ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 277 



The care and welfare of the natives and the obligations of the North 

 American Commercial Company, under their lease, to these people are 

 subjects to which I have given careful attention. The supplies jjro- 

 vided by the company for the last year and kept on sale at the com- 

 pany's stores were of good, substantial quality, and were sold at very 

 reasonable prices. I note one exception to the above statement, and 

 that is the price charged for coal — $33.60 per ton. I deem this to be 

 exorbitant, and see no good reason why the natives should be charged 

 any more than the price paid for coal furnished the Government house, 

 to wit, $15 i)er ton. The question of sufficient fuel on the islands is a 

 serious one, and demands careful consideration by the Department. 

 The lessees are required, under their lease, to furnish 80 tons of coal, 

 and this, with what driftwood can be secured and the blubber taken 

 from seals during the killing season, is expected to provide fuel suffi- 

 cient for about GO families in a climate where it is necessary to have a 

 fire every day in the year. The driftwood is very hard to secure, of 

 limited supply, very poor in quality, and in most cases is thrown upou 

 the shores miles from the villages. They have no means of transport- 

 ing it excejit on their backs or on hand sleds drawn over the crusted 

 snow in midwinter. The blubber is stored in barrels and boxes for 

 winter supply, and in a short time becomes rancid, the stench arising 

 from its use permeates every part of their dwellings, and is unhealthy, 

 sickening, and disgusting. Other fuel should be substituted, even if 

 it has to be done at the expense of the Government. 



Under Department instructions of May 21 last (Exhibit 1) I increased 

 the amount of coal from 80 to 160 tons, giving 100 tons to natives on St. 

 Paul and 60 tons to natives on St. George Islands. Tliis, with what other 

 fuel they have on hand, will make them fairly comfortable for the winter. 

 1 would recommend that hereafter arrangements be made by which the 

 inhabitants on St. George sliall have 100 and on St. Paul 200 tons of 

 coal. 1 his would require 220 tons to be furnished by the Government 

 in addition to the 80 tons furnished by the company, and would give 

 5 tons to each family. I consider this amount actually necessary for 

 the comfort and health of these people, and tlie cost to the Government 

 would partly compensate the natives for months of watching, day and 

 night, on the rookeries — a service for which the Government has paid 

 them nothing up to the present time. 



The 80 tons of coal furnished the natives in excess of the 80 tons 

 required under the terms of the lease were duly delivered in the Govern- 

 ment coal houses, and the lessees are entitled to and should receive a 

 reasonable compensation therefor. The Government agent on each 

 island has been directed to make weekly issue to the natives of all coal 

 furnished, keeping in view the necessity of its economical use, and at the 

 same time being watchful that there is no suffering among the natives 

 for want of sufncient fuel. 



Owing to the limited catch of the last two years and to the further 

 fiict that no seals are to be killed for food during the stagy season, nor 

 pups at any time, it will become necessary to furnish some substitute 

 for their natural food supply, and I addressed a letter to the lessees' 

 agent upon that subject (Exhibit J). The lease j)rovides that the 

 natives shall be furnished with a sufficient supply of dried salmon. 

 For some reason salt salmon has been substituted therefor. It is not 

 relished by the natives, and thej" utterly refuse to use it, except in very 

 limited quantities. Tbe lessees should be required to comply with the 

 terms of their lease and either furnish a supply of good dried salmon 

 or substitute some other meat relished by the natives. It has been the 



