!()(') INTRODUCTION oK DOMESTIC REINDEEK INTO ALASKA. 



provisions from the North Aiiierinin Tran.sporttitioii and Trading- Com- 

 pany and sonio from tlio Alaska Conunorcial Company, onoiioh to last 

 until Soptombtu' 1<» for 5 men. jNIr. Kjolsboro- will leave tho (xovorn- 

 mcnt om[)loy Juno 15. and 1 want to loavo tho employ July 1. Tho 

 ri'ason Avhy I bouoht so nuich provision is that T want to take it out 

 to the hills, about 10 miles, which is the only place where the herd can 

 be properly herded during- the hot summer months. After the last of 

 Apiil all the snow will be gone and the river and creeks flooded so it 

 would make it impossilde to get any provisions out there. According 

 to my own experience in packing with reindeer, I know they would 

 not be able to do any work l)efore the last of August. Judge Crane 

 has a log building at the foot of the mountain, about 00 miles from 

 here, which I have rented to have it as a headquarters and store for 

 the provisions. The herd will be kept 10 or 15 miles farther back on 

 those mountains. The Lapps will commence to take out the supplies 

 the ;3d of April. 



J made a trip with Captain Richardson, the commanding officer of 

 the Unified States troops, out to those hills and to the mines. He 

 wanted to try the reindeer. I n coming back I wanted to give the deer a 

 show of covering a few miles; we made 51 miles in a little over ten hours' 

 time; the Captain seemed to be delighted with the deer, l)utyou know 

 the deer are not in good condition to make any record, being driven 

 so much. Lieutenant McManus. one of the officers, has l)een begging 

 me to go out with him to the Tanana River on an exploring trip, in 

 order to connect the route to Cooks Inlet, which Lieutenant Castner 

 was exploring last summer. I have consented to go with him. We 

 will take 12 deer, 1 Lapp. 1 Indian, and rations for thirty days, and 

 intend to start out April 3. This Avill be a trip outside of my orders, 

 and will perhaps bring no extra pay, l)ut I have done so nuu-h extra 

 work for nothing that I might as well do this too. I believe the route 

 to Cooks Inlet might prove to be a much better route as a mail route, 

 especially if they intend to use reindeer for transportation of the same, 

 as far as 1 have found out in regard to the lay of the countr}-; and I 

 believe if the Government emploved the driver and reindeer and did 

 not contract for it the mail could be carried to the satisfaction of 

 everyl)ody and with less expense. As it is now% the mail was brought 

 onl}^ once to Circle Citj?^ the whole winter. If you would like to know 

 my plans for operating the same, I would cheerfully tell from an 

 expei-ienced standpoijit. I will scMid a. statement of tdl that I have 

 l)ought. 



Hoping to hear from you very soon. 1 remain, 

 Yours, very truly, 



Hedlky K. Redmyer. 



C/'/'c/c L'iti)^ Ahishi. 



Hon. Sheldon elACKSOX. 



Was/u'/Kjlo/i, 1>. C. 



