ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 171 



The Alaska Commercial Company in account with the United States at St. Paul Island, 



Alaska. 



1883. Dr. 



August 1. To supply of coal for native use, as per lease, 40 tons; of fish, 60 barrels; 

 of salt, 75 sacks of 100 pounds each; of barrels, requisite uumber; mainteuance 

 of school, 8 months. 



1883. Cr. 



August 9. By supply of coal for native use, as per lease, 40 tons; of fish, 60 barrels; 

 of f^alt, 75 sacks of 100 pounds each; of barrels, requisite number; maintenance 

 of school, 8 months. 



St. George Island. 



1883. Dr. 



August 1. To supply of coal for native use, as required by lease, 20 tons; of fish, 

 20 barrels; of salt, requisite quantity ; of barrels, requisite number ; mainteuance 

 of school, 8 months. 



1884. Cr. 



June 30. By supply of coal for native use, as required by lease, 20 tons; of fish, 20 

 barrels; of salt, requisite quantity; of barrels, requisite number; maintenance of 

 school, 8 mouths. 



1885. 



Special Agent Tingle; annual report for 1885, 



St. Paul Island, Alaska, July 31, 1885. 



Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith iny report as Treasury 

 agent iu charge of the seal islands of St. Paul and St. George, Alaska, 

 for the year ending with this sealing season, which closed on the 27tb 

 instant. 



The Alaska Commercial Company commenced killing on the 3d of 

 June and closed on the 27th of July, thus securing their full quota of 

 100,000 skins in forty one working days. Tlie operation of killing and 

 skinning the seals was closely watched by Captain Loud, assistant 

 Treasury agent, and myself, and the skins carefully counted in the salt 

 houses by the lessee's agent under the supervision of Capt. A. P. Loud, 

 and again counted aboard the lessee's steamer 8t. Paul by myself, as 

 shown by my statement herewith marked A. You will also find inclosed 

 a duplicate certificate of the steamer St. Paul covering the shipments. 

 I have also furnished one to the captain of the steamer, and forwarded 

 one to the collector of customs at San Francisco, retaining one in this 

 offlce. 



The sealing season closed very satisfactorily on botli islands, the 

 drives were generally easily made, and with but slight loss from over- 

 driving. I have made a careful estimate of the number of seals of all 

 ages killed and lost from all causes during the killing season, and am 

 sure the wastage will not exceed 500, or one half of 1 per cent. This loss 

 seems large, but it is unavoidable, as in killing in "pods" it sometimes 

 hapi)ens that a blow aimed at a killable seal is received in part by a 

 youngster suddenly popping his head up. These accidents I estimate 

 will result in the death of 300 seals during the season, while the num- 

 ber killed or dying on the drive will reach 200. Of these, all seals of 

 acceptable size are skinned and counted. The natives have been cau- 

 tioned repeatedly by the Treasury agent to use great care on the 

 drives, and in all their work pertaining to the taking of the skins, and 

 I am gratified to state with good effect, as the number of cut skins 



