REINDEER AND MUSK-OX 



the care of deer, for which they received reindeer, were not subject to this 

 restriction and consequently a herd of about 1,200 deer was acquired by Lomen 

 and Company, of Nome, during 1914. During 1915, this company desiring to 

 increase its herd and not finding any more Lapp deer conveniently available, 

 negotiated a purchase of about 1,000 deer from herds of the Swedish Evangelical 

 Mission Covenant of America, at Golovin. These herds w^ere the result of a 

 loan of deer made to the mission during the earlier days of the industry, when it 

 was the desire of the Bureau of Education to distribute the deer as quickly as 

 possible. The appropriations being small and the philanthropic enterprise 

 being in line with missionary work, it was thought that the loan of a small herd 

 to each mission in the field, with the understanding that the same method of 

 distribution to the natives should be used as in the Government herds, would 

 be of mutual assistance, and would aid materially in the rapid distribution of 

 the deer. Some of the earlier contracts covering such loans were drawn very 

 loosely. It appears that Golovin Mission's loan was made under oral agreement 

 with the then local missionaries. Years later, the missionaries had changed 

 and the agreement was gradually forgotten, so that when the offer of about 

 $18,000 was made by Lomen and Company, it was forthwith accepted. The 

 matter has since been the subject of controversy between the Bureau and the 

 mission board, in which the former has tried to show the board that, although 

 the legal reasons may be poor, the board is morally bound to preserve the 

 original objects of the introduction of deer into Alaska, namely, the distribution 

 among the natives. The Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, at Teller, 

 in 1916 sold about 300 deer to Lomen and Company. The loan to this mission 

 is covered by written contract, which, it is alleged, has been deliberately broken 

 by the mission by this sale of female deer to other than natives. The matter 

 was referred to the Department of Justice, and its final outcome wnll be import- 

 ant, since it will aiTect the status of all deer now held by missionary organiza- 

 tions in Alaska. 



In 1916, an increased appropriation was recommended for the purpose of 

 employing two specialists, whose duties would be to introduce methods for 

 improvement of breeding and scientific handling of the deer; to investigate 

 reindeer diseases and establish means of combatting them, and to give special 

 attention to all matters pertaining to the improvement of the industry. The 

 enterprise had then assumed such proportions as made it imperative that it be 

 handled in a scientific manner. The past appropriations had been only large 

 enough for the work of distributing the deer among the natives. Because of 

 the lack of funds this distribution had necessarily been limited and very gradual. 



The following table shows what a financial success this phase of Govern- 

 ment enterprise has been during the 25 years since its inception: — 



Valuation of 67,445 reindeer owned by natives in 1917, at $25 each $1,686,200 



Total income of natives from reindeer, 1893-1917 (25 years) 568,352 



Valuation of 31,134 reindeer owned by missions, Laplanders and other whites, and 



Government, 1917 778,350 



Total income of missions and Laplanders, and other whites, from reindeer, 1893-1917 214,443 



Total valuation and income $3 , 247 , 345 



Total Government appropriation, 1893-1917 317,000 



Gain (926 per cent for 25 years, or an average annual gain of 37 per cent) . . $2,930,345 



Note. — The 16 reindeer stated in earlier United States Government Reports to have been 

 imported to Alaska in 1901, were apparently paid for by private subscription, as they have been 

 omitted from the schedules and calculations of the Bureau of Education. These later reports 

 show the 171 head purchased in 1892, as the commencement of Government importation, the 

 original 16 not forming part of the total importation of 1,280 head. 



42627—4 49 



