Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-27
AN ODD COLLECTION.
GOVERNMENT BROCHURES LAPPs
AND REINDEER FOR KLONDIKERS
IND THEN ABANDONS The SCHEME.
whole Business Now on Our Hands
Difficulty In Procuring the strange
People and the Animals and Equip
meDts.
NEW 70

The steamship Manitoban, that ar
rived In the port Of New York recently,
brought a unique cargo of llS Laps,
Firms and Norwegians, 5S reindeer
trained TO harness, 4lS reindeer seds,
and Sill sets of reindeer harness. This
IS the first load Of the kind ever i'm
ported into the United States from Gu
rope. The expedition was in charge or
DIR. Sheldon jackson, with Mr.. William
A. Kjellmann as assistant DR.. Sheldon
jackson, who wrote the article that fol-
lows while on board the Manitoban, is
one of the pioneers of the new West. He
is a Presbyterian minister who was
graduated from Princeton Theological
Seminary in 1858, and has since gone
through all the vicissitudes and hard
ships Of a missionary's life in the great
Northwest. The story OF his life reads
like a romance. He has passed through
the most extraordinary dangers and has
had many narrow escapes from death at
the hands of Indians and the elements,
In the prosecution of his work he ira
yelled during thirteen years 3i5,OA miles,
or an average of $3.50 miles year. In
May, 1897. Dr. Jackson was elected mode
rator of the General Assembly Of the
Presbyterian Church as a recognition Of
his long, heroic missionary career.
When. last fall, news came that the
miners on the Yukon were short Of pro-
visions and that there would be much
suffering before another seasons supply
could be secured, 1t was a foregone con-
clusion that the reindeer would play an
important part in affording relief. 1nstruc-
tfons were at once sent to the reindeer
stations in Alaska to place every avail
able reindeer broken 10 harness at the
disposal of Colonel Randall United
States army, at st. Michael, for the
freighting of provision TO the miners IN
the lower Yukon.
To reach and relieve those in the
upper Yukon the Secretary Of War de-
termined 10 send 20 Lapland for REIN
deer. sleds. harness. and expert reindeer
drivers, and / was appointed to take
charge. assisted by Lieutenant d. b.
Devore. United States army as disburs-
ing officer.
EN ROUTE TO LAPLAND.
We received our instructions December
sd, and the next Gay were on our way
10 Lapland. Reaching London January
ist, we found there would be some delay
in securing a suitable steamship for
transporting the reindeer, etc. from lap
land 10 New York. Accordingly, Lieu
tenant Devore was left in London to
charter a steamer while l pressed for
ward 10 Lapland 70 secure the reindeer,
drivers. sleds. and harness.
Leaving London on Monday, January
"a, reached my destination at Bosekop,
Arctic Lapiand, on the 18th. There, on
the 18th. / was met by Mr.. William A.
Kjellmann whom 1 had sent on IN ad-
vance with directions 10 employ all the
assistants necessary 20 secure the deer
and outft at the earliest possible moment
Accordingly, he had sent out six men in
different directions ana had been over
the field himself. He reported that the
BOO reindeer required We're secured, to-
gether with the necessary sleds, harness
and drivers. This was ACCOMPLISHED
Within ono month after an appropriation
for tho purpose had been made by Con-
gfess,
Tie importance OF this success can
only bs appreciated when the circum.
y stances under which the work had 10 he
doEe are understood. To have bought
Out a herd of reindeer at ona transae
lion sanld have hssn eonDaratiyely sasy.