Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-11-22
CENSUS OF ALASKA
Statement by the Director Concern.
ing the Work in the Territory.
WRETCHED STATE OF The INDIANS.


resu OF equipment
Washington, Nov. 15.-The census
bureau recently completed the emu
nleration of the district of Alaska.
The schedules have been received at
the Office and are now in process of
tahulation. The director of the CEN
sus yesterday gave out the following
statement with reference to the work
in tn. territory: Mr.. Samuel c. DUN
ham, who had charge OF the work in
the northern district, returned to
Washington a few days ago and SUBJ
mitted his final report. He left Wash
ington OH this work May 4, 1899. The
native and mixed population of the
northern district of Alaska is 1862.
The most populous district lith re-
spect to the native population is the
country lying between the mouth of
the Yukon and-the Kuskoquin rivers
and extending back from the coast
100 miles Maurice johnson, the
agent for the district, Travelled over
1000 miles with dog teams during the
winter and enumerated 3,013 per-
SONS, 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
l TO March Is he visited "A interior
villages and during the time saw but
three fires burning in the shacks.
The poor creatures huddle together
in their miserable dwellings during
the long winter and subsist on frozen
fish and a little seal oil, which they
secure on the coast during the sim
mer. The fur-bearing animals, which
formerly furnished them with nat
ural clothing, are nearly extinct and
they have been forced to adopt the
white mans garb, and as their pov-
erty prevents 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 missionaries devote their at
temion to the more attractive fields
in the gold regions and along the
river, where their work may be seen.
The Nome district is the most
populcus in northern Alaska. The
enumeration showed a permanent
white population on June 1 of 2,704.
During the summer about 5000 peo-
pie lHnded at Nome, about 9,5',O of
these coming from Dawson About
10000 have returned 70 their homes
In the states, leaving about 1000 peo-
pie in the region contiguous to
Nome 1t is probable that the popu-
lation of the town of Nome during
the winter will be between 1000 and
5000.
The Report Of Admiral Bradford.
Washington, Nov. 15.-The report
Of Admiral Bradford, chief of the ma
val bureau of equipment, records I'M
precedentedly large expenditures by
ships during the last fiscal
year and the disbursement of large
amounts for freight involved in the
transportation of stores. Admiral
sets forth the desirability
of naval station at Guam, empha-
sizing the Importance Of the island
as naval base. He also recounts
rapid improvements in equipment
work at the Cavite naval station, and
the completion of steel cold storage
house at Pago Pago, on the island of
Iituila, Samoa. A new floating dry
lock for the naval station at Algiers,
La, is to be completed by May, 1901.
The amount of coal being consumed i,
by the navy is increasing year by
year and its cost last year averaged
nearly So ton more than during the
fiscal year of 1899. Admiral Bradford
again renews his recommendation
'or new naval coal depots. The bu-
'eau recommends the installation of
he Morconi system of wireless teleg-
apply on board of several ships of
he navy, provided it tan be done at
/ reasonable cost.
The report says that the survey by
he United States steamer NTo for
ranspacific submarine telegraph ca
Die between Honolulu and the Phil
pplns islands was most successfully
accomplished and that satisfactory
quite for an all-American cable to
connect the Pacific coast with the
outlying colonial possessions of the
United States in the Pacific, and with
'hina and Japan, has been discovered,
thoroughly explored, surveyed and
mapped. The bureau Is now rea'y TO
ay the cable at any time.
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washington, Nov. 16.-Steps have