Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-09-25

them to death when night came on. The next
morning the captain astounded to hear what
sounded like hand organ. Finally he came upon
his three companions at the cabin of Eskimo
reindeer herder. The Eskimo was playing
wheeZy old accordion and the four were Justify
singing Methodist missionary hymns in thanks
giving that the night over since the hut was
so small that it could only shelter one at time
They had just started in on where Is My Wan
dering Boy Tonght?" "Here," said the captain
appearing from behind and joining in with his
bass
Some of these days we shall all be eating rein
deer steak from Alaska And when you sit down
to your first juicy steak Remember the Bear!"
For the reindeer industry in Alaska is largely the
result of the Bears activities. 1t is said that
Capt. M. A. Healy made the first suggestion away
back in 1890 Lieut. E. P. Berthof, who at
tached to the cutter, purchased small herd in
Siberia and the animals were brought across Ber-
ing strait.
So the reindeer industry in Alaska today is the
result of the original importations of 1880 anil
mails from Siberia by the bureau of education dur
Ing IL years, beginning with 1892. These herds
have increased to considerably more than 100000
and probably 100000 have been killed for meat
and skins. 1t is estimated that grazing areas in
Alaska will support from 100000 to 100000
head.
One of the hardest battles with the ice in the
long service of the Bear was in 1914, when the
cutter made dash to the rescue of a Canadian
Arctic expedition which had been wrecked in the
steamer Karluck Wrangel island off the ST.
berian coast There was stormy weather and
thick fog and the ice was mountainous. The Bear
kept up seemingly hopeless fight until obliged to
run back to Nome for coal. She then started back
to renew the fight only to meet the members of
the expedition a light-draft schooner that had
succeeded in slipping through the ice and reach
ing the island. incidentally this Wrange island
may cause international complications. 1t was Wis
tied in 1881 by Hooper, who took possession in the
name of the United States. Canada claims it
through Stefansson And now the Soviet govern
ment of Russia asserts ownership and has sent out
an armed expedition with orders to make all in
habitants prisoners, seize all shipping and take
possession.
Congress was asked at the last session to make
an appropriation for a cutter to replace the
Bear in the service of the Thirteenth district
which includes 10 stations in California, Oregon,
Washington and Alaska. The bill, however, was
one of the many which was passed over in the
hurry confusion and filibuster of the last days of
the session.
Doubtless there will be a coast guard cruiser
sailing out of Nome next spring. Doubtless
coast guard cruiser will usual be sent through
Boring strait "to aid all peoples, to assist COM
merce to open lines of communication" and to de-
liver the mail to out of the way settlements not
reached by the Bering patrol.
But this coast guard cruiser will not be the
Bear "Healys puk oomiak'-Healys Fire Canoe
has made her last voyage. The ice couldn't
crush her Scotch-but hull of Australian gum
The ocean could not put her away in Davy Jones'
locker But old age has got the Bear at last
Father Time has his way everywhere except with
the Big Trees of the California national parks!