344 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



MAINTENANCE AND EMPLOYMENT OF NATIVES. 



As yon are aware, there is an item in the pending sundry civil bill providing for 

 tho iiiaiutenauce of the natives during the coming year. At the earliest ]!Ossible 

 niom<-'nt you will bo informed of the final action of Congress. The Department 

 recognizes the iujurious ettect which tbe bestowal of this money as a charity would 

 Lave upon the natives, and desires that the natives be employed as far as possii)le in 

 return for the money received by them. The North American Conmiercial Company 

 have therefore been requested to instruct their superintendent to join with you in 

 preparing a report; lirst, as to a more effective method of guarding the islands, 

 including a compensation to the natives ior watchman service; nud, second, what 

 internal improvements of a simple nature can be undertaken that will furnish 

 employment to the natives and prove advantageous to tiie administration of the 

 island. Should yon as the agent in charge find it expedient to ]>ut in operati(Ui 

 during the coming year any of the suggestions to be presented in the contemplated 

 report, you are authorized to do so and to decide upon an amount per diem to be 

 paid to the natives for any service rendered. 



natives' supplies. 



In view of the limited catch upon the islands there will undoubtedly be many ior 

 whom provision must be made during the year. In anticipation of this there is sent 

 you herewith by the ]imr two books of blank orders consecutively numbered, and 

 all supplies which the company in the future furnish to natives wliose accounts are 

 exhausted must be upon such an order nnide out and signed by the Treasury agent, 

 and this order appended to the company's gen.eral account as a subvoncher and evi- 

 dence of indebtedness. This will impose no extra clerical work upon the company's 

 agents as their general account will contain but one item, that is, the total amount 

 represented by the accompanying subvouchers. The stub of the order must be re- 

 tained by the agent to be ultimately transmitted with his report to the Department. 



TKANSLATION OF RUSSIAN RITUAL. 



This Department is informed that there is in the hands of the North American 

 Commercial Company the sum of $1,500 which vi^as contributed by the natives twelve 

 years ago for the purpcjse of having their church service translated into English. 

 it is the pur]iose of the Department to have this translation made and to this end 

 you will procure and transmit to the Department at your earliest convenience a copy 

 of the service of the Gneco-Russian Church. 



REDISTRIBUTION OF CHURCH SUBSCRIPTION. 



The Department is also informed that there is now deposited with the North Amer- 

 ican Commercial Company on St. Paul Island the sum of $3,325, raised by the vol- 

 untary subscription of the natives for the benefit of their church. It is believed 

 that the interests of the natives will be best subserved by redistributing this money 

 to the original donors or returning it to the natives in such manner as your judg- 

 ment, aided by a conference with the chief men of the village, will suggest. A full 

 report concerning your action should be made to the Department. 



SUBSISTENCE OF GOVERNMENT OFFICERS. 



You are informed that arrangements have l)een made with the North American 

 Connnercial Company by which Government officers will be transported to or from 

 the seal islands for $100, and that subsistence, washing, etc., will be furnished them 

 at the rate of $5 per week while on the islands. 



JANITOR. 



Permission is given to employ a janitor for the Government house on each island 

 at a compensation of $20 per month. 



SCHOOL TEACHER. 



As Mrs. Nettleton, the present school teacher on St. George, returns to the States 

 this si)ring, the company have boon advised of that fact and rec] nested to furnish a 

 Bchoid teacher for the coming year. 



School will be nniiiitainedfrom Sc])tember 1 to ^Nlay 1. and be opened daily, with 

 the exceptiyu of Saturday and Sunday. It will be the particular <luty of the teacher 



