FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA 23 



than for the Government to take charge of it itself directly through its 

 own agents, or whether it should all be thrown open? — A. The Govern- 

 ment now, without any care or risk, gets $317,000 a year for the lease, 

 and for the $2.62 paid for the seal fishing, which pays about 4 per cent, 

 net on the cost of the Alaska purchase, I do not believe, taken any way, 

 they can make more. 



Q. You do not believe the Government could take charge through any 

 agents and make a profit? — A. I do not believe the Government could 

 run it through agents. In the first place, it would open the way to an 

 immense sight of stealing, if they wanted to steal. Then they would 

 have to pay a man who had business head enough to run it a good 

 salary; they would have to provide their own vessels and steamers ; they 

 would be obliged to have agents in San Francisco and in London, and 

 all the necessary equipments for doing an extensive business, and they 

 could not do it. Now, if you throw open the comi)etition, I do not think 

 yon wouldhave a seal left in five years. 



Q. That is, you mean, if the reservation was abolished and it was left 

 to any person to go in and catch seals ? — A. Yes ; you would not have 

 a seal left there. 



Q. You think it would mean the total destruction of the seals ? — A. 

 Yes, sir ; already the sea-otter is almost extinct. 



Q. Under the law I think there is a prohibition against taking sea- 

 otters in certain seas.— A. They do not allow anybody but natives to 

 kill, or a man who has married a native. Men sometimes marry squaws 

 just for that purpose. They do not kill otter when the skins are not 

 good. They could not find a market for them. 



Q. How long were you in the service ?— A. Three years. 



Q. You reached the conclusion then that it would not be wise for the 

 Government to change its policy?— A. It would be very unwise ; you 

 must have what is called a monopoly. 



Q. Under a reservation ? — A. Yes, sir ; but it is a monopoly, of course. 

 The holding of it by some company is the very best policy they can 

 have. 



Q. What are the opportunities and temptations of fraud against the 

 Government? — A. There is no chance. These skins are counted in to 

 the salt-house. The natives are there, and thej' are sharp, and they 

 can see them, and you can not fool them. The very moment you un- 

 dertake to get more skins than the company were entitled to they 

 would detect it. 



Q. They consider they are entitled to pay for every skin ? — A. Yes, 

 sir; they know they get 40 cents for every skin accepted by the com- 

 pany. Sometimes they cut a skin so it is not good for anything much, 

 and that is rejected. That, of course, they do not get pay for. The 

 skin is cut in pieces and then buried. 



Q. Are they paid in money or goods ? — A. They are paid in money. 



Q. When they buy goods, do they pay in money ? — A. Yes, sir ; they 

 pay in cash. It is an arithmetical problem of how you can pay $30,- 

 000 with $10,000 in bank. 



Q. In the report of the governor of Alaska to Congress, he states 

 that the company habitually fixes the price for all, so far as they buy in 

 Alaska at other trading stations, and only receive in payment for it coin 

 which the company had marked, so they could identify it as their cur- 

 rency, and charged extravagant prices, and would not sell goods to any 

 native or traders unless the goods were paid for in this marked coin. 

 Do you know anything of that kind ? — A. I know that I went over to 

 the Western Fur and Trading Company, a competing company there 



