ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 231 



the Alaska Commercial Company and tlie North American Commercial 

 Company, March 12, 1890. 



The Alaska Commercial Company was represented by Mr. ISTewmann, 

 and the North American Commercial Company by Mr. Tingle, and 

 I acted as umpire, as per your instructions, bearing date April 10, 

 1890, We arrived at St. Paul Island May 21, aud immediately com- 

 menced to take stock. After several days' labor the business was well 

 in hand, and we proceeded to St. George Island per steamer Dora, and 

 made a complete inspection and inventory of all the property there 

 belonging to the Alaska Commercial Company. After our return to 

 St. Paul there was one difference referred to me and satisfactorily 

 adjusted, then the entire business was settled by the representatives of 

 their respective companies. 



The following property was transferred to the North American Com- 

 mercial Company : 63 native houses on St. Paul and 19 upon St. George, 

 and upon both islands all buildings and other property belonging to 

 the Alaska Commercial Company. 



Ui)on St. Paul Island the sum of $9,213.58, belonging to the natives 

 and deposited with tlie Alaska Commercial Company, was i)assed to 

 the North American Commercial Company, with the consent of the 

 natives, and credited to their pass book accounts. Also several special 

 individual deposits amounting to $12,117.02, drawing interest at 4 per 

 cent per annum, leaving in the hands of the Alaska Commercial Com- 

 pany $3,404.99 to the credit of Mrs. Alexander Milevedoff, who did not 

 wish to make a change. On St. George $5,391.17 was transferred to 

 the North American Commercial Company, but from this amount the 

 sum of $1,700, belonging to the priest, must be deducted, leaving a bal- 

 ance of $3,000.87 to the credit of the natives. The transfer was made 

 and dated May 24, 1890. 



Tlie past winter was unusually mild, the sanitary condition of the 

 village was good, the people were blessed with good health, and they 

 passed the time pleasantly. They were under the combined charge of 

 Mr. S. E. Nettleton, assistant Treasury agent; Dr. C. A. Lutz, resident 

 physician, and Mr. J. C. Pedpath, resident agent for the Alaska Com- 

 mercial Company. With the spring came that dreaded disease of this 

 l)eople, pneumonia, which caused the death of 3 sealers; other ailments 

 prevalent among tliem carried off seven others (women and children), 

 making a total of 10 deaths since January 1, 1890, the date of the census, 

 leaving at present a total population of 208. 



The population of St. Paul Island m 1872 — as far back as the official 

 records go — was 21S; arrivals since then, 70. Had it not been for this 

 influx of inmiigration the native population would have been about 

 extinct. 



The established rule of thoronghly cleaning the village in the spring 

 and ftill presents a marked contrast to the condition of the place a few 

 years ago. All along the greensward in front of the dwellings, which 

 was then a depository for tilth and offal, the children romp and play. 

 Gradually, too, the people are becoming more reconciled to cleaner 

 methods in their dwellings, and many of them take great pride in their 

 personal appearance and cleanliness. The school on this island was 

 taught by Simon Milevedoif, a native, who was educated in San Fran- 

 cisco. It was opened on September 1, 1889, and closed May 1, 1890. 

 Total number of school days, 172 ; number taught, 120. Mr. Milevedoff 

 was energetic and untiring m his efforts to advance the pupils, but 

 there is very little interest taken by them in English-speaking schools, 

 so that there was but little progress made. 



