The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-09-17

friendly with the whites. They are
given to religious observance and
when let alone by the whites are
we'll behaved people. Unfortunately
however, they are like children in
that they are easily Influenced, and
members Of certain element Of the
whites seem to feel that they can
treat them as they would be ashamed
to do outside.
In consequence of this the mission
aries have hard time. He added
that the game laws are detrimental
to the indians in many ways partio-
ularly as they shut off portion of the
food supply. The Senator told of Wis
iting the famous Holy Gross mission
on lower Yukon. Here the party was
welcomed by school children and Mr..
Dillingham; said the exercises given
by them were almost remarkable.
He said that the missionaries COM
planned however, that when the young
Indians completed school there was
nothing for them to do in Alaska and
they soon drifted back to be the same
old Indians that their fathers were.
While on tie tour the committee
thoroughly Investigated the question
of light house buoys, and whatever
would be in the line of better pro-
lection of commerce. They also
studied the harbor question, taking the
testimony of government officials and
others in all parts of the Territory
concerning these matters. The gen.
eral question of the solution of the In
dian problem was also carefully in
vestigated and this the Senator re-
CARDS as matter of much import
ance. a great deal of attention was
given to the subject of mining laws.
At present there is great dispute
over the matter of granting the power
of attorney, as under the present order
of things prospector not only pre-
empts claims for himself but by
using the power of attorney he takes
possession of others In the name of
friends and the privilege is greatly
abused There is also a disposition
on the part of spectators to jump
claims and this causes much trouble.
Complaints OF these things were heard
in all parts of the Territory and Mr..
Dillingham; said that the committee
will recommend some changes in the
general laws to make them fit condi-
tions.
In speaking of the Importance of
the salmon fisheries Senator Dilling.
ham called attention to the fact that
in 1900 the value of the salmon out
put was $40, 0000 90 or more than the
value of the gold produced by the
Territory. The committee visited the
largest canning factory in Alaska,
which is located at Karluk and which
has capacity of 60, 900 salmon a
day. On the day of the visit 90, 600
red salmon were taken from the water
at that point. The Senator said how
ever, that the stock of salmon was
surely decreasing and that the fish
laws needed revision and improve
ment. When asked concerning the
story that the senatorial party was
stranded on "a Yukon sand bar, Mr..
Dillingham; said that it must have
originated from the fact that the
river steamer Sarah which was to
carry the party from Dawson to st.
Michael became stranded on bar on
the Yukon flats during the trip up
the river. The party was consider
ably delayed by this at Dawson but
finally made shift to get away
Not meeting the Sarah as was antici-
pated her whereabouts became a mat
ter of interest and nothing was learned
concerning her until she was sighted
high and dry on a bar, the victim of
the ever changing channels OF the
Yukon. The boat on which the party
Travelled narrowly escaped a like fate
by trying channel which ended on
bar, but the mistake was discovered
in time to prevent trouble.
Senator Dillingham; tells very in
teresting story of his visit to the st.
Paul Island, one of the Pribiloff
group and the centre of the great Beh-
ring Sea sealing grounds. There the
party saw these valuable animals,
studied there habits, and witnessed
the last kill Of the season.