The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-29
REINDEER BREEDING
PROVES A SUCCESS
Tryingto Make Alaska EskimoS
SelfSupporting
INDUSTRY SPRINGS UP
That Frozen North VIII Aid In Feed
ing United states Before Many
Years Have Passed Is
Prediction.
INDUSTRY SPRINGS Vi

Though it is not more than fifteen years
ago that the reindeer was transported
from Siberia to Alaska, the enterprise
has passed the initial stage of expert
ment and Is a successful one. The scheme
appeared preposterous from the very first
and though its original motive was purely
philanthropic it has become a valuable
industrial enterprise
The beginning and growth of the idea
are not generally known. Dr. Sheldon
Jackson, while making a trip of inspec-
tion of the missionary stations and gov
eminent schools in Alaska in 1890, was
impressed with the fact that the natives
in Alaska were rapidly losing the sources
of their food supply. The whales were
going further north each year, beyond
the reach of the natives. who had no YES
sells to aid them in the pursuit; The seals
were rapidly being exterminated, and the
! Eskimo must often travel fifteen or twen-
ty miles in the winter to catch even one
The wild caribou. which had formerly
been so easily captured had been fright
ened away by the methods of modern
only was the food supply becoming a SER
ious question but that of clothing as we'll
for the whalebone, ivory tusks sealsklns
and oil had been the coin which purchas-
ed the warm reindeer skin for clothing
from the Siberians across the strait.
How the Idea Formed.
1t did not take Dr. jackson long to de-
eide that the United States would soon
4. II M aan
tives or letting them starve to death, the
former alternative being expensive be-
cause of the distance from any source of
supplies The idea of making the Eski-
mos self supporting came to him from the
fact that the Siberians, just across the
strait, living under exactly the same
conditions, were able to care for them
selves The difference between them lay
In the fact that the Siberians had herds
of reindeer to fall back upon when game
was scarce.
The following winter DIR. Jackson
brought the matter before Congress and
asked for an appropriation with which to
import few reindeer into Alaska as an
experiment. The government could not
see the wisdom of this plan, but several
private individuals raised $4,000 with which
the experiment was begun. Later the
government relented and made an appro-
priation, which has been increased till it
amounts to $4,000 annually.
The next difficulty was to persuade the
natives of Siberia to part with any of
their deer After the expedition had sail
ed for fifteen hundred miles along the
Siberian coast they at last succeeded in
finding a native who would barter the
deer for American goods. Cash he would
not accept This trouble has been over
come in a measure, though there is still
a reluctance on the owners part to spare
any of their stock.
Profits Are Astonishing.
The profits of the reindeer raising are
enormous and the work is simple. A doe
which will cost Its owner less than
dollar a year for the first four years Will
at the end of that time sell at the mines
for $50 to 500 for meat. If it be trained
to the sled 1t will be worth twice as
much They are prolific, and after they
are two years old will add fawn to the
herd every year for ten years On ac-
count of their tmid and gregarious habits
the reindeer are easily herded. and one
man can easily manage one thousand
head. The COW gives teacupful of very
rich milk about the thickness of cream,
which makes delicious cheese and. mixed
with water. forms a refreshing drink.
Though the Alaskan deer cannot equal
those of Lapland in speed pair OF them
can pull a load of five to seven hundred
hounds at the rate of thirty five miles
a day and keep 1t up for weeks. They can
travel at night as well as in the day, so
that during the long Artic nights they
make transportation possible, whereas a
day team does ont. They can also be used
for packing and riding where one be-
comes accustomed to the motion.
The United States government loans a