The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-20
UNCLE SAM AS A REINDEER RANCHER

uping in reindeer tha; ~ coming 10 sup
ply MI the residents of Inc big out side
territory with frc>h mca; and Chat IL
even extending It's arm down south 10
continental Unitci States 10 compete in
HE meat market wish ihc cattle grown
on the grrn; plains.
Many Reindeer seations.
Net such are the facts The govern
mint has established twcntv.ihrcc rriu-
deer stations in Alaska. Under thc dircc-
ton of these lIl Eskimo have been
supplied with live stock rs y basis Of
establishing ranches for Themselves ard
have succeeded in doing so. y hundred
more Young Eskimo with homes all
along the coas; line have hecn taken
in charge by government agents and
are being taught To be- raHchmpn ard
supplied with a uacicuS of II herd In
time II IS expected thar prosperity viii
come 10 ali these people through the
profitable ayocatiom Of tending these
herds. end ibal The delicate task of
supplying these strange wards Of the
government with means Of earning a
livelihood will be accomplished.
II MI started twenty years ago when
Dr., sheldon dickson on behalf uf the
government bureau Of education traV-
cled over Alaska and Siberia studying
the people with an idea nf improving
their opportunities df making living
In American territory il was found that
there were many villages in which
famine stalkcd through The long winters
of every year and in which hundreds
died OF starvation. This condition was
largely due 10 The fact that The civilized
people Of the south had come in great
numbers into the fishing and sealing
waters of the natives and depleted them.
The dea was To find new way 80 sup
ply. the natives with that prosperity of
which they had been deprived
DIR. Jackson also crossed over Bcring
straits into Siberia. There he found
similar class of natives living in thrifty
prosperity. Their excellent condition was
found TO be due To the herds Of reindeer
they maintained. The numbers of these
were without end and they waXed fat and
multiplied on the great moss reaches of
the interior that were in no way differ.
ent from the lands of Alaska
Congress TO the Rescue.
The possibility of bringing the same
prosperity 10 the American Eskimo
struck DR.. Jackson very strongly. lie
reported his findings and recommenda
lions 10 tho secretary Of the interior
ms superior. Next year IL small appro-
priation was made for the Introduction
or reindeer. For seven years congress
appropriated othcr small amounts. y
revenue cutter was detailed 10 the work
of transporting reindeer across Boring
straits Then the Russian government
decided that thc reindeer industry
would be better kept al home and re
fused TO allow the natives 10 any long
or sell their deer To the Americans.
\ sufficient number had. however,
been secured TO make the nucleus OF an
industry, They were carefully farmcd
out at various stations in Alaska and
propagated. 1t was found that their
numbers might be doubled every three
years. They have been doubling. until
there are now 2J,000 of them, and IN
three Years more there should be 90
900. and III six years 100000. Soon Alas.
la should be producing millions of
reindeer every year and reaping prof
it's that viii be enormous
The introduction Of the reindeer was
intended for the benefit of the natives.