ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 159 



salt, and scliools free of charge. They are indeed highly favored, and, 

 as wards of the Government, luxuriously provided for. 



The amount to be distributed at St. George is $8,000. This is paid 

 to 26 men and boys, with the exception of $600 to the priest and $100 

 to the church. The apportionment to each is, for first class, $372.45, and 

 each class below 10 per cent less than the one preceding it. This gives 

 $223.05 less to a resident laborer of St. George than the same class on 

 St. Paul. 



The long exemption from labor, from the end of one season to the 

 beginning of the next, is detrimental to the natives. It is a sort of 

 enforced idleness. They must of necessity employ their time uuprofit- 

 ablyifnot engaged in actual industry. lam told that gambling in 

 various forms, from pitching half dollars for keeps to the more intricate 

 and enticing game of«draw poker, is almost universally prevalent among 

 the men. The women are the " drawers of water and the hewers of 

 wood," and in fiict perform much of the work which in a civilized com- 

 munity the men usually do. Many of the people are improvident. A 

 few of them are economical and have deposits at interest with the 

 Alaska Commercial Company, aggregating on both islands on the 1st 

 day of June, 1881, $23,087.81. 



Every person receiving a share in the distribution is required to keep 

 to his credit enough to secure to his family a weekly payment of $3 

 until the next distribution is made. This insures to every family a liv- 

 ing beyond the habits or improvidence of the husband. 



The Alaska Commercial Company supports the widows and orphans 

 of those sealers who have died without leaving property. The company 

 has complied with the requirements of its lease, as will appear by the 

 account current herewith inclosed. 



My assistants have performed their duties faithfully. Mr. Moulton has 

 rendered me valuable assistance. His long experience and good judg- 

 ment have been of great service to me. Mr. George Wardman and 

 Capt. Louis Kimmel have had the charge of St. George Island, and 

 their duties have been well performed. Messrs. Moulton and Ward- 

 man will go to San Francisco on the return of the steamer at the end 

 of this month. Mr. Kimmel will remain on St. George, and I shall be 

 here during the coming winter. 



There have been but few seals on Otter Island during the season, and 

 those are principally old, wounded, and played out, who require rest 

 and hospital treatment. Lieutenant Lutz and two seamen from the 

 revenue cutter Cortcin have remained on the island and protected the 

 interests of the Government there. We have had no trouble from 

 marauders or visits of strange craft of any kind. 



The appropriation for carpets, allowed by your letter of April 17, 

 1882, has been expended— $50 here and $49.96 at St. George. The 

 amount appropriated ($100) was too small to provide more than for two 

 rooms. There are still three rooms in each building that need carpets 

 or matting. I therefore ask for $100 for carpets and matting for next 

 year. This will provide for two more rooms. The $250 authorized to 

 be expended for repairs of buildings as per letter of November 10, 1881, 

 has been used— $150 at St. Paul and $99.00 at St. George. 



The furniture in the Government buildings on both islands is scant, 

 old, much broken, and worn. The furniture for the sleeping rooms was 

 paid for, as I am informed, by the Alaska Commercial Company. I do 

 not think that Government agents who come here ought to be obliged 

 to furnish the sleeping rooms in the Governnient building. There is no 

 hotel or other accommodation here for them, and they can not very well 



