REPORT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION 



Amounts Appropriated, Growth, and Results of Introduction of Reindeer into Alaska. 



First 



ten 



years 



(1893-1902) 



; Next 

 five 

 years 

 (1903-07) 



Last 



eight 



years 



(1908-15) 



Total 



Appropriations 



Number of herds established 



Number of natives becoming owners of 



reindeer 



Average cost to Government per owner 

 Number of reindeer passing into native 



ownership 



Valuation of same 



Income received by natives 



Number of Government reindeer at end 



of period 



Valuation of same 



$133,000 

 9 



68 

 ,956 



2,841 



$71,025 



$4,500 



2,247 

 $56,175 



$99,000 



7 



56 

 $1,768 



3,565 

 $89,125 

 $15,500 



4,684 

 $117,100 



$75,000 

 60 



1,016 

 73 



40,277 



51,006,925 



$350,407 



3,408 

 $85 , 200 



$307,000 

 76 



1,140 

 269 



46,683 



$1,167,075 

 $379,407 



3,408 

 $85 , 200 



Wealth Produced by Introduction of Reindeer in Alaska 



Valuation of 46,683 reindeer owned by natives in 1915 at $25 each $1,167,075 



Total income of natives from reindeer, 1893-1915 370,407 



Valuation of 23,560 reindeer owned by missions, Laplanders and other whites, and 



Government, 1915 . . : 589,000 



Total income of missions and Laplanders, and other whites, from reindeer 1893- 



1915 107 ,361 



Total valuation and income $2 , 242 , 843 



Total Government appropriations, 1893-1915 307 ,000 



Gain (621 per cent) $1,935,843 



In 1916, the appropriation of $5,000 for the distribution of reindeer among 

 the natives and the training of the natives in the care and management of 

 reindeer was used to establish herds and to support native apprentices being 

 trained in the industry. The increased cost of food and clothing had made it 

 impossible for the Government to train as many apprentices with the same 

 appropriation as formerly. 



The fairs during the winter proved to be a great stimulus to the natives 

 engaged in the reindeer industry. 



A conservative estimate would place the total number of reindeer in Alaska 

 on June 30, 1917, at 95,000. This large number is the result of the introduction 

 into Alaska of 1,280 reindeer from Siberia. The statistics for the year ending 

 June 30, 1916, show a total of 82,151 reindeer, distributed among 85 herds. 

 Of this number 56,045, or 58 per cent, were owned by 1,293 natives; 3,390, or 

 4 per cent, by the United States; 5,186, or 6 per cent, by missions; and 17,530, 

 or 33 per cent, by Laplanders and other whites. That this industry is of para- 

 mount importance to the natives interested is recognized in the fact that in 1917 

 the income of the natives from this industry, exclusive of meat and hides used 

 by themselves amounted to $91,430. 



While the primary object of the industry was to assist the natives and for 

 this reason it had been restricted to them as much as possible, the years 1914-17 

 saw the entrance of the white man into the enterprise. The rules and regulations 

 forbade natives to sell female deer except to natives. However, certain Lap- 

 landers who were brought to Alaska for the purpose of instructing natives in 



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