152 INTKODUCTION OF DOMESTIC KE1NDEP:K INTO ALASKA. 



War Department, 



Washingftm., May 11, 18D!). 

 Sir: Afknowlodgino- the roeeipt of your letter of the 5th instant, 

 asking if it is possibU^ for you to secure in connection with j'our con- 

 tract for carrying the United States Mail from Valdes to Circle City, 

 Alaska, eight of the reindeer now in the neighborhood of Circle City, I 

 beg to inform you that your letter has been this day referred to the 

 Department of the Interior, to which the su])ject-iuatter now pertains. 

 Very r(\spectfully, 



(I, D. Metklejoiin, 

 Afid.st(i)it Secret id'!/ of Wa?'. 



Mr. RiCTIARD CiriLCOTT, 



Sr(fffle, Wash. 



Department of the Interior, 



Bureau of Education, 

 WasJurigtoa, D. ('., May In, 1899. 

 My Dear Dr. Jackson: ± inclose herewith, for your information 

 and for such action as may be possilile, a copy of a letter from Mr. 

 Richard Chilcott, of Seattle, asking if it would be possi])le for liim to 

 secure eight of the reindeer now in the neighborhood of Circle City 

 in order to use them in carrying the United Staters mails f I'om Valdes 

 to Circle City in the winter time. 



Perhaps it will l)e possible for you to see Mr. Chilcott in Seattle 

 and make arrangements with him before you leave for the north. 

 Very resp(>ctfully. yours, 



A\'. v. Harris, ('omiiusK/oner. 

 Dr. Stip:ldon Jackson, 



OeeMlenial Hotel, Seattle, Wasli. 



Seattle, Wash.. May 20, 1S99. 



My Dear Sir: A Mr. Chilcott, of Seattle, has taken the mail con- 

 tract from Prince William Sound to Circle City, and is arranging with 

 me to take a few of the reindeer and some Lapps for winter work. 

 His foreman on the route and the other employees will all l)e Norwe- 

 gians. He is only talking of eight head of the d(?er for a route 500 miles 

 long, ])ut J will try to show him the iumhI of a larger niunber; and if 

 arrangements are finally consunuuated l»etween us I will give him an 

 oitIim- on Mr. Redmyer to turn over a sufficient number of deer. 

 The Lapps, when he wants them, can be sent up from St. Michael, as 

 Mr. Chilcott is interested in a line of steamers ruiming up the Yukon. 



The Government is determined to have the reindeer returned to Mr. 

 Lopp and Charley, and what we fail in securing in Siberia will prob- 

 a))ly either be taken from th(^ herd at Point Barrow or Eaton Stiition. 

 As 1 may need you Ncry nmcli when I reach Unalaklik, (>ai'ly in Jul}', 



