92 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



on the foriner. It is, tbeielore, uuiiecessary to go into details couceruing this part 

 of the industry, which has been described so ofteu in connection with the Pribylof 

 Islands. 



The affairs as I found them in 1882 were managed in the following way: 



On each island there was a local agent and storekeeper,' who had general charge 

 of affairs, except the management of the taking of the skins, and who kept the books 

 and accounts. The sealing business proper was attended to by a sealer for each rookery, 

 who accepted the skins brought by the natives to the salt-house door and superin- 

 tended the salting, bundling, etc. During this period these overseers were not natives, 

 except Mr. Fedor Volokitin, a " Creole," who represented the company at the South 

 Rookery, Bering Island. The general management of the business was iu the hands 

 of Mr. John Sandman, the captain of the company's steamer Alclsander II. 



rractically, the whole administration of the business rested with the company, 

 not even a maxinuim limit as to the number of skins to be taken being contained 

 in the lease. The function of the Government official stationed on the islands was 

 chiefly confined to seeing that the company did not overstep its contract, that the 

 regulations for the jirotectlou of tlie seals, as well as the natives, were enforced, 

 to supervise the killing, keep account of the number of skins taken, to receive and 

 distribute the money for the skins to the natives, etc. 



The skins were taken by the company's steamer from the islands to Petropaulski 

 iu installments and there reloaded before shipment to San Francisco. One of the 

 reasons for this arrangement was that Petropaulski is the only port of entry in that 

 part of the liussian Empire, and as the skins were to be shipped to San Francisco, 

 a foreign port, clearance paper had to be obtained in Petropaulski, while at the same 

 ti'ue the insurance companies would only assume the risk from the sailing from the 

 latter port. At this place, therefore, Hutchinson, Kohl, Philippeus & Co. maintained 

 quite an extensive establishment. Large warehouses and a wharf were built on the 

 spit in the outer harbor near the extreme end of the Nikolski peninsula, while in the 

 town itself a large and commodious house for the accommodation of the resident 

 agent and his family was erected. 



This position as resident general agent in Petro^jaulski was held to the expira- 

 tion of the term of Hutchinson, Kohl, Philipi)eus & Co. by Mr. Joseph Lugebil, who 

 extended the company's hospitality in a manner pleasantly remembered by all who 

 had the good fortune to visit Petroiiaiilski during that period. 



Under the lease the company was to keep a general store for the sale of articles 

 of food, clothing, etc., to the natives on each of the Commander Islands. The 

 merchandise was imported free of duty, but the company was only allowed to charge 

 San Francisco wholesale prices plus a certain fixed percentage as compensation for 

 freighting and storing the goods. The company decided about the kind and quantity 

 of goods to be brought, while the administrator appointed by the government saw to 

 it that the prices charged were not in excess of the contract and that the quality of 

 the goods was satisfactory. 



'On Copper Island: Mr. Alexander Kostromitinof, who succeeded Mr. C. F. Emil Krebs. The 

 latter served from 1S71 to 1881. Mr. Einil Kluge followed after Mr. Kostromitinof nntil the fall of 

 1894, when he was succeeded by Mr. A. Cantor. 



On Ilering Island: Mr. George Cheruick. He died on the island in the fall of 1887. Mr. F. Vol- 

 okitin ten<Ung the station during the following winter. In the spring of 1888 Mr. Kostromitinof was 

 transferred from Cop])er Island, being relieved in 18110 by Mr. Julius Lindipiist. He was succeeded in 

 about a year by Mr. Waldemar Paetz, of St. Petersburg, whose term expired in 1895, Mr, Emil Kluge 

 being then transferred from Copper Island. 



_il 



