134 REPORT OF ALASKA INVESTIGATIONS. 



On St. George Island, where the population is about half as large as on St. Paul, the natives occupy 

 similarly crowded quarters. I saw some greater degree of cleanliness than on St. Paul, but many of the 

 houses are overcrowded and should be enlarged; in other cases their entire removal would be wise and 

 economical. The "Government house" and the "Company house," like those on St. Paul, are in need of 

 repair. Not only is there necessity for new quarters for officers on St. George, but they should be built 

 with proper facilities and running water. To-day the inconveniences are evident and humiliating. The 

 old storehouse should be altered, and the great need of a new warehouse is apparent. In connection with 

 this it would be well to demolish the central portion of the old warehouse, known as the bidarrah house, 

 leaving the salt house and coal house as separate buildings, to face north and south, and to erect a ware- 

 house between or alongside of them. At the present time they are all connected as one building, and 

 the dampness from the salt house injures everything placed in the building. The schoolhouse, while 

 temporarily fixed up for the increased number of children who must be afforded the advantages of an 

 education, should be enlarged. There were five pupils this year who had no desk room, and in this emer- 

 gency the caretaker was instructed to prepare such desks as would temporarily carry them over the 

 winter. 



JANITOR SERVICE. 



One of the things that impressed me forcibly is that so little was known or understood in Washing- 

 ton regarding the administration of affairs on these islands. The Government employees in charge of 

 the islands, and even guests or special callers in the Government houses, who remain on these islands, 

 are compelled to get up in the morning and make their own fires, and take out ashes, because sufficient 

 provision has not been made for janitors to do this and other similar labor. It might be interesting to know 

 that on account of the prevailing damp and chilly weather, a fire is required in these buildings the year 

 round. Not thinking for a moment that the small amount could not be used from the general fund, orders 

 were given to employ on St. Paul Island a native janitor at $15 a month, his duties to consist of making 

 fires, carrying out ashes, cleaning windows, sweeping, hauling coal and water; in fact, doing anything 

 he was called upon to do. But because of the law, my order was declared illegal. This native was not 

 only to perform the above duties, but, in addition, was to care for the physician's house, keeping his fire 

 burning in the office, which is but essential and just. The physician during the winter months is often 

 called from his home, perhaps early in the morning, and does not return for some hours; then he must 

 come into a cold house, clean out the ashes, and make a fire. This is another evidence of false economy, 

 not to mention the injustice to the men in the employ of the Government who have more important things 

 to do and should not be called upon to do this menial work. 



SEAL MEAT. 



The question of handling the seal meat after the skins are removed is most interesting, and many 

 points are involved. In the past the careless method used in dividing this meat among the natives has 

 caused much loss and a scarcity when the killings were small. This was due partly to the fact that no 

 system was used, and also to the lack of ice for preserving purposes. While on St. Paul Island I looked 

 into the matter of an ice house to keep this meat for future use, and found nothing but a broken-down 

 grass hut situated over a mile from the village. Finding lumber that was practically of no value, in- 

 structions were given to erect an ice house at once so that a sufficient supply could be placed in it this 

 winter to help in keeping the meat another summer when the days get warmer. Directions were also 

 given for the agent to appoint a capable man from among the natives as a butcher, who would direct the 

 cutting up of the seal carcasses and deal the meat out without waste to the natives as they wanted it. 



The question of seal meat brought up two more important features — first, that when commercial 

 killing is resumed there will be a considerable surplus, and after the natives have their supply for the year, 

 enough should be set aside and prepared as jerked or dried seal meat for food for the foxes on both islands; 

 and second, after this allotment is made, there will be in time to come many hundreds of carcasses in ex- 

 cess of the number which may be utilized for those purposes. I was attracted by the taste of the seal 

 meat and could see a possible commercial value in it as food. For example, suppose there were 25,000 

 carcasses not needed for the natives or the foxes. I believe they could be brought down to the States, or 

 even to southeastern Alaska, and sold at a profit of perhaps $1 apiece. This meat is not strongly flavored, 

 nor in any way unpleasant to the taste or to the sight, and there are many people who are fond of game 

 who would gladly pay the price in a first-class hotel for a seal steak. 



