Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1910-04-14


II dividuals to submit bids for
the leasing of one of the
most valuable and at the same time
most troublesome possessions Of the
United States. the Pribilof group, bet
ter known as the Fur Seal islands.
The term Of ten years of the present
lessee expires on April 80. 1910 The
lease allows the holder to kill about
$4,000 fur seals annually, and these
sell in the London market for not less
than S465,000
The islands were acquired from
Russia along with the rest Of Alaska
in 1867. and In 1870 they were first
leased.
Under the present contract the
lessee pays at the rate Of $10.22h for
each skin taken. The secretary Of
commerce and labor determines the
kind and number of seals to be taken
each year and the method of killing
Under the regulations the animals are
killed with clubs. and the kill is re-
stricted to bachelors" of two and
three years old. The age Is fixed by
the weight Of the skin, none weighing
less than eight and one-half pounds
being legal. AS the bachelors herd
by themselves most of the killing sea-
son II Is an easy matter to see that
only male seals are killed. although
at the end of the mating season more
care must be exercised
In addition IN tho ann, pat1 tho axnx
eminent for each skin the company
furnishes free to the natives on the
island dried salmon and salt barrels
for preserving a supply of meat, 80
tons of Goa annually, comfortable
dwellings. and necessary school houses.
which It keeps In repair, competent
teachers and free school for the edu-
cation Of the children eight months of
the year. competent physicians, medi-
cines and medical supplies, and the
necessaries of life for the widows and
orphans and aged and infirm inhabit-
ants of the islands unable to provide
for themselves. The company also en-
ploys the natives to perform such
work on the islands as they are fitted
to do at a compensation fixed by the
secretary Of commerce and labor.
On its side the government EN-.
ploys an agent, Walter l. Lembkey
and three assistant agents, to look
after its interests upon the islands
and also furnishes revenue cutters
and naval vessels to protect the is.
lands from raids by marauding pelagic
sealers.
The Pribiloff islands. which are the
breeding grounds of the major herd
Of the Pacific fur seals, were discov
cred in 1885 by Gerassim Pribilof, q
navigator In the employ Of the Rus
sian trading companies. They are
situated In Boring sea. about 1000
miles from Seattle, Wash. The group
consists of st. Paul, ST. George, Wal
rus and Otter islands and Sea Lion
rock. They are completely isolated
from other land, the nearest port be
ing Unalaska. on one of the Aleutian
islands, which Is 214 miles to the
southwark
! The islands are of volcanic origin
and are desert to the extent that they
produce nothing capable of sustaining
man. They are remarkable for the
profusion of wild flowers found upon
them during the summer months.
During large part of the year the
islands and the surrounding sea are
enveloped In a dense fog, which makes
navigation difficult and hazardous
There are on vessels at the islands
practically the only kind of boat In
use Is the native bidarka or skin canoe
capable of being navigated to the
mainland or to the nearest port, and
the only time the residents come In
touch with the outside world is when
the lessee's steamer calls there twice
each year, and at irregular intervals
when a revenue cutter chances tc
stop for few hours.
These islands are the only breeding
ground of the Pribilof or American
fur seal herd, which even In it's pres
emit depleted condition is the larges,
fur seal herd In the world The seals
OF his herd breed upon the islands Of
st. Paul and st. George during the
summer and annually in the fall leave
them and proceed through Boring ses
and the passes between the Aleutiar
islands into the Pacific ocean Some
of them 60 as far as Santa Barbara
channel of southern California
I Generally speaking, this annual mi
grafton of the herd begins In Novem
Der, and by the latter part OF Decem