138 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



just as comfortably as they have been living. These food skins can be 

 annually brought down to market on the revenue cutters, and these 

 vessels can bring up the supplies of food, fuel, and clothing necessary 

 for tlie natives alter their j)urchase in due form by the Treasury Depart- 

 ment. 



The new lessees of 1890 in full belief, and warranted by official reports 

 m believing, that they would get at least 00,000 prime skins in the first 

 season and annually more thereafter, during the period of their contract, 

 purchased tbe entire land plant of the old lessees, i. e., the salt houses, 

 dwelUng and school houses, barns, stores and goods, and divers chat- 

 tels, and paid for it — together with the 81 small dwelling houses which 

 the old company built for the natives' occupation — about$05,000.' Those 

 people have lived in these cottages, rent free, during the last eighteen 

 years: and do live in them now under the same privilege, repairs and 

 paint being also furnished gratis. 



Under the present changed order of affairs the Government needs at 

 once part of this plant above cited at least, and, for that matter, should 

 not hesitate to take it entirely off the hands of the new lessees as the 

 condition of the business now stands; also the money paid on account 

 of tlie native houses .should be promptly refunded by the Government 

 to tlie new lessees: for, as I have said, there can not be any division of 

 responsibility in the coming change of nursing these exhausted rook- 

 eries back to good order. Tlie work has got to be entirely free from 

 any and all susi)icion of private intrigue and gain during the next seven 

 years, or it had better not be undertaken. This will require the removal 

 of everybody from these islands except the natives and the Government 

 officers and employees. These resident men should consist of the exist- 

 ing statf of four Treasury agents, a phj'sician for each island, and a 

 school teacher and storekeeper also, in each village, including a mess 

 cook, and laundryman. 



On account of the remoteness of their situation, those officers and 

 employees of the Government should be housed on these islands and 

 supplied with rations and fuel free of cost to themselves: otherwise the 

 enforced abnormal expense of living there would render their salaries 

 absurdly inadequate. These supplies can be regularly purchased in 

 San Francisco, every spring by the collector of customs of that port and 

 sent up to the seal i,"^lands on the revenue cutters which annually have 

 cruised and will cruise around about them throughout each coining 

 season. 2 



While the Secretary of the Treasury is fully empowered by existing 

 law, 1 believe, to take any or all steps necessary to preserve and protect 

 these interests of the Government on the seal islands of Alaska, yet the 

 passage of a bill substantially like the following draft will save him from 

 some misunderstanding and doubt in the minds of our people as to the 

 precise limit of his authority. He also needs the authority of law for 

 the establishment of the school teachers, physicians, etc. 



Suggestion for — 



A BILL for tlic protection and preservation of the interests of the Government on the fur-seal islands 

 of Alaska, Pribilov group, Bering Sea, Alaska. 



Be it enacted, etc. 



Section 1. That for the period of seven years from and after tbe passage of this act 

 no fur seals shall be killed for their skins on or around the fur-seal islands (Pribilov 

 group) of Alaska by any person or persons whatsoever: Provided, That the natives of 



' See p. 225, Appendix. 



' It IS wholly unnecessary to enter into the details of this programme; they will 

 all suggest themselves in due form to the officers of the Treasury Department and be 

 ))romptly attended to when the work is undertaken. 



