XXVI FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



most of the opportunities presented, and I can see uo prospective good to accrue to 

 the Territory through the dispossession of one monopoly merely to make place for 

 another and possihiy worse one. 



So far as its operations on the seal islands are concerned, it affords me pleasure to 

 be ahle to report an altogether satisfactory condition of affairs; one -which is wholly 

 creditable at least to the company. I am perfectly satisfied that the company is, and 

 has been all along, faithfully complying with all the terms and conditions of its agree- 

 ment with the Government ; in fact, it is doing even more in the matter of providing 

 ibr the wants and comfort of the natives than its contract requires. I do not believe, 

 as has frequently and persistently been charged, that it has ever taken iu any one 

 year more than the number of seals authorized by law, for the simple reason, if there 

 be no other, that it has not been, and is not now, to its interest to do so. That 

 could only be done by and with tbe connivance of the Government agents and the 

 customs authorities at Sau Francisco, and iu the absence of any evidence it would 

 not be right or proper to question the honesty of those officials. 



The provision of tbe lease restricting the number of seals that may be killed to 

 100.000 annually is its most valuable feature, as a moment's consideration will con- 

 vince any person who is possessed of the slightest appreciation of the law of supply 

 and demand. Wbile I cannotaver apositive knowledgein the premises, I neven'he- 

 less feel quite safe iu asserting that the company has never violated either that or 

 any other express provision of its lease or contract. It is true I did not have an 

 opportunity of visiting St. George, owing to the then prevailing bad state of the 

 weather, bat I spent the best part of two days on St. Paul Island, where the princi- 

 pal rookeries are located, and where seventeen-twentieths of the seals are killed. I 

 was here aflforded every facility by the company's general agent for acquiring such 

 iuformation as I desired ; the books of the company, as well as those of the Treasury 

 agent, being open to me, while there was uo restriction or espionage whatever to pre- 

 vent me from obtaining any information the uative people might wish to impart. 



I conversed freely with many of the most intelligent Aleuts and Creoles, and as all 

 the killing is done by them, for which they receive a compensation of 40 cents per 

 skin, it is fair to assume that they would know of it had there been any violation of 

 contract in regard to the numbers killed; their accounts, however, show payment for 

 the legitimate number only, and it is far from reasonable to suppose that the com- 

 pany would hazard the possession of so valuable a franchise by entering into collu- 

 sion not only with the Government agents but with a hundred or more natives for the 

 purpose of defrauding the Government. While I could find no evidence upon which 

 to base even a suspicion of fraud in the number of skins taken, careful observation 

 and inquiry forced upon me the conclusion that the company was not only honest in 

 its dealings with the Government, but, as I have said had done and was doing 

 much more for the comfort and welfare of the natives than its agreement enjoins 

 upon it. 



I found the natives all comfortably housed in neat frame houses, built for them by 

 the company, and which they are permitted to occupy for uo other consideration than 

 that the premises shall be kept clean. There are about sixty of these natives' houses 

 iu the village of St. Paul, all presenting a neat, tidy exterior, and, so far as my ob- 

 servation extended, all well and cleanly kept on the inside. No oifal or offensive 

 refuse of any kind is allowed around the houses ; the streets are kept clean, and the 

 sanitary regulations and conditions are better than those usually enforced in eastern 

 villages. The school-house is large enough to accommodate all the children of school 

 age on the island, and will compare most favorably in all respects with similar build- 

 ings in the States and Territories. The school was having its annual vacation at the 

 time of my visit, bui; I met a number of native children who could speak English, 

 and a few comparatively young men who could read and write, and was informed by 

 the teacher and the Government's agents that the school, which is kept open from 

 September to May, was making excellent progress. 



A dispensary in charge of a skillful physician is maintained by the company on 

 each of the islands, both medical attendance and medicines being supplied free of 

 charge. The agreement with the Government requires the company to furnish the 

 inhabitants of the two islands with 60 cords of fire-wood annually, but for some rea- 

 son or under some arrangement coal is being furnished them instead of wood, the 

 allowance being 10 pounds a day to each house. This would be a little more than a 

 ton and three-quarters for the year to each house, and allowing that only thirty of 

 the houses are occupied, the cost to the company would be more than the value of 

 the wood it originally agreed to furnish. This amount of coal is, of course, insuffi- 

 cient, and the people are compelled to buy enough fuel to make up the deficiency; 

 that the company sells to them at the rate of $1.50 per 100 pounds of coal, or three 

 sticks of cord-wood for 50 cents. 



In the event of a renewal of the company's lease or the leasing of the islands to 

 any other corporation or individual, I think a much more liberal provision for a free 

 supply of fuel to the natives should be made. 



