Report on Introduction of Domestic Reindeer into Alaska, with Maps and Illustrations, 1895. Senate of the United States, 54th Congress, 1st Session (February 10, 1896). Document No. 111
Author: Jackson, Sheldon
Date: 1896-00-00
Type: Historical Materials
Subjects: Animals,Animal Husbandry,Alaska Natives,Rural Education,Agricultural Education,Foreign Countries,American Indian Education,Immigration

The action of the US Senate is that the Secretary of the Interior be directed to transmit to the Senate the report of Dr. Sheldon Jackson upon &quot;The introduction of domestic reindeer into the District of Alaska for 1895.&quot; Following a letter of transmittal, this document presents General Agent of Education in Alaska, Sheldon Jackson's report to the Commissioner of Education which presents his account of the government's progress establishing reindeer in Alaska for the economic benefit of the native population and stabilization of their food supply. Jackson recaps the project's history and purpose with discussion of Point Clarence (on whose shores the Teller Reindeer Station is located). Although the project had been sustained by the government with donated private funds, the report notes that on March 3, 1893, the 52nd Congress appropriated $6,000 for the reindeer project. The fund was placed under the aegis of the Commissioner of Education and was made part of the Alaskan school system, a wise move in Jackson's view. The first session of the 53rd Congress increased the appropriation to $7,500 in 1894, and the same amount was appropriated in 1895 during the third session of the same Congress. Jackson reports that during 1893 and 1894 new fawns were born and new reindeer were purchased in Siberia for the Alaska project. The station superintendent resigned, and a new superintendent came on board. Seeking new herders from Lapland but without public funds available for the task, Jackson turned to friends of the project who donated $1,000 for sending an agent to Norway for recruiting Lapps. A superintendent was selected for the Teller Reindeer Station and left for Lapland from New York City on February 21. He returned in May 1894 with seven men and their wives and children, making the first-ever Lapp colony brought to the U.S. The group reached Teller in July after traveling 12,500 miles. The Teller superintendent's report is included. Jackson notes that the Teller superintendent position later changed hands. Jackson's four years' experience showed him the reindeer procurement process is too slow, requiring many years for accomplishing the government's purpose. He recommends establishing a Siberian purchasing station, with Russian government consent, that would remain open through the year. Another recommendation is to contract for purchase and delivery of so many head of reindeer annually at certain designated Alaska points. Jackson believes that with abundant white moss for food, the vast 400,000 arctic and subarctic land mass Alaska could sustain 9,200,000 reindeer. At the Swedish valuation of $9.00 each and using the Lapp ratio of 32 reindeer per person, the reindeer would be worth $83,000,000 and support 287,500 people. Jackson points out large new valuable gold deposits found in the region would increase habitation, and with it the need for food and supplies that could be transported by reindeer. Moreover, reindeer meat, tanned skins, and hair are valuable commodities. Jackson recommends publishing herder-recruitment pamphlets in Norwegian and distributing them in Lapland. Jackson also provides reindeer fund summary financial information. Appendixes include: (1) Report of William Hamilton on the itinerary of 1895; (2) Annual report of William A. Kjellmann (including details about his trip to Lapland (August 6, 1894 to June 30, 1895) and arrival at Teller Reindeer Station followed by a report of operations at the station including information such as: herd statistics, fawn births, milking, herders and apprentices, rations, reindeer dogs, sealing, Eskimo herd, sickness, schools, medical and police services); (3) herd report of W. T. Lopp, Cape Prince of Wales; (4) Letter of J. C. Widstead to Dr. Sheldon Jackson; (5) Letter of Dr. Sheldon Jackson to Hon. W. T. Harris, LL.D; (6) the Teller Reindeer Station 1894-95 logbook; (7) a meteorology report; and (8) actions of the National Educational Association, the Lake Mohonk Indian Conference, and the Conference of Board of Indian Commissioners.