Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-12-11
COOPERATION IN ALASKA.

Cooperative stores, owned and man
aged by natives, are fostered wherever
possible in Alaska by the United
States bureau OF education, which ha'
charge of education for the natives O
Alaska. In this way the bureau helps
the natives protect themselves from
those traders who charge exorbitan
prices for food and clothing and pay
as little as possible for native prod
ucts In 'hc small villages even legit-
innate marketing expenses are heavy
burden unless there is some form OF
cooperation.
These cooperative attempts have
been a decided success. At Hydaburg
in southeastern Alaska, where the
United States school teacher has gen
eral oversight of the cooperative
stores, the natives were able, after IL
months of business, to declare. a cash
dividend of so per cent, and still have
funds available for the erection of 4
larger store building. The KlawocK
Commercial company, also under nj
tive management, was able after 8
months of existence to erect a new
store building from its surplus. At
Klukwan also the natives have organ
lied a cooperative store.
Native stores have for several years
been in successful operation at Cape
Prince of Wales and on st. Lawrence
Island, where the natives buy food at
reasonable prices and are assured al
equitabl exchange for their furs and
other products
A more recent example of co-opera-
ton is at Atka, a remote island in the
Aleutian chain. Formerly rough lum
Der cost $50 per thousand and shingles
So a thousand ON this island, and
clothing and food supplies were cor
respondingly high. On the other hand
the natives were poorly paid for their
labor. For each of the few blue fox
skins the natives could catch they re-
ceived from the trader goods averag-
ing So in value. Sold at public auc-
ton in Seattle, these skins brought
from $17.10 to $665O each, ACCORDING
to quality. In April Of this year, with
the help of Seattle merchants and Off
GERS of the revenue cutter service, a
cooperative company was organized
under the direction of the United States
public school teacher, and now the ma
tives are doing their own buying and
selling, with considerable advantage to
themselves.
Eskimos on the shores of Behring
sea and the Arctic ocean have until
recently had to market through local
traders Now many of them are send
ing by mail packages of fox, lynx, mink
and hair seal to the Alasak division OF
the bureau of education at Seattle and
the government officials sell the furs
for the natives at public auction tc
the highest bidders
Natives in Tatitlek co-operated in
sailing and exporting salmon during
the past season, under the instruction
Of the local government teacher, witt
the result that they have not onl!
melted $1,000 in cash, but have alst
put away 10000 pounds of smoked sal
mon for winter use.
Cooperation in Alaska has beer
aided by the policy Of reserving tracts
of land for the exclusive use of tn,
natives, On this land the natives built
up their own industries, safe from thu
evil influence of unprincipled whit;
men. Hydaburg is a reservation set
Element; Klukwa, has recently obtain
ed a similar reservation upon which t
conduct its cooperative enterprise
and Klawock hopes to secure reserva
ton land in the near future.