ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 673 



But that vast region, with its perpetual frozen subsoil, is without 

 agricultural resources. Groceries, breadstutfs, etc., must be procured 

 from the outside. Steamers upon the Yukon can bring food to the 

 mouths of the gold-bearing streams, but the mines are often many miles 

 up these unnavigable streams. Already great difficulty is experienced 

 in securing sufficieot food by dog-train transportation and the packing 

 of the natives. The miners need reindeer transportation. 



Again, the development of the mines and the growth of settlements 

 upon streams hundreds of miles apart necessitates ^some method of 

 speedy travel. A dog team on a long journey will make on an average 

 from 15 to 25 miles a day, and in some sections can not make the trip 

 at all, because they can not carry with them a sufficient supply ol food 

 for the dogs, and can procure none in the country through which they 

 travel. To facilitate and render possible frequent and speedy com- 

 munication between these isolated settlements and growing centers of 

 American civilization, where the ordinary roads of the States have no 

 existence and can not be maintained except at an enormous expense, 

 reindeer teams that require no beaten roads, and that at the close of a 

 day's work can be turned loose fo forage for themselves, are essential. 

 The introduction of reindeer into Alaska makes possible the develop- 

 ment of the mines and thesui^port of a million miners. 



Second. The opening up of a vast conunercial industry. Lapland, 

 with 400,000 reindeer, supplies the gi-ocery stores of northern Europe 

 with wsmoked reindeer hams, 10 cents per pound ; smoked tongues, at 

 lO'cents each ; dried hides, at $1.25 to $1.75 each ; tanned hides, $2 to |3 

 each, and 23,000 carcasses to the butcher shops, in addition to what is 

 consumed by the Lapps themselves. 



Fresh reindeer meat is considered a great delicacy. Russia exports 

 it frozen, in carloads, to Germany. The Norwegian Preserving Com- 

 pany use large quantities of it for canning. 



The tanned skins (soft and with a beautiful yellow color) have a ready 

 sale for military pantaloons, gloves, bookbinding, covering of chairs and 

 sofas, bed pillows, etc. 



The hair is in great demand for the filling of life-saving aj^paratus 

 (buoys, etc.), as it possesses a wonderful degree of buoyancy. The 

 best existing glue is made of reindeer horns. 



On the same basis Alaska, with its capacity for 9,200,000 head of rein- 

 deer, can supply the markets of America with 500,000 carcasses of veni- 

 son annually, together with tons of delicious hams and tongues, and tbe 

 finest of leather. 



Surely the creation of an industry worth from $83,000,000 to $100,- 

 000,000, where none now exists, is worth the attention of the American 

 people. 



Third. The perpetuation, multiplication, and civilization of the Eski- 

 mos of that region. The Eskimos are a hardy and docile r;ice. Their 

 chiidreu learn readily in the schools, and there is no reason why they 



