ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 229 



or decreased as the Secretary may see proper, the number to be pro- 

 portioned between tbet^Yo islands as tbe agent in charge may adjudge 

 best for the ]irotection of the rookeries. I regard it absolutely essential, 

 for the future of the rookeries, that prompt action be taken by the 

 Department for the suppression of illegal killiug of seals in Bering 

 Sea, and that the utmost economy be observed in taking the seals 

 allow(!d by law. 



There should be no killing after July 20. After that date the cows 

 have a tendency to haul out witli the young bulls, and the natives in 

 making drives from the rookeries to the killing grounds find it impos- 

 sible to separate the males from the females. Consequently many 

 small pups and cows are driven with the herd, which necessarily results 

 in the loss of many pups and great injury to the cows. 



Under the existing law or regulations the natives are allowed to 

 kill pups just before they take their departure from the island for the 

 winter, which is in jSTovember, for their winter's supply of meat, and 

 under the pretense that tliey need the skins (which they get) for cloth- 

 ing. This is without doubt a useless slaughter of young seals, amount- 

 ing to about 5,000 annually, and should receive the lirmest condem- 

 nation by the Department, first, because the rookeries will not admit 

 of this wanton destruction without leaving its impress upon their now 

 weak condition; second, the winter's supply of meat should be secured 

 during the killing season by erecting cold storage houses and placing 

 therein as many thousand carcasses as are needed, not only for the 

 islands, but for the natives, if necessary, along the Aleutian Islands, or 

 the supply secured by canning the meat, either of which would be by 

 far cheaper for the Government than the destruction of 5,000 young 

 seals annually, which is equivalent to $15,000 i)er annum; third, the 

 skins are never made into clothing through necessity, and are too small 

 to be used iu covering their boats. The natives purchase their clothing 

 from the Alaska Commercial Company at reasonable iirices. The skins 

 are made into blankets, coats, caps, gloves, etc., and traded to i)assing 

 vessels for trinkets and useless articles, and are a source through which 

 they look for intoxicants. Th.ey will refuse to sell tbeir blankets to the 

 company for cash, preferring to run the chance of smuggling them off for 

 whisky. Cinder these existing regulations, the natives living along the 

 Aleutian chain have conceived the idea that they also are allowed to 

 kill seals for food, and many thousands are killed by them as they pass 

 through the passes to and from the islands, only for the skins, which 

 are sold and traded for whisky to poaching vessels. 



The inclosed statistics* of seals killed illegally was compiled by Dr. 

 H. II. Mclntyre, general manager of the Alaska Commercial Comi^any, 

 and upon my request he furnished nie with a copy. I regard them as 

 being of vital importance to the De])artment, as they are substantially 

 correct. 



In conclusion, I desire to ask upon what has a Treasury agent to base 

 his actions; are there any existing laws that give to him the authority 

 for issuing orders and controlling the natives, as in the i^ast? This is 

 getting to be a serious question, and sooner or later a conflict of 

 authority will arise which will result disastrously. 



liespectfully submitted. 



Charles J. Goff, 



Treasury Agent. 



Hon. William Windom, 



Secretary of the Treasury. 



~ Missing. 



