The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-29
YOUTH Or ALASKA
ARE AGER TO LEARN.
Education w elcomed In Americas
Lapland Reindeer Harding
ers Of Prosperity.
~ W. w. Jermane.

Washington, July 49, William 7.
Harris, United States commissioner Of
education, is an enthusiast on the ma
tives Of Alaska. He describes them as
docile and industrious, and says the
young ones are exceedingly *; bright and
Of both thee Eskimo and the native In
dian. And he holds forth the hope that
Il has Started in the education Of those
people the time will come when they
will be numerous and prosperous, and
highly valuable as citizens.
The basis Of their prosperity will be
Of course the reindeer which the gov
eminent has introduced among them.
OF these deer the government. bought
an average Of 100 each year for thir-
teen years, or total Of 1880. These
have increased until now there are over
10000, and by the end Of the present
season he expects the number to reach
nearly $4,000. The herds double every
three years by natural increase, and
Mr.. Harris says there is territory
miles, on which it would be easy to
maintain 100000 deer.
Has Good Forage.
What this means will be perceived
when it is understood that in all of
Lapland there are only 100000 rein
deer and in Finland only 100000.
The moss Of northern Alaska is the
most luxurious growth Of the kind in
exclusively. By 1910 Mr.. Harris ex-
poets the natural increase of these deer
in Alaska to amount to $4,000 animals.
All the deer bought and imported
into Alaska by the United States came
from Siberia. There was story about
the interior department that some of
the deer were brought from Norway,
but Mr.. Harris says those deer were
brought for the purpose of carrying
the upper Yukon, and as they were
steers or geldings. they have not en-
tered into the government figures on
the propagation of reindeer in Alaska.
The Siberian deer exclusively have
been used in the education Of the ma
tives to become civilized and self-sup-
Of the deer in Alaska the govern
tives about 1000, and the remainder
are owned by the various missions. It
is the plan of the missions to take on
native boys and give them a fve-year
course in herding and caring for rein
deer, and after they graduate they are
paid for their service with small herd
say of forty or fifty deer, with which
they start in for themselves. Some few
natives have already as high as 500
! deer. ~,
Boys Are Ambitious. z
As an instance Of the capacity Of the
natives to learn Mr.. Harris tells Of
two boys who went thru one of thu
mission schools and afterward worked
in salmon cannery until they hat
earned enough money to 90 to Port
/ land and buy material for a sawmill
which they took up to Alaska and Sc
up without any aid from any whit
man. They first sawed the lumber witt
l which to build house for the mill an,
then began to saw for the market, an,
at the present time are running thei
mill night and day with two shifts o
men.
Mr.. Harris says that when the ma
tives all BECOME provided with rein
deer they will find market for all tn
fresh meat they will have to sell i
: the mines, and that also the miners viii
give the natives ample employment a
carriers Of food and supplies, and tina
this will 90 on indefinitely, because j
Alaska, away up beyond the Arcti
circle, mines as rich as those of Nom
Z will be discovered 100 years from nov
} there being gold everywhere.