The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-08-24
I EXPERIMENTS TO Be MADE {.
With Reindeer as a Means of
Locomotion.
HANDY AND SERVlCEABLE
And Will Prove More Reliable Than Dogs Dur
ing the Severe Winter Months Seat
tie Filling Up With Miners.


Washington, Aug. 2s.-some interesting
statements relating to the gold region
in Alaska and the reindeer experims Mt
there are brought out in the annual state
ment of United States Commissioner of
Education Harris submitted today for the
past fiscal year. It describes in detail
the progress of the mining, the growth of
Dawson and the Klondyke district, the
two principal routes via st. MichaePs
and via Cilkoo Pass.
Touching the Importance of extending
the introduction of RENDERS into that
territory the report says the reindeer
stations ought to be able to furnish 500
RENDERS trained to harness at once fer
the use of the miners ON the upper Yukon
river. 1t was my purpose, the COM
missioner goes on, to detail three of the
skilled herdsmen and thirty trained rein
deers to the Yukon region the present
summer. If this arrangement is carried
out as instructed an important expert
ment will be in progress during the COM
ing year at the gold mines. The plan
of the bureau has been to arrange
reindeer express connecting towns in a
line from Behring Strait to Kadak Is
land Superintendent of Reindeer Sta
tons Kjelaminn last September proved
the practicability of this by making a
trial trip on this route. Two of his par
ty were able to take the steamer Kamai
sailing to Sitka in March. This arrange
ment once completed it will be impossi-
BILE for business companies in San Fran
cisco and other cities to hold communica-
ton with their whaling fleets In the win
ter north of the Arctic circle.
There has been maintained In Alaska
twenty day schools under the supervision
of the interior department with 2so teach
ers, with an enrolment of 1903 pupils.
The public school was opened at Circle
City in the Yukon mining district in De-
cember, but the agent writing says that
he will be obliged to discontinue it on
account of the exodus of the citys pop
ulation into the region nearest the recent
ly discovered mines.
This rush of miners into the Yukon has
caus d demand for RI indeers TO frsi hs-
ing purposes. In the original plan for the
purchasing and distribution of reindeers
reference was made ITO the ability to have
a new food for the famished Esuuimos
and the Behring sea Arctic region. but IT
is found that RENDERS are as essential to
viii. men as to the Esqulmos. The WON
derful Yukon mines are situated $50 to 300
miles from the greater stream. Provisions
brought from the south and landed on the
banks of the river are with difficulty
transported to the mines. Last winter
mongrel dogs for transpor. alton cost from
500 to 5000 each, and freight charges
from the river to the mountain range
from Is to 20 csnts per pound. The trained
reindeers make in a day two or three
times the distance covered by dog teams.
and have the advantage that they can
use The abundant moss as food.
Miners Blocked En- Route.
Seattle, Wash, Aug. 23-The steamer
Resale, which arrived here today from
Dyea and Slaaguay, reports that there are
about 4,c00 people at Skaguay and that
the trail is still impassa BILE. About 900
minors are working on it, and it is ex-
pected that i. will be ready in a few
weeks. AIT Dyea The miners are getting
across as rapidly as could be expected
Juneau is rapidly filling UP with miners
from Dy;a and Skaguay, who propose to