Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-01-30
REINDEER in ALASKA
NUMBER OVER SIX THOUSAND

d
Sinrock Mary. Known as the Reindeer
oueen-Fortunes Awaiting Syste-
matte Herders-increaseD During the
Past Eleven Years.
Palagai Makrioff Antesilook. known
to the whites as Sinrock Mary. the
Reindeer Queen of Alaska, has given
to the commercially inclined hint of
the great profit which could be made
by the systematic handling OF large
herds of reindeer. Taking the rein
deer which her husband. Siurock Char
lie. left at his DEATH she has increased
their number to more than 400.
source OF large income, each OF the
animals readily selling in this market
vt from $50 to SIS.
What she has done with a small
band of native herders. without any
special study of the subject and with
no effort at system. indicates what
fortune awaits the man who takes up
reindeer herding. the only live stock
industry that is possible in northwest
ern Alaska.
The reindeer alive is useful either for
packing or draught purposes. He will
handily carry on his back from 100 TO
$50 pounds or draw on sled from 200
to 800 pounds. From the reindeer fs
also secured an excellent quality OF
milk from which the natives make but
ter and cheese.
The reindeer dead is even more valu-
able 1t is the testimony of epicures
that the sweetest porterhouse steak to
BE- found anywhere is cut from the
reindeer Almost every part of the an
imal's body is useful for something. In
fact. It is well known to those ac-
qualnted with native herders that they
make some use of every bit of skin.
flesh. sinew. bone and intestine.
II was eleven years ago that DR..
Sheldon Jackson, general agent OF edu-
cation In Alaska. began the work of
bringing from Siberia to Alaska these
animals of such value for food. cloth
Ing and transportation. Considering
the fact that the first herd of large size
was brought across the straits in 1894.
the growth of the number to more than
5000 Is regarded by government rein
deer experts as highly satisfactory. The
expense involved has up TO date
amounted in round figures to SlSo.OoU.
a trife more than S32 for each rein
| deer
At the present time all of the rein
| deer herds are in the hands OF Eskl-
mo. some forty of them being engaged
| in the work of directing the herders in
| Immediate charge of the animals. Hav-
| ing originally designed reindeer herd
| ing as an occupation for those natives
whose fishing and hunting was failing
70 give them livelihood. the govern
ment arranged that each herder should
serve an apprenticeship of five years.
fifty deer being turned over to each, TO
become his property in fee simple al
| the end OF ten years.
The large herds are nine in number
and are located at Cape Prince OF
wales. Port Clarence. Goloyin. Sin
| rock. Point Hope. Point Barrow, St
| Lawrence island. Unaiakleet and Cape
| Blossom. fairly successful effort
| was made In 1900 to cross the deer pre-
| viously brought over. with the Tunguse
deer Lieutenant Il. p. Barthofr having
bought for S1312ik each. AIS of the lat
ter and shipped them to this country.
| They were. however carried long dis
tanee In close confinement. and ia of
them died on the way.
A serious feature OF the reindeer
| question has arisen the past year the
Russian government having issued
ukase TO the effect that no more rein
deer be either sold or given to anybody
| TO be transported out OF the country.
| The plea Is made that the sales had be-
come go large that they were depriving
| he Siberian natives of a means OF
1 livelihood. This puts II up to the
Alaska reindeer owners TO Kill as few
| as possible of the reindeer for three or
| four years. particularly females. to the
end that the herds now here may be
considerably increased.-Nome News.