The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-13
A1,AsKAs GREATEST CHIEF.
Rules Six Thousand Indians, Speaks
English and Wears Store Clothes

Rules Six Thousand Indians, Speaks
English and Wears Store Clothes.
Chief Johnson of the Taku tribe, one
of the most famous Indians in Alaska
was recently in Salem. He has under
his charge from five thousand to SIX
thousand Indians. and they look tt
him as their ruler. Ee has six OF sever
large stores, located at Dyea, Juneau
| and other points, and practically con-
! troles the trade with his people. Every
three years Chief Johnson has a big
potlatch, at which time he gives away
thousands of blankets and other things
useful to members of his tribe. He had
potlatch in 1896, and 1t cost him So
600 and the one held last year was al
most as expensive.
There are other Indian chiefs in
Alaska but none who have as numer-
GUS dependents as Johnson. There are
probably twelve chiefs in all, the next
in point of number of followers below
him having about three thousand One
of these chiefs is to give a big pot
latch to his people this year. and, so
Chief Johnson, the principal business
man for the Indians of the northern
country has come down to make spec
ial purchases of blankets and other ar
ticles suitable for the extraordinary &C.
casion. fN
1t has been the custom of the chief
to come here annually to make his pur
chases from the Thomas Kay Wooden
Mill company They are unable to fill
his order for five thousand blankets, as
they only had about five hundred pairs
on hand. These he took and the re-
mainder will be sent later.
Chief Johnson has some members in
his tribe in the Chenawa Indian school,
and he will visit that institution before
he returns to his home in Alaska. This
representative of our northern-most
possession is not satisfied with some of
the laws which have been made at
Washington to govern the Indians. He
bitterly opposes the encroachments of
the white man, and says that the game
Is disappearing from the hunting
grounds, and the fish no longer swarm
the streams, as in years gone by. Hunt
ing and fishing are the only occupation
of these people, and he sees, at no dis
tant date, these will be destroyed and
they will be sunk deeper into poverty
and want than they are at the present
time. While speaking of the condition
of his people he showed a sincere inter-
est in their welfare and a determination
to do everything in his power to add to
their comfort and happiness. He says
the chiefs of the white men rule only
for money, but he rules his people with
out charge, and they obey and love
him because he is good and Just to
them. He says the whiskey business
in Alaska is very detrimental to the
Indians and he would like to see the
law enforced.
Chief johnson dresses WELL wearing
a white shirt and a high collar, and he
has the appearance of an intelligent
man. Eie speaks fair English and is a
close observer and a shrewd business
man. He is a man of great wealth,
one of the richest in Alaska,
and lives in the finest house in any of
The northern cities. He has ruled his
-ribe since the death of his father,
which occurred in 1880. He is about
fifty years of age, and is strong and
1earty, enjoying the best of health
Oregon Statesman.