The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-01-16
SOLVES LIVING COST
United States Fosters Co-0pera-
tive Stores in Alaska.
Bureau Of Education at Washington
Helps Natives of North Country
Protect Themselves From
Exorbtant Traders.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS stores
owned and managed by natives, are
fostered wherever possible in Alaska
by the United States bureau of educa
ton, which has charge of education fol
/ the natives of Alaska. In this way the
bureau helps the natives protect them
| selves from those traders who charge
eXorbitant prices for food and clothing
and pay as little as possible for native
| products In the small villages even
legitimate 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 II
months of business, TO declare cash
dividend of so per cent and still have
funds available for the erection OF a
larger store building. The KlawoAk
Commercial company, also under ma
tive management, was able after nine
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 on
an equitable 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 CORE
spondingly 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 IS in value. Sold at public auction
$17.10 to $66.50 each, according to
quality. In April of this year, with the
help of Seattle merchants and officers
of the revenue cutter service, a coop
erative company was organized under
the direction of the United States pub
lie school teacher, and now the natives
are doing their own buying and sell
ing with considerable advantage to
themselves.
Eskimos on the shore of Bering sea
and the Arctic ocean have until re-
Gently had to market through local
traders. Now many of them are send
ing by mail packages of fox, lynx,
mink and hair seal 10 the Alaska di.
vision of the bureau of education at
Seattle, and the government officials
sell the furs for the natives at public
auction to the highest bidders.
Natives in Tatitlek co-operated In
sailing and exporting salmon during
he past season, under the instruction
If the local government teacher, with
he result that they have not only net |
ed $1,000 in cash, but have also put
away 10000 pounds of smoked salmon |
or winter use.
Cooperation in Alaska has been aid |
ID by the policy of reserving tracts of |
and for the exclusive use of the ma
ives. On this land the natives build
lp their owD industries, safe from the |
vii influence of unprincipled white
men. Hydaburg is a reservation settle
nent; Klukwan has recently obtained
similar reservation upon which to
onduct its cooperative enterprises