FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 37 



tors on Oonalaska just the same as on the seal islands — that is, the 

 Alaska Company — they will serve everybody alike, aud at Oonalaska 

 the Alaska Commercial Company's doctor attended natives that traded 

 with the Western Fur and Trading? Company, too. I know that from 

 the doctors themselves. Yes ; I think the health of the people gener- 

 ally is improved. The fact is, the company wants to keep them sober 

 and healthy. When they are drunk or sick they can't work. That is 

 the great objection to their getting drunk up there. I do not know that 

 there is any high moral principle in the Alaska Commercial Company's 

 wanting the men to be able to work. The men are not fit to hunt the 

 sea-otter or to work unless they are sober. 



Q. They could not w^ork or hunt when they were drunk ? — A. No, sir. 



Q. Did you form any definite opinion as to whether it would be bet- 

 ter in an economical sense or better for the development of the Territory 

 if the policy of the Government was changed as to leasing the seal 

 islands? — A. I could never see any reason why there should be any 

 change. 



Q. What is the distance of these two islands 1 — A. St. George and 

 St. Paul are distant from the main-land about 250 miles. Bristol Bay 

 is the nearest point eastward, aud it is 250 miles from St. George. 



Q. The operations there have no connection with the commerce of 

 Alaska ? — A. ]So; not in the slightest. No more than if the seals were 

 down here in the Capitol Grounds. I do not see how the seal islands 

 are connected with the general business of Alaska in any way wiiatever. 



Q. Is the preservation of seal life now better under this reservation 

 and lease system"? — A. It is, undoubtedly, in my estimation. Old man 

 Webster told me — he said one year, I think it was in 1869, before the 

 lease was made, there were not less than 300,000 seals killed there in 

 the two islands, and his estimate was made by the killing of the com- 

 pany he was working for, and he knew what they were doing, and the 

 result was that for two or three years after they only took about 30,000 

 on the islands. There were only three companies operating, and they 

 took 300,000 skins. Anybody could come there and nobody could keep 

 them out, but there was nobody operating there that year, except those 

 three companies. Webster was in a vessel that went up that year for 

 whaling, and happened upon the seal islands by accident. They saw it 

 was a good thing, and so they pitched in aud killed all they could. I do 

 not see what other system than the present could be operated. The 

 only thing is, you might make the islands yield more or less money, but 

 the great trouble is there is too much money in the Treasury, and it 

 might be well to put the whole revenue down to a dollar a skin, so as to 

 get rid of the surplus. 



Q. But that would be only transferring the surplus from the Treas- 

 ury to the company ? — A. It raight:,reduce the price of the skins to the 

 consumer $2. They could sell them $2 a piece cheaper than now. 



Q. The question is, will the consumer get that or the English dresser? — 

 A. 1 think they are sold at public auction in London. 1 think they are 

 all sold at a trade-sale, divided into lots and sold in lots. It is a ques- 

 tion whether you want more or less from the islands. Tbe system is all 

 right. 



Q, What would be your idea as to whether the Government should 

 discontinue the lease and take charge with its own agent? — A, Of 

 course I think the present system is a inoper one. If the Government 

 were to go into it it would open up a vast field, which is very varied 

 and complex. The Government would have to have steamers, it would 

 have to have agents, it would have to have stores, aud goods, and money. 



