in Importance with the future Of
the reindeer
II am going to try to get an appro
priation of $25. 900 this year so that | may
reindeer into Alaska. With this sum
could import 1900 or 1000 head, and woult
soon have enough to furnish the Yukor
miners with all they need"
What is your opinion of the future Of
the fur-bearing seal?''
II think the seal is doomed to eXtinc
ton unless the government stops theil
slaughter in Behring sea. During the oper
season the sealers can kill seals in Behrns
sea in all places, except within a short dis
lance of the islands, where the rookerie.
prohibited in all parts of Behring sea.
do not think the sealing in the open sea
son will destroy the seals.
There is great activity on the Yukor
river. There are 1000 white miners an(
between COCO and 10000 natives there. The
Alaska Commercial Company and the
North American Transportation an6
Trading Company are vying with eacf
other to get supplies in to meet the great