FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY. 75 



Emergency supplies of coal and salt were purchased at Unalaska 

 and delivered at the Pribilofs by the Coast Guard cutter Unalga in 

 July. 



The Eider made a trip from Unalaska to the Pribilofs in November, 

 Cargo consisted of about 28 tons of the coal left by the Nanshan and 

 approximately 20 tons of general supplies, part of which had been 

 purchased by natives and some by emploj^ees at the St. Paul radio 

 station. 



USE OF TRACTORS. 



For use in hauling seal carcasses to the by-products plant and 

 sealskins to the salt houses, as well as for uses in connection with the 

 upkeep and improvement of the St. Paul Island station, four Gray 

 tractors were sent to the island on the Nanshan, arriving in Septem- 

 ber. These tractors will supplement the use of mules and autotrucks. 

 Eiglit trailers were purchased and shipped wath the t^-actors. 



The tractors were secured from the War Department from unused 

 stock originally intended for military use overseas. After the trans- 

 portation problem at St. Paul Island, especially in respect to the 

 lack of roads and sandy character of the surface had been given due 

 consideration, the War Department recommended the Gray tractor 

 as the most suitable. This is a wide-drive drum type. Instead of 

 the customary two wide rear driving wheels, there is a single drum or 

 wheel the full width of the road. Some use of the tractors in the fall 

 indicates that they will prove a helpful addition to the equipment at 

 St. Paul Island. Operations on St. George Island are much more 

 concentrated near the village, hence there is less use for tractors than 

 on St. Paul. 



STEAMER "ROOSEVELT." 



The steamer Roosevelt, which had been used in 1017 and 1918 for 

 transporting the major portion of the supplies required by the Bureau 

 at the Pribilofs and for bringing back sealskins and other products, 

 was found to be in need of extensive repairs. The vessel was placed 

 in dry dock at the Puget Sound Nav^- Yard April 21, 1919, where it 

 was estimated that the cost of repairs and improvements would be 

 approximately S 186,000. A decision was reached that the vessel did 

 not warrant such a large expenditure, and steps were taken to dispose 

 of it through sale. The Roosevelt was accordingly advertised for sale, 

 and on July 15 was disposed of at public auction to Capt. M. E. Tal- 

 lakson for $28,000. Final payment was made and the sale approved 

 July 30. 



SCHOONER "eider." 



As stated in the corresponding report for 1918 plans were under 

 way for acquiring by construction or through purchase a suitable 

 vessel of convenient size for local use at the Pribilofs. Early in 1919 

 it was realized that the appropriation of S20,000 available was not 

 adequate, and that it would be necessary to secure a supplemental 

 appropriation from Conj^ress. An additional appropriation of $7,500 

 was oDtained in a deficiency; act approved July 11, 1919. Thus a 

 total of $27,500 became available. 



Failing to secure satisfactory bids for the construction of a vessel, 

 the Bureau finally purchased the power schooner Idaho from Lee & 

 Brinton, of Seattle, for $26,500. The vessel was renamed Eider. Its 



