Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-28
ESkIMAUX ARE STARVING.
They Have Slaughtered Herds of Game
With Reckless ProdigaIity.

w dSHlilS lOIl, MAY -o--INSIJtt
tons having been made to the War De-
partment that the native Indians and
ESkimauX in Alaska, particularly in the
vicinity of Nome and on Pilgrim river
in the Seward peninsula, We're in a
starving condition, instructions were
sent to General Funston, commanding
the Department of the Columbia to in
vestigate the situation and report what
measures of relief We're necessary. He
was authorized to take immediate steps
to meet the emergency where starvation
confronted the Indians in these dis
tricts. reporting his action to the War
Department for approval. The Depart
ment has received from General Fun
ston a preliminary report in which he
says:
AS I spent at one time two and half
years in Alaska, under such circum-
stances that l lived almost entirely
among the natives, both Indians and
EsquimauX, l feel justified in making
a few observations on these people in
advance of my coming visit to the ter
ritory.
Ten years ago. not counting the small
mining towns of the southeast coast
a few others, there were not fifty white
men in all Alsaka or less than one to
every 10000 square miles. To my own
certain personal knowledge in 1894 the
moose and caribou in the entire lower
valley of the Yukon and on the west
coast had been practically eXtermnat-
ed The natives had obtained breech-
loading rifles from the whalers some
twenty years before and slaughtered the
great herds of game with n the most
reckless prodigality. The animals were
given no rest at any season, and were
all but eXterminated. There are STILL
or at least were in 1898 and 1894, great
droves of caribou on the Porcupine
river in northeastern Alsaka and be-
tween that river and the Arctic ocean
/ have seen as many as 5000 in single
herd and saw more than 600 in a single
day.
1t is true that the walrus has been
practically eXterminated in Behring
sea and adjoining water, but that was
done. not by white men, but by the ma
tiveS. and in the same improvident
fashion that they eXterminated the
moose and caribou of the lower Yukon.
In fact. the Eskimo owes his present
condition to his own prodigality and
disregard for the future. The only
part the white men have had in the
business is that they have purchased
the furs. walrus ivory, whalebone, etc,
offered to them by the natives. The
trifling disposition of the people and
their utter disregard for future condi-
tons is the cause of their present dis
treSS.
I most earnestly recommend that an
army officer or a special agent of one
of the other departments of the govern
mcnt. be placed in general control of
the Eskimaux of Alaska, his relations
to them being similar to that of an
Indian agent in this country. The
Eskimaux should not be collected on a
reservation. but it should be the duty
of the agent and his subordinates to
insist that they catch fish during the
run of salmon and punish for va
grancy those who refuse to work. NO
natives should be allowed to remain
near a mining camp or army post ex-
cept those who are steadily at work
Tho agent should have magisterial
powers and use them literally to COM
pei absolute obedience to his authority.
With this plan there would be no starv-
ink Esquimaux and no need for char
ity.
The splendid work now being done
under the direction of the Commission
er of Education, in introducing the ST.
berian reindeer and instructing the ma
tives in their care and use, bids fair, in
the course of a few years, to eliminate
all danger of distress among those peo-
pie.