New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-31
RELIEF FOR ICE.BOUND WHALERS.
SUGGESTIONS AS TO THE USE OF REINDEER
MADE BY COMMISSIONER HARRIS

Washington Dec. 20 (SpeciaD.-Whie the response
OF Secretary Bliss the requests OF the secretary
OF the Treasury for his cooperation and assistance
in the efforts to send relief to the ce-bound wnal-
in the Arctic. and of the Secretary OF war ior
ike aid and cooperation in the efforts ior the
relief OF American goldseekers on the upper 1ukoh'
have been both cordial and prompt, he na,ufaiiy
feels considerable anxiety on the subject ms a'u
has consisted mainly in the turning over 10 the
Treasury Department for food purposes ana 10 the
War Department for transportation purposes OF
more than n moiety Of the reindeer herds which
had been gathered at considerable expense and
with Infinite care and pains for the use. relief ana
education OF the native inhabitants OF Alaska no"
these are to be replaced and the original object car
RED out is a practical and rather serious ana I'M
portant question. After several conferences on inc
subject between Secretary Bliss and Commissioner
Harris. OF the Bureau Of Education an official let
ter written by the latter under date OF De-
cember g. recting the facts and baking certain
suggestions. which Will probably be the basis OF
future action. IT is addressed TO the Secretary OF
the Interior and Is in part as follows
have the honor to call attention 10 the arrange
ment made under your direction with the mission
airy station at Cape Prince OF Wales and the native
Under YOUR orders the agent OF the Secretary OF
The Treasury dispatched into Bchring Sea for the
Arctic Sea is authorized to take the entire Cape
Nome herd nqmberinf asI Sep'emWVea Wales nu No.
pering ?6, the same being total OF o1 ueeI pro.
ae1 nat all are taken Img ' !" posby that
from fifty hundred OF these deer trained i0r
former order In September for the purposes OF me
War Department. In any case thcIe moui h.r1 dc
soeth over five hundred IN me 20 'W TAKE with
him TO Poin' Barrow.
1t is quite possipe. however that shouid eXc,'i E
Michael to the effect Of starvation in The god mines
on The upper part OF that rStr , the nhe entire herd
Al Tnslaklk to be driven up the river and saugn.
tered for the relief o Miners IN d Ryc 1oo or at some
place further to the southeast. Lnoer MIS- p,o,'
regarding the procuring OF reindeer rom tne
ian coast. respectfully suggest that t,e pc ,bn
Secretary OF War TO purchase six hundred relnucTE
trained in harness should he CHARGED we rom ,e sp
LAND Finland make good the !eindeeI 'sn Ind
rarily withdrawn from the Government herds IN ana
probability the numbe. OF reindeer u.ed Will amour,
to 2O trained TO harness and 80 slaughtered lo' i
HUMBER Which in case o, the contnscney mentioned
% The ughcr Of the rnaak!k he'd COZ 40 ngrp'
her purchased in Lapland should ne no' le's than
tho honor to call attention 70 the importance OF
establishing herd o. reindeer somcwhers on on me
and as near 10 Dyea OF Chilka; as the conh'-
ton, viii permit, y TIE enG1 s2ga n Emnc
bcr OF apprentices could be uained. and the an
nual Increase OF these animals which Is. under
lire herd would insure the Government against
tho recurrence OF such oxigencies as have been
met the present winter an
The abundance Of moss N Alaska. which is sum
Client according our beat means OF Information.
10 fhe suDpor Of nearly ter millions OF reindeer
insures the success OF this experiment, and II Is
legitimate FOR the United States Government 10
undertake this rather than leave II for private
individuals for the simple reason that private
,ndt,iiuals are not permitted By the Commercial.
regulations OF the Russian Government 10 pro
cure relnd -cr from the Siberian coast and the
cater OF purchasing reindeer from Norway Is al
,or,ther 100 complicated FOR individual enterprise
a. present After tho Government has shown how
10 manage this matter u is likely that private
rnfsrpri.e may follow It's lead