The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-10
SANTA CLAUS POSTAL SERVICE
Rein deer will Be Brought From ST.
IBERIA to Garry klondike Mail,

IBERIA to Garry klondike Mail.
There will be new field for poetr,
and romance when the United State.
reindeer postal service is started il
Alaska. What tales of Journeys over
mountains, river and glaciers to take
to some lone miner or trader the new.
Of home will be told by those who are
drawn by the swift animals! Wha,
lives will be saved by the tidings O.,
privation that will fly over the snow
and ice and the quick return of succor
From the frozen shores of the Arc.
tic, far up where the whalers go ir
summer. to the shores of the North
Pacific the swift. patient animals will
make their track Gold hunters, trap,
pers, lumbermen will hear Of stirring
affairs Of the world and OF loved ores
at home. The pony express gives way
to the reindeer and the sledge.
The problem of Arctic transportation
since the rush to the Klondike has
caused much anxiety to the postoffice
department, and has been finally solved
only after an expenditure Of much
time and money by the choice Of the
domesticated reindeer as the only prac-
ticable and speedy method Of distribur.
ing the Alaskan mail. Now, to carry
out the plans the revenue cutter The
tbs is being fitted out for cruise along
the Siberian coast to secure the swift.
est of these animals from the Siberian
herders. Lieutenant D. H. Jarvis, one
Of the most experienced Of Arctic Off.
GERS. will be in command.
The nearest market Of the domesti-
Gated reindeer is on the east coast Of
Siberia, just across the Bering strait
Here the animals have been herded and
trained by the nomadic tribes that
roam up and down the coast, SUBJ
sisting mainly on the products Of
the herds and bartering skins with the
coast natives for tobacco, firearms am
munition and other commodities. The
Thetis will meet these tribes along the
coast, purchase the best Of the deer and
transport them across to the Alaskan
cast.
The present methods of transporta-
ton In Alaska are by dog trains. Indian
packers and boats By boat it is impos-
and dog team travel is limited slow
and uncertain. as the greater part Of the
load has to be taken up by food for the
animals. Tba history OF every expedi-
ton that has penetrated into the coun-
try with Indians or dogs has been one
of great suffering and hunger. Not only
in carrying the mail will the reindeer
be of service, but to explorers. miners.
missionaries and settlers they will prove
sure means of transportating supplies
and will greatly aid in exploration and
development.
The reindeer possesses all the re-
quisites for Arctic travel. They are
swift tractable and self-sustaining. The
moss upon which they feed covers the
whole of Northern Alaska and they
reach 1T by burrowing through the snow
with their deeply cleft hoofs. A swift
reindeer can make $50 miles day under
favorable conditions. and twelve miles
an hour is the fair average rate of speed
drawing load Of 300 pounds. The aver
age price Of the reindeer is $40
In order to teach the Alaskan Es-
quimeaux the art Of handling the rein
deer experienced Lapland and Siberian
herders. with their families. have been
employed by the government at SAL
airy of s27 per month and food. The gov
eminent station lie at Port Clarence. The
reindeer, besides furnishing transporta.
tion.. provides food clothing. house.
furniture, implements, weapons and
harness to the natives. and to the white
inhabitants reindeer clothing is the
most serviceable.
record. and one which undoubtedly in.
fluenced the postal authorities in choos-
ing that animal, was made recently
by w. J. Kjellman. superintendent Of
the station at Port Clarence. With two
herders and 4 reindeer team he trav-
eled 1000 miles through a trackless
country to the valley Of the Kuskowim
river. south Of Yukon. to obtain mail.
The deer at the end Of the trip were in
good condition. and after few days for
rest and feeding the return was made
to Port Clarence without mishaps OF
lessening Of speed.
The first of these animals were taken
to Alaska in 1892 through bill intro.
duced by Senator Teller. appropriating
$4,000 to introduce into the territory
reindeer for domestic purposes. They
were to furnish permanent supply Of
food for the 10000 natives who were at
that time on the verge Of starvation
The revenue cutter Bear made several
trips to the Siberian coast and took
fifty reindeer to Port Clarence. Various
other stations. with additional herds
have since been established.
A systematized reindeer mail expires.
will be Of great importance to the own.
ers Of whaling fleets. who have million,
Of dollars and 1000 lives at stake. suct
a service would have saved much anx.
iety last winter II it had given informa
ton that the icebound whaling neet
was in no peril.
To the half hundred missionaries IL
Northern and Central Alaska, as well a.
- no nd ~ fv,nn