Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1919-02-13
HAS UNIQUE TITLE.
Sinrok Mary Reindeer Queen OF
Alaska.
Appeilation Accorded Her Through
Ownership of Herds of Valuable
Animals Loved Throughout
Territory for Generosity.


Coal barons, merchant princes, cat
tie kings-we are all familiar with the
figurative aristocracy of wealth; but
more picturesque and unusual is the
title popularity accorded to Sinrok
Mary, the reindeer queen Of Alaska.
Mary's career, as it is related in the
Sunset Magazine, is one unique in the
world of business and philanthropy.
In 1893 Mary Antisarlok, half Rus
sian, half Eskimo, was round-faced,
bright-eyed, sleek-haired young woman,
pretty-we have her own innocently
frank word for it-and bride. The
government had just decided to i'm
port reindeer from Siberia to Alaska
and had sent Lieutenant BerthOlf, in
the revenue cutter Bear, to negotiate
the purchase. He needed an inter
prefer, speaking both Russian and
Eskimo, and Mary was engaged. She
was glad Of the opportunity, but I'M
willing to leave her husband; so he
was engaged, too, as a sort Of Odd-jOb
man aboard; but Mary was the recog-
piZed head Of the AntisarlOk firm. She
made herself intelligently and success
fully useful among the natives with
whom it was necessary to deal, and on
returning to Alaska she was well paid
with a goodly number Of reindeer.
These animals were the origin of a
herd that fourished and increased
a1ip CyIX
eral herds. Mary is now raising deer
enough to supply thousands Of con-
SumerS; and reindeer meat is tender,
palatable and delicious, so much so
that, but for the difficulties of trans
portatiOn, it would probably become
staple food throughout the country.
Mary is a rich woman, but she lives
simply in a cluster of cabins, perched
upon rocky promOntOry thrusting
seward, fringed with ever-beating
surf.
1t is common knowledge throughout
Alaska that no one was ever refused
food and lodging at Mary's cabin it is
also known that, although open-handed
and free she is q shrewd bargainer
and possesses remarkable commercial
sagacfty. Few traders, if any, have
been able to get the advantage of her
in a business deal There are those
in her employ who at times complain
OF her as harsh MISTRESS for in bust
ness she expects everyone to live up to
obligations and is so strict in that re-
gard that it is hard at times to recon
Gle this severity with her natural atti-
tude Of easy generosity. But with
Mary business is business, and philan-
thropy is quite another matter
Toward the hungry, the helpless and
little children her tenderness is I'M
failing and her bounty lavish. She
has no children of her own, but she
has adopted a numerous family-not
a pretty baby or two, carefully select
ed for health and charm and promise,
but such fOrlorn. abandoned and neg
lected waits and strays as came I'M
der her notice in n remote and law
less zone. There are all races and
cOlorS, declares her biOgrapher, Mona
Marquis Snyder, but Mary is merci-
fully color-blind! She gives them all
d mothers care in so far as she is
capable educates them after a fashion
and, when they drift out of the home
eddy into the greater life current, she
Sees the boat we'll provisioned.
One deed of generosity will never
be forgotten In Alaska. In $685. only
five years after the founding of her
herd of reindeer, word came that
more than four hundred whalers had
been caught in the ice packs of Point
Barrow and were slowly freezing and
starving. They were five hundred miles
away from Mary Antisarlok's snow
covered cabin; they were many more
miles distant-and miles of the north
ern wilderness, icy, rocky, storm swept
and terrible-from sources of civilized
supply Quite simply and as a matter
= OF course, Mary, reserving only a few
head for domestic necessity, started
her whole herd of reindeer northward
to the rescue. She received no per
sonal appeal, asked no advice, awaited
NO instructions, made neither bargain
SlIOkI W pIOtGNl hCI IlIlIIS CIic
saw her chance for first aid, and gave
1t, Instantly and whole-heartedly.
Later, the government replaced the
sacrificed deer with interest and gave
her the thanks she deserved. But since
that day it is for more than her bust
ness ability that the reindeer queen
is respected throughout Alaska
Youths Companion.