Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-01-03
GREATEST OF ALASKAN CHIEFS,
Rules Over 5000 indians, Speaks Eng
lish, and Wears Boiled Shirts.


Chief Johnson of the Tauk Tribe,
one of the most famous Indians in
Alaska, was recently in Salem. He
has under his charge 5000 to 5000
Indians, and they look to him as
their ruler. He has six or seven large
stores, located at Dyea, Juneau, and
other points, and practically controls
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 a potlatch in 1896. and it cost
him $4,000, and the one held lest year
was almost as expensive.
There are other Indian chiefs in
| Alaska, but none who have as numer-
Gus dependents as Johnson. There
are probably twenty chiefs in all, the
next in point of number of followers
below him having about 5000. One
of these chiefs is to give big potlatch
to his people this year, and so Chief
| Johnson, the principal businessman
| for the Indians of that northern coun-
| try, has come down to make special
purchases of blankets and other
articles suitable for the extraordinary
| occasion.
1t has been the custom OF the chief
to come here annually to make his
purchases from the Thomas Kay
Wooden Mill company, but they were
unable to fill his order for 5000
blankets, as they only had about 500
pairs on hand. These he took, and
! the remainder will be sent later.
Chief Johnson has some members of
his tribe in the Chemawa Indian
School, and he will visit that institu-
ton before he returns to his home in
Alaska. This representative of our
northernmost possession is not sat
isfied with some of the laws which
have been made at Washington to
govern the Indians. He bitterly op-
poses the entertainments of the white
man, and says that the game is disap-
pearing from the hunting grounds.
| and the fish no longer swarm the
| streams as in years gone by. Hunting
and fishing are the only occupations
| of his people, and he sees, at no dis
tant date, these will be destroyed and
they will be sunk deeper into proverty
and want than they are at the present
time. While speaking of the condi-
| ton of his people he showed a sincere
| interest in their welfare and a deter
mination to do everything in his
| power to add to their comfort and hap
| piness. He says the chiefs of the
white men rule only for money; but
he rules his people without charge,
and they obey him and love him be-
cause he is good and just to them.
He says the whisky business in Alas
ka is detrimental to the Indians and
| he would like to see the prohibition
| law enforced.
| Chief Johnson dresses well, wearing
white shirt and high collar. and he
has the appearance of an intelligent
man. He speaks fair English and is q
close observer and a shrewd business
man. He is a man of great wealth,
| probably one of the richest in Alaska,
and he lives in the finest house in any
of the northern cities. He has ruled
his tribe since the death of his father,
which occurred in 1880. He is about
| so years of age and is strong and
hearty, enjoying the best of health.
Oregon Statesman.