The Nome nugget., 1903-09-23
Interesting Letter From MT. Hugh J. Lee.
THE WORK DONE
With the Herd at Cape Prince of WaIeS--DefenSe of the
 Government Policy.

Editor THE NOME NUGGET-Som much has been said and written about the introduction of domestic reindeer into Alaska by the government that tends to throw ridicule on the subject, that 1 feel impelled to say little on the sub ject that may tend to change the pres ent opinion of the public in regard to the usefulness of the reindeer to the Alaskan Eskimo.
 can only cite facts concerning the herd of the Congregational mission at Cape Prince of Wales, where l have been for the past year.
 We have at the cape, or in that vicinity, about l,500 reindeer. These deer are all owned, either by the mis- sion or Eskimo reindeer herderS. A little more than half of the entire herd is at present owned by the natives, however, and to show that they are of benefit to the natives, l will say that the bill paid to San Francisco firm by lOuI ol UuCDi lOl lICli ,Chi . obui'o this season, amounted to about S4, POO.
 This sum includes lumber bought by one of the four for a iive-roomed house 30x20 feet, which is d much better house than many of those in the city of Nome.
 It is true Chat limited number of natives have as yet become owners of d sufficient number of the deer to be self supporting. At present there are but six of the herders who are self-sustain- ing. Next year there will be one more, and in the following year there will be two more graduates. The plan under which we are working now is this
 We take an apprentice who will re- teive his board and clothing for five years or all through his apprentice ship. At the expiration of the five years, he will be sufficiently well edu- cated in the care of the deer to thoroughly understand handling them, and as he is taught English, he will be dDlC u QO DuSiucSS " lUil Ullt Wt1ltC pup hlation. He will receive his compen- sation for the five years that he has worked; the number of deer he will re- ceive being 9, or five year. In ad- dition he will receive from the mission loan of p more deer so that he will have a good working capital.
 The increase from these 50 deer will serve to maintain him in good shape, and his number will increase so that at the expiration of five years more, he can pay back his loan of 9 and still have tinue business. When his herd num- bers 100 he will be in position to feed and clothe an apprentice, who will re- ceive the same opportunity as the mis- sion apprentices.
 In addition to the six independent owners, there are now five mission ap- prentices and five herdcr's apprentices, making 16 who have an actual interest in the herd.
 In the past the owners have been nearly all related to each other, so that but very few families have been bene- fitted, but the rule now in vogue is that all new apprentices must be boys who are not related to the other deer owners. hope in this way to intro duce the ownership of the reindeer into as many different families Us possible.
 This new rule was greeted with cheers by the population of the village, as they were beginning to feel jealous of the Kingegan reindeer aristocracy And the new rule is that no boy shall become an apprentice until he shall have learned some English. There is no law to compel them to attend the government school, and sometimes the boys are inclined to be irregular in their attendance, but as the reindeer boy will have to do business with Eng fish speaking people, q knowledge of the language is necessary, and the boys are so anxious to become partners in the benefits of the reindeer herd, that the rule gives them an incentive to study.
 There are already enough reindeer in Alaska to supply the bulk of the meat