ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 325 



Yo.'.rlist' of dependeut persons under the North Americiin Commercial Company's 

 It'iise is correct, and the ration or supplies stated l>y you in yours of the 8th instant, 

 as well as all yonr orders, shall Ix' faithfully carried out hy the company, as it is 

 their wish in the fullest manner to comply with all the requirements of the lease. 

 I am, very respectfully, 



Geo. R. Tingle, 

 S II })€ rill tin dent Xortli American Commercial Company. 

 J. Stanley-Brown, Esq.. 



Treasury Agent in Charge Seal Islands. 



In addition to the coal to be received from tlie comi^any, instructions 

 were left with the resident agents to see that none of these families 

 suffered for fuel, and that a record be kept of all coal so furnished. 



There are now upon the two islands some twenty families to whom 

 coal would have to be furnished by the company under the decision of 

 the Department, and at 100 pounds per week between 40 and 50 tons 

 per year would be required, or about 2)^ tons per family. 



A definite decision should be made by the Department covering this 

 case. Eeoardless of what that decision may be as to the duty of the 

 company, it is clear to me that 2^ tons of coal per annum is not suffi- 

 cient fuel under existing conditions of scant blubber supply. The Gov- 

 ernment's allowance of coal is about 5 tons to the family per annum. 

 It seemed but humane, therefore, to leave instructions with the resident 

 agents to furnish to the families of widows whatever coal was needed 

 in excess of the 100 pounds sui)plied by the company. 



SUPPLIES TO BE FURNISHED BY THE COMPANY TO WIDOWS, ORPHANS, 



AND INDIGENTS. 



Departmenf s present decision insufficient. — There is probably no fea- 

 ture conne(;ted with administration of the island that is productive of 

 more embarrassment than that which is furnished by the clause of the 

 lease which states that "the company will also provide the necessaries 

 ol life for the widows, orphans, and aged and intirm inhabitants of said 

 island who are unable to provide for themselves." In this case, as in 

 the matter of fuel, a partial ruling of the Department has but slightly 

 simi)lified matters. 



Statement of the conditions. — In the instructions it is stated that 

 "The Department understands that this clause includes widows and 

 all other persons, regardless of age, sex, or condition of parentage, 

 who are physically unable to provide for themselves." From 4:his it 

 will be seen that only the recipients are defined in this ruling, and 

 there still remains to be determined what is a proper fulfillment of the 

 lease in the matter of food and clothing. What constitutes the proper 

 care and maintenance of the natives ? What is a proper ration of food 

 and clothing? Who shall decide upon this matter? I could not dis- 

 cover that any business-like method had been devised to acquaint the 

 (roverument as to the jiroper fulfillment of the lease on the part of the 

 company, iiot only that the dependent class of natives shall be cared 

 for, but that the conduct of both the Government and comi^any should 

 be beyond reproach. Some method is certainly needed, for none now 

 exists. The recital of my experience in dealing with this question will 

 show that under existing conditions the pi oblem is a complex and not 

 a simple one, and is further complicated by the ignorance, general 

 thoughtlessness, and dependent character of the natives, an excellent 

 illustration of which is given under the head of "Maintenance and 

 employment of natives." 



' This refers to letter of August 8, 1892, p. 59. 



