The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1900-09-13
INDIANS PERisH,No.
The Government Must Aid the Natives
OF Alaska.

Tno government Aust Ala the NotIV0o
Washington, Sept. 7.-Captain Tut.
tie, of the revenue service, in charge Of
the cutter Bear. reports to the treasury
department form Nome, August 2, on
the operations of his vessel since July
6. The report relates principally to
the condition of the natives along he
Alaskan coast and the adjacent ISL
ands. At Sinrock the surgeon of the
vessel, who was sent ashore, reported
that measles were epidemic, and that
pneumonia was prevalent and fatal.
At Teller Station, where the govern.
ment has q reindeer station, much sick.
ness and many deaths among the ma
tives was reported. At Cape York the
same fatal sickness was found among
the natives. Going on to Cape Prince
of Wales, practically the same desper.
ate condition was found to exist as at
other places. From that point the
Rear proceeded to East Cape Village,
Siberia, and thence to St. Lawrence
bay and Port Clarence. Everywhere
the vessel touched officers were sent
ashore to investigate the condition,
and reported that the natives never had
been in a worse condition.
At Teller Station affairs were desper-
ate. Fully one-half of the natives
around the station have died. In some
cases whole families have disappeared.
and in others the parents have died,
leaving helpless children. The salmon
are running. but there are not sufficient
number of we'll people to catch them
and thus provide food for the present
and the coming winter. The ravages
of the disease have been SO great that q
panic has. seized the natives. and the
dead are left unburied in their houses.
In their distress the natives In the
vicinity of Teller are collecting there
for food and medical attention. Rev.
L. 7. Bevig, although not q physician,
has set up few tents and is running
temporary hospital, having IL sick
and IL orphan children under his care,
furnishing them with food as best he
can. He is said to be in great need of
pilot bread, -four and clothing for the
natives in extreme distress. There is
said to be no record during the last 81
years of the degree of destitutiOn that
now prevails upon the whole Behring
sea coast.
Captain Tuttle concludes his report
as follows:
cat a conference with Governor
Brady, of Alaska, and j. E. Evans,
special agent of the treasury, DIR. Shell.
don Jackson and myself, in reference
to the deplorable condition of the ma
tives north of Unalaska, it was de-
clared that relief must be afforded
them or they would perish from cold
aud starvation during the coming win
ter. l offered to fill the Bear with
whatever could be procured to distri-
butte north of Cape Priuce of Wales.
Special Agent Evans at once ordered a
load, which was put on board. !
steamed to Unalaska to get some stores
to be put on board"
Captain Tuttle says he is going to
make another trip north to distribute
the few things that were received and
to attend to the government business.
He reports that the natives are
thoroughly demoralized through their
condition and fright and superstition.
This is the first time they have not Sc
cured their winter supply of food.
Captain Tuttle says he believes that
if it were not for the. little relief he is
taking to them on his present trip,
there would not be 10 per cent of them
alive next June.