UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. (ALASKA.) 



693 



and there is a small trade in salted herring; but 

 no figures are given. The purchase value of the 

 salmon pack for 1902 was $7,200,000. Several 

 hatcheries are in operation, and it is the desire 

 df the cannery owners to cooperate with the Gov- 

 ernment in preserving the fish, but the hatcheries 

 are mostly in the hands of men little skilled in 

 -uc 1 1 work, and have not proved very satisfac- 

 tory. The United States revenue-cutters Perry 

 ami Rush were in Alaskan waters during the 

 season to enforce the fishery laws, and many com- 

 plaints of violations were prosecuted. The Oil 

 ami Guano Company, at Killisnoo, has closed its 

 first season and reports a ready market for its 

 product. 



The value of the products of the whale fishery 

 brought into the United States from Alaska dur- 

 ing the fiscal year ending June 30, 1901, was 

 $(11.147, of which $56,873 represents the value of 

 1S,(>62 pounds of whalebone or baleen and $4,274 

 of other products. 



Sealing. The Pribilof Islands are the breed- 

 ing-place of the fur-seals which inhabit the Pa- 

 cific Ocean. They were considered a part of 

 Uaska and included in the cession by Russia, 

 "icy were the breeding-place of the fur-seals 

 rhen discovered by the Russians in 1786, and a 

 lussian company was formed for the purpose of 

 taking the skins of these animals, and continued 

 its operations up to the time of the transfer of 

 the islands to the United States in 1867. In 1889 

 a contract was made with the North American 

 Commercial Company, fixing the rental of the 

 lands at $60,000 and a tax upon each skin at 

 $!i.r>2J. Under this .lease, as construed by the 

 Supreme Court of the United States, rental is now 

 paid at the rate of 60 cents for each skin taken. 

 The Governor of Alaska reports 19,000 seals taken 

 on St. Paul and 3,304 on St. George island in 

 1902. At the contract price, with the rental, the 

 total revenue would be $274,676.05. 



In February, 1902, Collector J. W. Ivey issued 

 orders to his deputy at Unalaska closing the 

 port to Canadian vessels presumably engaged in 

 violating the laws in regard to pelagic sealing, 

 and forbidding the sale to them of supplies. His 

 action did not meet with the approval of the Gov- 

 ernment at Washington, and upon his refusal to 

 withdraw the order he was removed from office. 



Timber. In a proclamation dated Aug. 20, 

 1902, President Roosevelt set aside as the Alexan- 

 der Archipelago Forest Reserve the group of 

 islands in southeastern Alaska known by that 

 name. This new reservation, the first in Alaska, 

 embraces Prince of Wales island and the smaller 

 islands seaward thereof, Zarembo, Kupreanof, 

 and Kuiu islands, and Chichagof island and the 

 smaller islands to the seaward thereof. The is- 

 lands have not been surveyed and their exact 

 area is unknown. They contain, according to 

 Lieut. G. T. Emmons, who made an investiga- 

 tion of the forest resources of Alaska, the most 

 valuable timber in Alaska. The reservation of 

 the islands from settlement, entry, or sale by the 

 Government is not to be construed to deprive 

 any bona fide inhabitant of any valid right he 

 may possess either under the Russian treaty of 

 1SH7 or under any act of Congress relating to 

 Alaska. However, much dissatisfaction has been 

 demonstrated, particularly by the miners of 

 Prince of Wales island, and the Governor, in his 

 report for 1902, urges great care in the admin- 

 istration of this reserve. 



Agriculture. Agricultural experiment sta- 

 tions were maintained during 1901 and 1902 at 

 Sitka, at Kenai, on Cook inlet, and at Rampart, 

 in the Yukon valley. In the investigations spe- 



cial attention was paid to the agricultural pos- 

 sibilities of the Yukon valley. At Kampart rye 

 seeded in the autumn of 1900 wintered perfectly 

 and ripened early in August 1901. Barley sown 

 in the spring of 1901 was harvested in August. 

 Vegetables were successfully grown at the Holy 

 Cross Mission and at other points in the Yukon 

 valley. Prof. Georgeson, the agent in charge of 

 the Alaska experiment stations, reported that 

 while he was at the Holy Cross Mission in the 

 second week of August, 1901, " the mission was 

 supplied from its own garden with new pota- 

 toes, cauliflower, cabbage, and other vegetables." 

 The following from the annual reports of the 

 Secretary of Agriculture will further show the 

 extent of the work and the success with which 

 it is meeting: "At Sitka the experiments with 

 cereals, forage crops, and vegetables were contin- 

 ued, and several varieties were successfully 

 grown. A log silo was also built there and filled 

 with native grasses in September, 1900, of which 

 Prof. Georgeson says : ' The experiment was an 

 entire success. Our work oxen were fed exclu- 

 sively on silage from Nov. 10 to May 1, and only 

 when they were worked were they fed grain in 

 addition. They ate the silage with relish through- 

 out and were maintained in good condition. 

 There was no greater loss of silage by waste 

 than always occurs in preserving green forage.' 

 At Kenai experiments with cereals and vege- 

 tables have been continued, with considerable suc- 

 cess. Fall-seeded wheat survived the winter of 

 1900-'01 in fair condition. Besides the experi- 

 mental work at Sitka, Kenai, and Rampart, seeds 

 have been distributed to over 400 persons living 

 in different parts of Alaska. In 1902 the distri- 

 bution of seed of hardy varieties of vegetables, 

 cereals, and grasses was continued and extended, 

 seed having been sent to 750 addresses. The ef- 

 forts made by the department to aid the resi- 

 dents of Alaska in their agricultural work by dis- 

 tributing improved varieties of seeds have pro- 

 duced beneficial results. The natives are learning 

 to cultivate gardens." 



The season of 1902, according to the Govern- 

 or's report, was wet in southeastern Alaska and 

 dry in the western and northwestern parts. The 

 rye planted in the fall of 1901 at the experiment 

 farm at Sitka matured well and was harvested 

 in August, 1902, and the yield was good. Flax 

 sown in the spring matured seeds and good 

 fiber. The vegetable gardens for the most part 

 were a success. The yield of potatoes was good 

 and the quality all that could be desired. The 

 crop of wild apples around Sitka was the most 

 abundant known. Many gathered them in quan- 

 tities for jelly and marmalade. The native ber- 

 ries were plentiful, and those who cultivated the 

 raspberry, currant, and gooseberry have been well 

 rewarded for their labors. 



Army, Navy, etc. Alaska is part of the De- 

 partment of the Columbia, at present commanded 

 by Brig.-Gen. George M. Randall. The follow HILT 

 stations are maintained in the district: Fort 

 Davis, Nome, reservation, 282 acres; Fort Egbert, 

 Eagle, reservation, 25,200 acres; Fort Gibbon, 

 Tanana, reservation. 74,560 acres; Fort Lisoum, 

 Valdez. reservation, 650.89 acres; Fort St. Michael, 

 reservation, 40,320 acres; Camp Skajrway: and 

 Camp Haines. The force at Fort Liscum under 

 Major W. R. Abercrombie have been engaged 

 during the year in making the trans-Alaskan 

 military road, which is now completed from Port 

 Valdez to the Tanana river, 265 miles. The signal- 

 corps, under the direction of Gen. A. W. (Jreely, 

 has completed the telegraph-line from St. Michael 

 via Unalaklit, Kaltag, Nulato, Nahocatilin, 



