The news & observer., 1897-08-24
COM MMlSSIONER'S REPORT
PgACa0ABILITY OF THIS AL
READY DEMONSTRATED.
WILL Be USED FOR FREIGHT PURPOSES
Trained Reindeer Make in a Day Two or Three
Times the Distance Covered by Dog
Teams and Feed on the
Abundant Moss.


teresting statements relating to the gold
region in Alaska and the reindeer ex-
periment there are brought out in the
annual statement of United States Com
missioner of Education Harris, submit
ted to-day for the past fiscal year. 1t
describes in detail the progress of the
mining, the growth of Circle City, Daw-
SON and the Klondyke district, the two
principal routes via st. Michael's and
via Uhilkot Pass.
Touching the Importance of extending
territory the report says the reindeer
stations ought to be able to furnish 500
reindeer trained to the harness at once
for the use of the miners on the upper
Yukon river. 1T was my purpose,
the commissioner goes on, to detail
three OF the skilled herdsmen and thirty
trained deer to the Yukon the presnt
summer"
If this arrangement is carried out, as
instructed, an important experiment
win be in progress during the coming
year at the gold mines. The plan of
the bureau has been to arrange a rein
deer express connecting towns in a line
from Bering Straits to Kadiak island.
Superintendent of Reindeer Stations
KjeIlmann last September proved the
practicability of this by making a trial
trip on this route. Two of his party
were able to take the steamer II
Katmai, sailing to Sitka in March. This
arrangement once completed, it will be
possible for business companies in San
Francisco and other cities to hold COM
munication with their whaling fleets
during the winter north of the Arctic
circle. There have been maintained in
Alaska twenty day schools under the
supervision of the Interior Department,
with twenty three teachers and an en-
rollment of 1,267 pupils. A public school
was opened at Circle City in the Yukon
mining district, but the departments
agent, writing from st. MichaePs, says
he is a afraid he will be forced to dis
continue it because of the exodus of the
city's population into the region nearer
the recently discovered mines.
The influx of miners into the Yukon
has caused a demand for reindeer for
freighting purposes. In the original
plan for. the purchase and distribution
of reindeer, reference was had to Sc
curingsa new food supply for the famish-
ing Eskimo of the Bering sea and the
Arctic ocean region, but it is now found
that reindeer are as essential to
white men as the EskimOs. The won
aerful Yukon placer mines are situated
25 to 100 miles from the greater stream.
Provisions brought from the south and
landed on the banks of the river are
with great difficulty transported to the
mines on the tributary streams. Last
winter Mongrei dogs for transportation
purposes cost from $100 to $500 each
and freight charges from the river to the
mountains range from 10 to 20 cents per
pound. The trained reindeer make in
a day two or three times the distance
covered by dog teams and have the ad-
vantage that they can use the abundant
moss as food.
5000 BLOCKED AT SKAGUAY.
Seattle, Wash, Aug 23.-The steamer
Rosalie, which arrived here to-day from
Dyea and Skaguay, reports that there
are about 5000 people at Skaguay and
shat the trail is still impossible.
About 900 miners are working on it
and it is expected that it will be ready
in few weeks. At Dyea the miners
are getting across as rapidly as could
be expected. Juneau IS rapidly filling
with miners from Dyea and Skaguay
who propose to winter there.
THB QUEENS LAST TRIP.
Victoria, B. c., Aug. 23.-The steamer
Queen left this morning on her last trip
this season to Alaska. She was crowded
with passengers, freight and horses.
Fifteen passengers were left here as
there was no room on the steamer for
their horses and outfits
FROM CHARLESTON TO YUKON.
Charleston, S. c., Aug. 23.-A syndi-
cate of local capitalists, headed by A. s..
Emerson, have chartered steamship
and viii run her from Charleston to
Klondyke. She will sail from here Feb
ruary 18th, going to st. Michaers by
way of Cape Horn. The passengers
will be transferred to smaller boats and
towed up the river to Dawson City. Each
passenger will be allowed to carry 1000
pounds of freight and tickets will cost
$500. 1t is expected that the trip will
require seventy days.