The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-11-16
COUNTING ALASKA.
Agents Travelled. Thousands Of Miles
by dog Teams.
SUFFERING AMONG NATIVES.
Future of Nome Peninsula Assured.
Fur Bearing Animals Nearly Ex-
tinct-Denizens Live in Winter on
Frozen Fish and Seal Oil.

WASHINGTON. D. c., Nov. 15.-The
census bureau recently completed the
enumeration of the district of Alaska
The schedules have been received at the
office and are now In process Of tabula-
ton. ,- -
Mr.. Samuel C.. Durham. who had
charge OF the work In the northern dis.
trIc,, returned to Washington few
DAYS ago and submitted his final report.
Mr.. Durham left Washington May 4,
1889, and arrived at St. Michael July s.
He established fifteen enumeration dis
tricts and appointed fifteen special
agents, who were paid 50 day, with
an allowance of 81 n day for dog team
and interpreter. The period of employ
ment OF the special agents varied from
three to eight months. according to
conditions prevailing in their various
districts Many OF the special agents
had great difficulties to overcome and
suffered great hardships, but oil COM
pleted their work. Perhaps the most
difficult district to enumcrate was that
comprising the Arctic coast, from
Point Hope to Denmarkation Point.
Mr.. Charles D. Bromer, the agent for
the district, Travelled 1000 miles by dog
team during the winter and enumerated
1850 persons-twenty-fou whites. nine
Japanese and 1887 natives. The native
and mixed population OF the northern
district of Alaska is 1852.
Destitution Of the Natives.
The most populous district with re-
spect to the native population Is the
country lying between the mouth of the
Yukon and the Eusoquln rivers and ex-
tending back from the coast one hum
bred miles. Mr.. Maurice johnson, the
agent for this district, Travelled over
1900 miles with dog team, during the
winter. and enumerated 3.Ol3 persons.
all OF whom were Indians. The Indians
in this region are probably the most
destitute people In the North American
continent. Mr.. Johnson reports that
from December to March Is he visited
seventyfour Indian villages. and dur
!ng that time saw but three fires burn
ing in the shacks or dugouts. The poor
creatures huddle together in their mis-
cradle dwellings during the long winter
and subsist on frozen fish and little
seal oil. which they secure on the coast
during the summer.
The fur-bearlng animals, which for
merly furnished them with natural
clothing, are nearly. extinct, and they
have been forced to adopt the white
mans garb, and as their poverty pre-
vents them from securing enough to
cover their nakedness there is great
suffering from the cold. The spiritual
condition of these neglected natives Is
no better than the physical, as the mis-
sonavies devote their attention to the
fields in the gold regions and along the
river.
The Nome District.
The Nome district Is the most popu-
lous in northern Alaska. The enumer-
at!on showed a permanent white popu-
lat!cn on June l of 2,7Oi. During the
summer about $1,000 persons landed at
Nome. about $500 of them coming from
Dawson. About 10000 have returned to
their homes in the states. leaving about
5000 persons in the region contiguous
to Nome. 1t Is probable that the popu-
iation OF the town Of Nome during the
winter will be between 1000 and 5000.
The future Of the. Nome peninsula is
assured. The developments during the
past summer have shown the region
about Port Clarence. eighty miles to the
westward of Nome. to be as rich as
Nome. II not richer. The Topkuk dis
"ict' seventy miles to the eastward Of
NOME Is showing many rich creeks,
and some promising quartz has been
iound. Many good creeks have been
found from Nfty to one hundred miles
inland. and 1t is safe to predict that the
Nome region will prove to be as rich us