The morning times., 1896-02-24

Congress has been asked to advertise for
reindeer.
That is the latest suggestion from the
Hon Hoke Smith, Secretary OF the Interior.
He says this is absolutely necessary, and
Congress is further asked to provide $3.50
to purchase 500 head of reindeer during
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1897.
This country has been extensively en-
gagged in the reindeer business for several
years now. This is one of the burdens i'm
posed by the ownership of Alaska Up
to this time the government has been
most successful in it's enterprise and the
greatest beneficial results are anticipated.
REVENUE CUTTERS USED.
The government has been transporting
the reindeer to Alaska itself since 1892.
1t could find no other use for a part of
its navy. There was not enough 10 do up
in Bering Sea for the revenue cutters. so
they Were tS=aed into freighters. They
carried all the reindeer over to Alaska
that are now In that territory, but it
was found that the practice must be
stopped. English ard Canadian seal poach-
ers did not handicap themselves with herds
of reindeer ard could easily escape the
revenue vessels.
SO the Bureau OF Education, which has
charge OF the reindeer business, was noti-
fled by the Secretary of the Treasury that
the revenue vessels could no longer be
used as reirdeer transports. Such action
was forced on the Depa rtment by the fact
that the cutters had enough other work
10 do. The reiEdeer are purchased in
Siberia and brought over to Alaska. The
plan just discarded was too slow and it
is necessary 10 adopt new system that
viii secure a more speedy intscduction
OF reindeer into ALASKA.
Besides used as a means TO travel the
reindeer is used as food. In the AIeutian
Islands many of these animals have been
turned loose and many of the islands are
now well stocked. These islands are right
in the line of travel ana many shipwrecked
sailors have found these reindeer the means
of saving their lives.
In Alaska it has been demonstrated that
the deer thrive better on the American than
ON the Siberian side and there is pasturage
in Alaska for from four to fivemiIlionhead,
and as the straits OF the natives for suf-
ficient food increase slowly from year to
year, it is important that the work OF
providing this new food supply should be
FASTENED as much as possible.
Mr.. Harris, Commissioner OF Education
has made a study of this and says in his
report to the Secretary OF the Interior, on
the best plan ofseoufing thedeer, says:
II had thought it might be necessary to
place purchasing party In Siberia who
should remain during the winter. and in
that way secure a large herd for transpor-
tation when the ship should arrive in the
summer. But in view OF the recent deeis-
ion of the honorable the Secretary OF the
Treasury it seems now that more ef-
feetive plan viii be 10 enlist the commercial
trading companies Of the North Pacific and
Bering Sea to furnish 900 or 500 head
Of reindeer per annum for two years.
'Witha view toascertain nwhetheranything
is practicable in this line / had already
commenced as early as last November
correspondence with four OF the leading
commercial companies engaged in trade
in that region. Three OF them have re-
Piled that they were not in a position
TO take up the work. The fourth company
is willing 10 undertake to deliver 500
head year at such points upon the Alas
kan coast as shall be designated at the rate
of $40 per head.
This plan would relieve the bureau OF
much anxiety and prove as cheap to the
government as the past method. Up to
this time the deer have averaged the bureau