The Grit-advocate., 1904-01-29
REINDEER IN ALASKA
NUMBER OVER SIX THOUSAND

Simrock Mary. Known as tine Eeinceer
0ueen-Fortunes Awaiting Syste-
matte Herders-Increase During the
Past Eleven Years.
Palagai Makrioff Antesiook. known
TO the whites as SinrOCk Mary, the
Reindeer Queen of Alaska has given
to the commercially inclined a 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 Sinrock Char
lie. left at his death. she has increased
their number to more than 400. a
source OF large income. each of the
animals readily selling in this market
al from $50 to $75.
WHAT she has done with 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
err Alaska.
The reindeer alive is useful either for
packing or draught purposes. He will
handily carry on his back from 100 to
l5U pounds or draw on sled from 200
to 300 pounds. From the reindeer is
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 epicurcs
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
II tn
quainted with native hcrders that they
make some use of every bit of skin,
flesh, sinew. bone and intestine.
1t 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 1884
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 dat"
amounted in round figures TO S1S5,0Oh
trihe more than s32 for each rein
deer
At The present time all of the REIN
deer herds are in the hands OF Eski-
mo, some forty of them being engaged
in the work of directing the herders IN
immediate charge of the animals. HAY
ing originally designed reindeer nerd
ing as an occupation for those natives
whose fishing and hunting was failing
to give them livelihood, the govern
mcnt 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 at
the end of ten years.
The large herds are nine in number
and are located at Cape Prince OF
wales, Port Clarence, Golovin. Sin
| rock. Point Hope. Point Barrow. St
Lawrence island, Unalakleet and Cape
Blossom. A fairly successful effort
| was made in 1900 to cross the deer pre-
F, viously brought over. with the Tungnse
deer. Lieutenant E. p. BarthoT having
| bought for $1312R each. 42S of the lat
| ter and shipped them to this country.
| They were. however carried Il long dis
| tance 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 a
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 so large that they We're deprlvinS
the Siberian natives of a means of
livelihood. This puts it 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 he
considerably ncreased-Nome News.