158 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



paid from it $2 for a pair of shoes for an orphan boy, who was desti- 

 tute, leaviug, at present, a balance of -f 146. I suggest that for the 

 present that fund be left as it is, to be expended, in the discretion of 

 the agent, for the benefit of native orphan children. It is a forced levy 

 upon the funds of the natives, and should be used in some manner 

 for their beuefit. 



The oil fund had a balance of $557.92, as per statement of my prede- 

 cessor to you. Under your instructions of April 8, 1880, to him, a part 

 of this amount was authorized to be expended for the construction of 

 waterworks on St. Paul Island. Two good wells have been dug and 

 housed and provided with pumps, at an expense of $221.50, leaving a 

 balance unexpended of $333.42. I suggest that this amount be left 

 as it is at present, to be expended for the benefit of the natives in 

 such manner as may hereafter be authorized by the Department. I 

 inclose bill and receipt of the Alaska Commercial Company for materials 

 and labor in constructing the wells. The balances above named are in 

 the hands of the Alaska Commercial Company, and charged to them 

 on our books. 



The mortality upon this island since January 1, 1882, has been greater 

 than for the same time in any year since the lease to the Alaska Com- 

 mercial Company. Thirty-six deaths have taken place, of which 13 

 were adult males, 9 adult females, and 14 were children. Pneumonia 

 and consumption are the principal fatal diseases. The people are irreg- 

 ular in their habits, careless in exposing themselves to the elements, do 

 not have good nursing and attention while sick, and appear to be reck- 

 less and fearless of death. Tlie chiefs and leading men have requested 

 me to say to the Secretary that the people are unanimous in asking the 

 restoration to them of the privilege of killing pup seals for food. They 

 also desire that the pup skins may be given to them. In my commu- 

 nication of June last I discussed the question of how to dispose of 

 pup skins to some extent, and I do not see any reason to change my 

 opinion. 



There has been no manufacturing or drinking of quas by the natives 

 since I arrived here in May. The prohibition of the sale of sugar, 

 except for the sick, seems to have suppressed this evil, which has here- 

 tofore been a curse to the people. 



The amount of money to be distributed to the natives of St. Paul 

 this year is $32,008.30. This has been equitably apportioned to the 

 widows of sealers who have died since the end of last season, and to 

 the present working force, according to the merits of each individual. 

 The natives are better paid, according to the amount of work they do, 

 than any class of laborers in this or any other country. The above 

 amount represents the labor of 07 men and boys for this season, or 

 from the 3d day of June to the 20th day of July. The highest number 

 of hours' labor'^by any one man during that time is 358, and his share 

 gives him $1.63 per hour for work. Each first-class share amounts to 

 $5!>5.50; second class, 00 per cent of first class, or $535.95, and other 

 classes each 10 per cent less, down to and including the ninth, which 

 was 20 per cent, the lowest. There were paid to widows $1,650 and 

 to the priest $1,000. The payment to the priest out of this fund is 

 customary, and seems to be in accordance with the wishes of the peo- 

 ple. The church has now on deposit at interest $5,018.47, and is out of 

 debt, which has been paid out of the earnings of this people. The 

 payment to each man amounts to more than the earnings of an ordinary 

 laboring man at the East for a year, with constant employment. In 

 addition, the Alaska Company furnishes them with house, meat, fuel, 



