The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-12
GUARD WELFARE
OF The REINDEER
DIR. SHELDON JACKSON COMING
TO MINNEAPOLIS.
Former Rochester Minister Has Done q
Great Work for the Government in
the Frozen North How He Took
Reindeer Into Alaska and Provided
for Their Care.

Sheldon Jackson, LID, general agent
Of the United States government, de-
partment OF. the interior, states in a pri-
vate letter to Mrs. E. F. Pomeroy, 400
Nicollet avenue, long time. friend,
that he will spend tomorrow in Mime
apolis en- route to Portland. DR.. Jack
son s first preaching was done at Ro-
chester, Mimi, and he was instrumental
in building Presbyterian church there
and others at diferenet points in the
state.
He has been nineteen years in the
government employ, and the story OF
what he has accomplished is fascinat
of bringing reindeer from Siberia to
Alaska and Of importing Laplanders to
teach the difficult art Of herding them,
is Of present interest.
From 1880 reindeer imported from
Siberia in 1892 and 1898 there were, on
Jan. l, 1904, 6,505 reindeer in eleven
herds at nine different stations, under
the ownership Of seventy-fve persons.
AS the herds double in three years,
there should be now about 10000. There
are fourteen Laplanders who teach the
care and use of them, and many Esk1-
mos apprenticed to these men as stu
dents Of herding for period Of five
years, about 1000 xeindeer are loaned
| by the government to different missions,
an carefully framed laws govern all
owned in Alaska. Up to 1904, $4,000
the government for reindeer.
What they accomplish in relief ex-
petitions, in freighting and in carrying
mails is in addition to their value as
food. One reindeer winter mail route
from Kotzbue to Point Barrow is $50
miles in length, over a country without
even trail, in midnight darkness,
above the arctic circle, where the Their
mometer ranges from 20 to 80 degrees
below zero, and violent storms are Of
frequent occurrence. The $3.50 allowed
by the postoffice department for each
round trip, requiring about three
months, is slight compensation to the
hardy Eskimo drivers, who, at the risk
of their lives, carry this mail over the
northernmost postal route in the world.
The reindeer scale high mountain
ranges, shoot down precipjitous, declivi-
ties at toboggan speed, plod thru val
legs of deeply drifted snow, cut a way
thru fve=foot, dense underbrush, glide
over hardcrusted snow, or thru slush
two feet deep, often making sixty
miles day under the most appalling
conditions.
At one time it is recorded that par.
: ty with seventeen reindeer had con
tinuous march Of four days and three
oAAS
thermometer at 70 below zero, yet
twelve Of the herd survived.
While DR.. fJackson's original pur
: pose was to assist the natives to a Ger
tain method of gaining a livelihood
and to advance their civilization, YET
!: they are of equal Importance to the
!: white population, as the reindeer il
5 the only draft animal that can secure
!: it's own food while on journey thru
: arctic regions, and carries passengers
mails and freight with cheapness an(
: speed. ..z.S.-l@ e. -. . r}.fss.4z,. e b
: Dr., jackson is at present, striving tx
. increase the number of small industrial
: schools where the natives are, laugh
: in making fish nets, and in adopting
. improved methods of catching an,
!: preparing fish for family use and TO
5 Esale; in the care and raising of rein
: deer, and in their breaking in and US
: in transportation, and in the cultiva
:: ton of hardy vegetables, wherever sol
s and climate will allow. r--
< While DR.. >Jackson's work is many
! sided, and he is man of manifold in
: terests, he will always be thought o
: first in connection with his inspire
$ work Of bringing the reindeer to Al
l. | aska