ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 457 



That the morality of the people themselves has partaken of the gen- 

 eral improvement is evident to all who observe their conduct closely; 

 there are most certainly fewer carousals and much less drunkenness, 

 and there is every evidence of a marked personal pride in the home and 

 family relations. 



It is the census returns, however, that show most clearly the good 

 results of the improvement in the treatment of the natives, for ever 

 since the change was made there has been less sickness and fewer 

 deaths in proportion to births than ever before. (See Exhibits A and B.) 



SCHOOLS. 



The attention of the Department has been called to the school system 

 in vogue on the islands by many of my predecessors in their annual 

 reports, but nothing has been done thus far to remedy its many radical 

 defects. 



The fault is hardly that of the lessees or of the teacher, for they cer- 

 tainly supply a school building and school books, and the teacher is 

 comi)eteut, capable, and attentive to his duties, endeavoring at all 

 times to perform his part well and faithfully. 



The trouble is one that lies deeper than the personality of the teacher 

 or the necessary school supplies, and until the chief cause is removed 

 there will be but little hope of success in the attempt to impart a 

 knowledge of the English language to the natives of the Pribilof 

 Islands. 



The remedy lies in an "industrial school" where the pupils might be 

 kept secluded from the older natives until the English tongue became 

 theirs. 



The annual rejiort of the school teacher on St. Paul Island is attached, 

 and marked Exhibit 0. 



FUEL. 



Pursuant to instructions I contracted for 290 tons of coal to supply 

 the Government houses and the native inhabitants on both of the islands. 

 This amount, added to the 80 tons delivered by the lessees under their 

 lease, making a total of 370 tons, was delivered by the North American 

 Commercial Company and was distributed as follows: 



St. Paul Island : ''^°°^- 



Govern ment house 1^ 



Use of natives 240 



St. George Island : 



Government house 1^ 



Use of natives 100 



Total 360 



Owing to an error in \A'eigl!iiig thore is still due the natives of St. Paul 

 10 tons, which will be given them next season. 



In my report for 1893 I asked that storehouses be erected on both of 

 the islands in which to store the supply of natives' coal, and I again 

 respectfully call attention to the necessity of having them built as soon 

 as possible, for it is very unprofitable to leave the coal out of doors in 

 the winds, rains, and snows of Alaska. 



The houses need not be ex'pensive affairs, and given the necessary 

 material, the natives can build them immediately and thus save the cost 

 in two years by preventing the present waste in slackage. 



