n8 REPORT OF ALASKA INVESTIGATIONS. 



The fact that these comparatively few islands have not been readily taken up by men who are anxious 

 to go into the fox business has shown me conclusively that something is wrong. I attribute it to three 

 things — first, the price is too high for the average poor man to pay; second, the lease is for too short a 

 time; and third, a number of the islands are not adapted to fox raising. 



There is another phase of the leasing system that I have looked into which works a hardship and is 

 apparently unjust as shown by the following example: Mr. J. C. Smith in 1907 moved to Simeonof Island, 

 one of the extreme outer islands of the Shumagin Group. He was a poor man and had to work hard, 

 occupying himself in tilling the soil and in general farming. He has raised a large family — nine children, 

 I understand — and it has been difficult for him to get along. Then after 17 years of hard work the Gov- 

 ernment interfered and this island on which he lives and to which he certainly has some prior right was 

 offered to anyone in the country who wanted to lease it for fox-farming purposes. The result was that, 

 to protect what little he had, Mr. Smith was forced to bid for the island, running the risk of losing it, and 

 then begin raising foxes, whether he wanted to or not. For the next five years he must pay a total rent 

 of $1,250, and at the end of that time again run the risk of losing his home. As already indicated, I think 

 that, as a pioneer and one who has opened up a section of a vast territory, he deserves a present of the 

 island instead of being saddled with a rental of $250 per annum. 



The present situation does not seem right or just. The poor man without means is the one who 

 should be encouraged to take up these islands and should be assisted in undertaking this work; he should 

 have the support of the Government, and not be handicapped or held back by having some hardship 

 imposed upon him. 



There are a few men engaged in fox farming who are doing it along proper lines, understanding their 

 business and making a success of it. ' The following instances are cited from among those I know: 



Samuel Applegate, who has a fox ranch on Samalga Island, has made a success of raising foxes, but, 

 as he admits himself, he was most fortunate in securing an island that was specially adapted to that sort 

 of work, and so he has succeeded. He has made some money from the sale of blue fox pelts in the last 

 few years. 



Andrew Grosvold, who lives on Popof Island, is another man who is successful. He is far-sighted 

 and realizes all the peculiarities of these animals. Mr. Grosvold has a thriving trader's post at Sand Point, 

 on Popof Island, and reliable men to look after his fox farms. He is able to furnish the money to conduct 

 operations properly until they are on a paying basis. Therein lies one of the secrets of his success. At 

 the present time he controls six islands and has about the following number of foxes on each: 



Blue foxes. 



Caton Island, of the Sannak Group : 500 



Bird Island, of the Shumagin Group 100 



Chernabura Island, of the Shumagin Group 75 



Chernabura Islet, of the Sandman Reefs 30 



Big Goose Island, of the Shumagin Group 20 



Little Koniuji Island, of the Shumagin Group. (Number uncertain as he has only recently leased this island.) 



James York, on Sumdum Island, is an industrious, hard-working man who 14 years ago started with 

 20 pairs of blue foxes; to-day he has between 70 and 100 blue foxes. He feels that the stock he owns 

 is the same as a man's cattle and that he should have freedom in disposing of them when the opportunity offers, 

 without communicating with Washington each time. The fact that he has settled and made use of this 

 otherwise useless island should give him a right that no other man should molest. 



INTENSIVE (CORRAL) FUR-FARMING. 



The men just referred to are raising foxes on islands. On the mainland a different method is in vogue, 

 namely, the confinement of the animals in corrals constructed especially for this purpose. I noticed in 

 my travels a number of permanent structures built for the purpose of raising foxes, mink, and marten, 

 but in only two cases did I see any evidences of success, and in most cases those engaged had become 

 thoroughly discouraged. 



In the Chilkat River region I had the pleasure of seeing what was possibly the most ideally situated 

 corral for foxes of any in Alaska. The owners, T. D. Lahey and C. M. Handley, know their business. 

 They are both hard workers, and understand thoroughly the habits of a fox. They selected their site 

 with a view to finding a situation where the soil was agreeable and best for the fox, and where a second 



