164 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



1883. 



Special Agent Glidden ; annual report for 1883. 



Office of Special Agent Treasury Department, 



St. Paul Island, Alaska, July 30, 1883. 



Sir: I submit the followiug as my annual report of the condition of 

 affairs of the seal islands of Alaska for the year ending July 30, 1883. 



The health of the natives on both islands has been unusually good; 

 no epidemic has occurred and few deaths have taken place. 



The population of St. Paul, as by census taken on the 1st day of 

 January, 1883, is as follows: Whole number of actual residents (77 

 families), 231. Males: Adults, 62; from 5 to 17 years, 21; under 5 

 years, 18. Females: Adults, 76; from 5 to 17 years, 38; under 5 

 years, 16. 



The population of St. George, as by census of August 1, 1883, is as 

 follows: Whole number of actual residents (27 families), 104. Males: 

 Adults, 23; youths, 18; infants, 3. Females: Adults, 32; youths, 22; 

 infants, 6. 



The conduct of the people has been exceptionally good since my last 

 report. There has been no making or drinking of quas, so far as I am 

 informed, and no case of intoxication has come to my knowledge. This 

 is undoubtedly the result of stopping the sale of sugar, except in cases 

 of sickness and upon the order of the physician in charge. The people 

 are very orderly and peaceable. There has been no disturbance of any 

 kind except in one instance, hereafter mentioned. They dress and live 

 well, and imitate the Americans in that respect to a large degree. They 

 have been obedient to my orders and are easily controlled. They are 

 but gTown children in many respects, and at times need moderate pun- 

 ishment. All that is necessary to control them is firmness and uniformity 

 of discipline. There has been no disposition manifested on their part 

 to refuse or fail to perform the labor required of them. 



The Alaska Commercial Company brought by the steamer St. Paul 

 from Unalaska a number of natives and a few whites as laborers to do 

 the salting, bundling, and handling of skins, and such other labor, out- 

 side of flaying and killing, as needed to be done. 



Owing to the depression in the market of fur-seal skins at the last 

 London sale, the Alaska Commercial Company take but 75,000 skins 

 as the full complement of this season's catch. These have been appor- 

 tioned at 60,000 from St. Paul and 15,000 from St. George. This will 

 make the payment as a share on St. George rather small for the sup- 

 port of a family. Perhaps it would be a better plan to bring a part of 

 the working force from St. George here for the season and then make 

 a distribution of the x)roceeds of both islands as if they were both one 

 and consider the proceeds as belonging to the whole people of both 

 islands. The manner of payment I consider a matter of discretion 

 with the Alaska Commercial Company, and whatever plan they adopt 

 which does no injustice to the people I should feel disposed to concur in. 



The people of St. George, for the first time in the history of that 

 island, have the benefit of a regular x)riest and church services. Rev. 

 Innokenty Leisnikoff was sent there last fall and with his family has 

 become a resident of St. George. 



There have been no pup seals killed on either island for food during 

 the past year. In lieu of pup meat the Alaska Commercial Company 



