362 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS. 



Thore is one sure remedy for the present intellectual condition of the natives, and 

 that is the immediate establishment on both islands of industrial boarding schools 

 under the entire control of the Government. 



In my report of 1891 I advocated this thing, and all my subsequent experience has 

 strengthened my belief in the necessity for such a school and in its absolute success 

 if once attempted. There is a skeleton of such a school at Unalaska that has been 

 made sucessful by the energy and indomitable perseverance of the teachers in charge, 

 and in September, 1890, I sent six girls there from St. Paul Island, four of whom 

 could not speak English, and after a stay of two years they had improved so much 

 in every way — morally, physically, and iutellectuaily— that they have been the wonder 

 of all who have visited the school and who remember their condition before entering 

 it. Their rapid improvement shows what may be accomplished for this people by 

 putting their children in charge of truly Christian teachers, who will guard them 

 from evil while awakening and enlightening the mind. 



Four other orphan girls were sent to the Unalaska school this year, but since then 

 I have learned that the church society which supported the school has withdrawn 

 all I'urther supplies from it, which means the closing of the school at an early date 

 and the return of the St. Paul girls to the island and to misery and vice. 



CENSUS. 



I inclose a copy of the census (Exhibit G) of St. Paul Island for the year ended 

 June 30, 1892, which shows a native population at that time of 196 persons. Nine- 

 teen had died during the year and 5 were born. 



So mucb has been said and so often about the fearful death rate on the seal islands 

 that it is not necessary for me to add more. A great deal of sickness and many 

 deaths might be prevented by the natives themselves if they had average common 

 sense, but I do know that many lives might be saved by the adoption of a few very 

 simple precautionary measures, of which a full supply of good water, ventilation, 

 good beds, and proper sanitary conditions would be the most essential, and these 

 things should be forced on the people if necessary, rather than leave them to intro- 

 duce such improvements themselves. 



A visit in company with the agent in charge to the natives' houses last summer 

 revealed the fact that there were forty beds of all sorts accommodating a population 

 of 196 persons. From this it will be seen how universal is the habit of sleeping on 

 the floor. 



MARRIAGE. 



The attention of the Department is respectfully called to the difference in num- 

 ber of the sexes on St. Paul Island. 



Females of all ages 122 



Males of all ages 74 



Excess of females , 48 



Females of 18 years and over 69 



Males of 18 years and over 40 



Excess of marriageable women 29 



That this excess is the cause of much of the immorality complained of is only too 

 true, and an earnest effort should be made- to find a I'cmtMly. 



There is jinother cause for existing immorality, however, of far more power and 

 importance than any other, and that is the peculiar construction put iipou the 

 church's law of marriage by the resident priest, who refuses to marry anyone within 

 the fifth degree of blood relatioushij); and he makes blood relations of all whose 

 relatives marry relatives of the intended husband or wife. 



The result is that marriages must of necessity cease on St. Paul Island, for, accord- 

 ing to that ruling, the present ]wpulation are all of one blood. 



The priest told me that he dare not jierform the marriage ceremony for any couple 

 so l<mg as there was tlie least doubt of their possible relationship, but that it was 

 within the power of a bishop to grant the necessary dispensation. 



If tlie bishop at San Francisco can not be induced to giant such dispensations, it 

 will bo necessary to remove about half the present population from the islands and 

 bring ill new blood from somewhe^(^ else. 



