The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-04-23
in ALASKA,
Project Is Successful and Will Ec of
Vast Benefit.

says VIM. T.. Curtis. in the Chicago
and the secretary of the interior has
asked Congress to appropriate enough
money to extend the enterprise upon
Il basis that will make it of immediate
value to the EskimOs and white miners
who have been attracted to that terri
tory by the gold deposits. Beginning
with 1891 the bureau of education has
been given an annual appropriation of
$1,000 with which to purchase rein
deer in Siberia and hire the necessary
herderS to care for the animals and in
struct the natives. That year sixteen
deer were purchased: in 1892. III: in
1893 the number was Increased 121 by
purchase. 81 fawns were born and 5
lied: in 1894 12O were purchased. 1S6
lawns were born and 70 died: last year
100 deer We're brought from Siberia.
G9S lawns were born and - died. Ii
will thus be seen that during the five
years 564 reindeer were purchased and
delivered in Alaska and that the nat
uial increase by fawns was J11, OF
which only Il died.
The slaughter of the seals and Walrus
during recent years has practically eX-
terminated those animals SO far as the
EskimoS are concerned. who have been
reduced to Il condition of starvation,
which suggested to DR.. Jackson the i'll
PRODUCTION of the reindeer for food as
,N-n11 ns fn,. ~, p,,,A,.t,t;ap Ul,N ;,ln,
while considered feasible from the be-
ginning. has been given Il thorough
.est. which has demonstrated its prac-
.icability beyond question. But ut the
rate of progress which has been posi-
Die with the meager appropriation
available it would take at least fifty
years to stock Alaska. The discovery
If rich gold veins hasattracted more than
1000 white miners to the central part
Of the territory, where the thermometer
hOyerS in the neighbOrhOOd of - de-
yrees below zero during the winter
months, and all food must be imported.
Most of the deer acquired for the eX-
pertinent We're purchased in Siberia
and brought to Alaska in government
vessels free of transportation charges.
AS the latter item is the greatest eX-
pense the small appropriation was suf-
licient to establish the necessary sta
tons and give Il thorough trial. There
are III northern, central and western
Alaska at least 100000 square miles
Of territory not adapted to agriculture
M nnrtln lDisjnO aud without ON ada
quate food supply for the native Es-
kimo or the white population now going
into the gold districts. Over this vast
region there is a. growth of long. tibrous
white moss. the natural food of the
reindeer. BaSing the estimate upon
statistics obtained in Lapland. where
14,OOO square miles feed 800, J6S head of
reindeer. or twenty-three to the square
mile. Alaska. where similar conditions
prevail, should sustain at least 9.20O,-
600 deer, worth ut the rate prevailing
in Sweden go per head $50. 900, 900.
The original purpose of Introducing
domestic reindeer into Alaska was to
provide Il new and permanent fOOd sup
ply for the half-famished Eskimo.
Previous to the discovery of gold there
was nothing in the country to attract
whites except for hunting. but new vii
lagos are springing up in all directions.
and with groceries, breadstuffs and
other provisions scarce. and imported
at great expense. it is considered absO-
lutely essential to it's future prosperity
that the reindeer, which can exist on
the moss. should be introduced in suf-
tlcient quantity to supply the food and
clothing necessary for the rapidly in
creasing population. There are no
roads in Alaska, and prevailing condi-
tons will prevent any being made for
years to cOme. Travelling at present is
confined almost entirely to dog teams,
which is at the rate of from fifteen to
twenty-five miles Il day. In many sec
tons of the country dog teams I'M
be used, because they annot carry Suf-
ticient food to SubSit them en- route and
Element to settlement within easy dis
lance. One dog team hauling equip
mentS or passengers must be accom-
panied by another to haul supplies, and
the cost of transportation is thus enOr-
mously increased. With reindeer trans
pOrtatiOn the conditions are different.
From fifty to ninety miles Il day can be
covered by them acrosS lots and at
night they are permitted to browse for
themselves. The best authorities con
SiIar Them absolutely essential to hind
together the isolated settlements and
growing centerS of civilization in hat
wild northland and render possible the
development of the gold mines and the
support of hundreds of thousands of
miners who will 70 be ut work there.
The reindeer multiply and increase
50 rapidly that DR.. Jackson estimates
that 1000 in addition to the herds al
ready i'm Alaska will well stock the