The Wrangell sentinel., 1929-12-19
EskimOS of Alaska
 Converted Into Herders of Reindeer
Educational Work Among Natives Result in Development of Great and Expanding Industry.
By ERNEST WALKER SAWYER


 ly on moss which is found on con siderably more than 150,000,O00 acres of the north country.
 Canada likewise has large areas of this forage, which accounts for the purchase by the department of the interior of Canada of 5000 deer for delivery on the east side of the Arctic delta of the Mackenzie River. The 5000 deer have now been started on their march of about 1,500 miles from Nome to the Mackenzie.
 The Lomen Reindeer Corporation of Nome, which owns about 1S0, ,O00 deer, is handling this remarkable sale. The actual driving is being done by Andrew Bahr, assisted by M. I. K. Nilluka, Ivar West, Andrew Bango, Dr. L. E. Benson, and sever al Eskimos and Lapp herders. These men are we'll known throughout the United States because in past years they have driven reindeer teams at Christmas time for American firms and newspapers.
 This caravan, which will be two years on the move far beyond the Arctic Circle, is equipped with 40 sleds and 50 trained sled reindeer The drive will also be aided by trained reindeer and sheep dogs im- ported from Idaho.
 Scouting airplanes are picking out the route, much of which is un- explored and almost unknown This great band is only about one-quar- ter of 1 per cent of the present reindeer population of Alaska.
 This new industry was started in 1891, when Dr. Sheldon Jackson, the general superintendent of the Bureau of Education in Alaska, imported 10 reindeer from the Es- kimos of Siberia. There are now well over 100000 reindeer in Alaska, of which about 80 per cent are female. The annual increase for 1929 was about 350,0O0 lawns.
 Some individual natives are re- ported to own as many as 10000 animals. The Department of the In- terior is vitally interested in an or ganization of this industry so the 2,000 native owners will be bene- fitted by the development.
 Each reindeer requires 30 acres pasturage for continuous grazing There is, therefore, room for 5,000,- 900 deer in Alaska, but under the present rate of increase, if none were killed there would be, at the end of the year 1885, almost 6,O00,- 900 reindeer.
 The industry will stand immedi- ate export of 350,O00 carcasses per year. The average weight of car cass is 40 pounds, which gives an export of 5O,000,000 pounds, worth at least $5,OOO,OO0, annually to the Territory. In addition to the value of the meat, there will be 20,0OO,- 900 pounds of by-products to be dealt with, including the 35O,0OO hides, which alone are worth from $1.50 to $8 each, depending on their condition. These figures are, however, minute compared to the figures of a big packing house which yearly pays out $500,0O0,0O0 to American farmers for livestock.
 The Biological Survey now re- ports reindeer can be fattened at the rate of one pound per day on crushed barley This barley will be raised by colonists in the rich agricultural districts of Tanana and Matanuska. The Alaska Rail- road already has contact with hun dreds Of responsible farmers who in- tend to go to Alaska to investigate the farming opportunities.
 The plan of development for the T61QQ66T luuuSJTy l5 tO pAoSS oh e"D artoir along the railroad in the Ne mana or Broad Pass section and use the western parts of Alaska as grazing and breeding areas for reindeer. Those deers destined for market will be moved gradually in the direction of the railroad. A concentration camp of 100000 or more deer will be maintained ln either the Kantishna or Broad Pass sections, so the abbatoir can obtain quickly what animals are re- ouired for their daily operations.
 From the abbatoir the carcasses will be shipped over the Alaska Railroad, which is open the year round, to the port of Seward, where good shipping facilities are avail able. The system in vogue up tc the present of shipping from Nome