The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-12-24
NATIVES SAVED
BY REINDEER IN
ALASKA WASTES
Missionary ReSCueS People
From Famine, Teaches
Care of Animals.
BV Science Serrice


WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.-How
reindeer. mythical steeds of Santa
Claus to most dweuers in the
United States, represented actual
physical salvation to native Alas
kans was told in radio talk given
here today by Dr. w. B. Bell of
the bureau of biological survey,
United States department Of agri-
culture. The talk was arranged by
Science Service and sent over the
network OF the Columbia Broad
casting system.
To Sheldon Jackson, early mis-
sionary TO the people of Alaska, DR..
Bell gave the credit for the inspired
vision and the practical sense to
foresee and to provide for the needs
Of these people.
The Alaskans had lived a pre-
carious and often pitiable existence
as hunters, depending for food and
clothing upon the wild animals they
could take. The game supply was
dwindling, and the migrationS Of
the native caribou never were GER
tain. All this made the securing
of an always meager food supply
ever more and more difficult.
Starvation Was Faced
Frequently, whole villages of men.
women, and children had to face
privation, and many persisted miser-
ably from slow starvation or disease
induced by the lack of food. Con-
ditions were steadily growing worse.
Then the white men invaded the
land and with their improved wea-
pons they further depleted the
available game supply.
DR.. Bell said: Sheldon Jackson
saw and understood. Combining
Christian charity with practical
sense, he foresaw that the only hope
for the deprived and destitute peo-
pie of Alaska was a more depend
able source Of food and clothing.
He thought of the reindeer. Peo-
pie of northern Norway, Sweden.
Finland. Russia, Siberia and other
Arctic and sub-Arctic lands long
had been raising these animals in a
state of semi demonstration and had
found them a source of physical
salvation.
The caribou had found suitable
food in the native forage of Alaska,
and Jackson reasoned correctly that
the closely related reindeer also
would thrive there, if introduced
and properly cared for.
Brought from Siberia
ut required prophetic vision for
him to conceive this plan of bringing
reindeer across from Siberia to
transform the native people Of
Alaska from huntsmen to animal
huSbandmen AS a result of all
this earnest work, he realized his
vision. The animals were brought
over from eastern Siberia in 1891
in 1892, I'll more. BY 1902 a total
of 1890 reindeer had been landed
successfully on Alaskan shores.
Then came the task of training
the native people of Alaska to care
for the reindeer properly and to
utilize the animals in providing
themselves with food and clothing.
Patiently and persistently, jackson
and those he had interested had
to train the people away from their
precarious reliance upon wild game.
For teachers they got some men to
come over from Lapland.
The reindeer found the lush
browse and other vegetation of
Alaska well suited to their needs.
They multiplied by thousands and
soon were providing meat for food
ana skins for clothing and to a lin
tied extent were replacing husky I
dogs in drawing sledges."