15S INTRODUCTIOX OK DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 



tlu'iii from starvinjr, whiU' tlu' hides furnish thrin w itli clothes. Ami they know liow 

 to handle them, also, ])eing mueli more expert than the Lapps. In fact I would not 

 have anyone else to handle them for me, and hire no one hut natives. Yes, I can 

 not say too nmch in praise of the reindeer. They are a decided success. 



Such {in account of the reindeer was a o-reat surpri.se to the reporter, 

 and he mentioned that, without being conversant witli the facts in the 

 matter, all the papers in Alaska, with the exception of the Alaskan, 

 had scored Dr. fFackson and the Government for bring-ing the reindeer 

 here, and Governor Brady for favoring the plan, and that one grand 

 iurv had j»-one so far out of its wav as to endeavor to besmirch the 

 character of Dr. Jackson for his work in securing them, and denounced 

 the experiment as a willful waste of public money. 



•■They simply do not know what they are talking about," said Mr. 

 Sunmiers. "They are talking at random. I have been mining and 

 packing along the Yukon, the Bering 8ea, Kotzebue Sound, and in 

 the Arctic circle for tifteen years, and have never found anj-thing so 

 useful for packing, hauling, or for food as the reindeer. They are a 

 godsend to the country, and anyone who saj's differenth' simph' does 

 not know what he is talking about. Won't j^ou come and have an 

 ' eye opener i ' " 



"No; thank you." said the reporter, "your information has been 

 considerable of an eye opener. 1 had a faint idea that the grand jury 

 knew something aliout reindeer, but I was evidently mistaken.'' 



Mr. Sunnners certainly knows whereof he speaks, and such testi- 

 mon}^ should put to shame the people who have been harping about 

 something of which they were entirely ignorant. Mr. Summers is 

 not a missionary, nor a Government official, but made the above state- 

 ment of his own free will in the course of a casual conversation. 



ADVERTISEMENT FOK :MAIL SERVICE IN ALASKA. 



TO KOTZEBUE SOUND AND CiOLOVIN BAY. 



Post-Office Department, 



Washmgton, D. C, April 5, 1890. 

 Sealed proposals will be received at the contract office, Post-Office 

 Department, imtil 4 p. m. April 2J:, 1890, for carrying letter mail onl}^ 

 from St. Michael by Unalaklik (n. o,), Eaton Reindeer Station (n. o.), 

 and head of Norton Bay (n. o.) to Kotzebue (proposed office at the 

 mission on Kotzebue Sound). Alaska. alx)ut -KiO miles, and back, three 

 round trips, with l)ranch from head of Norton Bay (n. o.) to Golovin 

 Bay (proposed office at mission on Golovin Bay). Alaska, about lOO 

 miles, and back, three roiuid trips, in connection with mail on main 

 line, from December 1, 1S5>5». to May 81, 1900; carrier to leave St. 

 Michael about December 1, 1899, Fel)ruary 1. 19U0, and April 1, 1900; 



