The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-24
OF USE TO MINERS
REINDEER MAY SOLVE THE TRANS
P0RTATI0N PROBLEM.

They Can Travel Three Times Far In q
Day as a Siedge Dog, and Can Make
Their Own Living OF the Arctic Moss
Which a Dog Would Starve to Death on.
Public School at Circle City and
What Became Of It-Late Kiondyke
News
Washington, Aug. 23.-Some interest
Ing statements relating to the gold re-
gion in Alaska and the reindeer expert
ment there the brought out in the an
nual statement OF United States Com
missioner of Education Harris, SUBMIT
ed today. II describes in detail the pro-
gress Of the mining the growth Of Cir
Gle City. Dawson City and the Klon-
dixie district, and the two principal
routes, via st. Michaels and via Chilkoot
Pass.
Touching on the importance Of extend
ing the introduction Of reindeer into that
territory, the report says the reindeer
stations ought 10 be able TO furnish 500
reindeer trained to the harness al once
for the use of the miners on the upper
Yukon river.
1T was my purpose" the commission
er goes on, 40 detail three OF the skilled
herdsmen and thirty trained reindeer 10
the Yukon region the present summer"
Il this arrangement is carried out as
an III oe-r1r
be in progress during the coming year
az the gold mines The plan OF the bu-
reau has been to arrange reindeer ex-
press connecting towns in a line from
Boring StTaights TO Kadiak Island. Su-
perinteEdent Of Reindeer Stations Kjoll-
manni last September proved the prac-
sicd bility Of this by making a trial trip
on this route. Two Of his party were
able to take the steamer at Katmai, sail
ing to Sitka in March This arrange
nnent, once ompleted, it will be possible
for business companies in San Francisco
and other cities 70 hold communication
with their whaling fleets during the win
ter north Of the Arctic Circle.
There have been maintained in Alas
ka twenty day schools, under the su-
pervision of the interior department,
with twenty-three teachers and an en-
rolment OF 1857 pupils. a public school
has opened az Circle City, in the Yukon
mining district, but the departments
agent, writing from St. Michaeis, says
he is afraid ne will be forced 70 discon-
tinue il because of the exodus of the
city's population into the region nearer
'the recently discovered mines.
The influx OF miners in 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 10 secur-
ing new food supply for the furnishing
Eskimo of the Bering Sea and the Arc
Tic Ocean region. but il is now found that
reindeer are as essential TO the white
man as 10 the Eslxlmos. The wonderful
Yukon placer miners are situated twen-
ty-five 70 100 miles from the greater
stream Provisions brought from the
south and landed on thebanks Of the riv-
er are with great difficulty transported
10 the mines on the tributary streams.
Last winter mongrel dogs for transport
tation purposes cost from 500 10 5000
each, and freight charges from the river
10 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 advantage |
that they can use the abundant moss as !
food.
ON THE TRAILS.
Seattle, Wash, Aug. 23.---The steamer !
Resale, which arrived heretoiay from |
Dyea mad Skaguay, reports that there /
are about 1000 people al Skaguay and /
that the trail is still mpassable About /
900 miners are working upon il and it is |
expected that it will be ready in few |
weeks.
Al Dyea the miners are getting across
as RAPIDLY as could be expected Juneau
Is rapidly filing up with miners from
Dyea, who propose 10 winter there.
REVENUE MARINES RUN.
The gold fever has seized the men,
hers of the revenue marine service
Three of the crew Of the cutter Perry,
which met the gOld-laden steamer Por--
land az Dutch Harbor, deserted and
started for St. Michaels They stole a
boat from the North Bound American
Commercial company; robbed the store
rooms of the Perry and boldly went on.
on the open sea for a 700-mile journey
10 S.. AfchaAls.
CITIZENS BUILD ROADS.
Seattle. Wash, Aug. 23.-Wi,h the arri-
val OF the steamer R0salie from Skaguay !
and Dyea today comes the news that the
town organization OF Skaguay. under the