ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 199 



fuud, and distribute the remainder to the sealers, as the work performed 

 by the extra help is a part of the duty imposed on the island natives, 

 under the contract and in consideration of the 40 cents per skin paid 

 them. Experience has demonstrated that the system of paymeut to the 

 natives is not the best for their own interests, for the reason that when 

 the season's sealing' ends, and they each get tlieir proportion ot the com- 

 munity fund entered up to their credit in their pass books, they feel the 

 year's work is ended. If called upon to work on a road over which they 

 travel and wheel their water, meat, and fuel, or asked to launch a boat 

 to board the vessel in the spriug, they are paid by the hour, or when called 

 out by the Treasury agent in the spring to clean up the filth they have 

 accumulated during the winter around their houses, they are paid for 

 their labor. They earn their year's salary, or pay, in six weeks, and for 

 the remainder of the year feel they are free. If called on to do any work, 

 even though it may be as much for the benefit of the natives as the 

 lessees, they must be paid by the hour for it. The system of payment by 

 the piece, or skin, was adopted immediately after the transfer of the 

 country as an inducement for the natives to secure the skins, rival coni- 

 panies occupying the islands sealing at the time. In my opinion, it is 

 not the best way to compensate the island natives, and is very unjust 

 to their brothers who are brought from Unalaska to help them. The 

 average pay of the St. Paul native sealer this year is a little over $500, 

 whilst the Uualaskans receive on an average $80 each. This small sum 

 is the main support ot their families for the year, while the St. Paul man 

 has. besides his $500 cash, all the fresh seal meat he can eat, and salt, 

 fuel, fish, house, medicines, physician, and schooling free. It would be 

 a simple act of justice. to place the natives of Unalaska, employed to 

 assist in sealing, on the same footing with the St. Paul natives in the 

 distribution of the sum earned, as one set of men is just as essential 

 to the work as the other. I would suggest, as a much better plan, the 

 payment of a sum equal to 40 cents per skin, divided into annual sala- 

 ries in proportion to the value of each man and boy's labor, payable 

 weekly or monthly, with the understanding that in consideration of 

 this salary their time and labor was subject to the orders of the lessees 

 and Treasury agents at any and all times. For nine mouths or more 

 every year the lessees have nothing for them to do, and the system of 

 payment as suggested, I am sure, would prove more beneficial to the 

 natives and make no difference whatever to the lessees, excepting it 

 would subject the natives to their orders at all times for any work 

 necessary to be done. 



I would respectfully recommend that any additional force of natives 

 you may see proper to authorize to assist in sealing be paid by the 

 year and not by the skin, and such sum so paid be deducted from the 

 community fund of 40 cents per skin before the division is made and 

 the remainder divided as heretofore among the old sealers, provided 

 that none of the lessees' agents or white employees are paid out of the 

 native funds. It is evident the rapid decrease of native adult males 

 on the islands will necessitate an increase in the outside force of 

 natives or the quota of 100,000 skins per annum can not be taken. 



The Unalaskan is paid by the lessees for doing the work which 

 under their contract the islanders are bound to do, and while the 

 wages paid them by the Alaska Commercial Company ($40 per month) 

 is very good, the time employed (two months) is very short, lasting 

 only through the killing season. In view of the facts stated, it would 

 seem but just that some more equitable division of the funds be made 

 among those natives who do the work, as they are all of one tribe, the 



