FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 81 



The Chaiuman. Tlie Government exercises no control over that on 

 the Aleutian Islands ? I mean in regard to the sea-otter hunting ; there 

 is no Government reservation ? — A. No sir; that is open to everybody. 



By Mr. Cummings : 



Q. Do you have contracts with them ? — A. Those we send up ? 



Q. Yes. — A. (To j\Ir. Morgan.) Are there contracts made with them ? 



Mr. Morgan. The method of engaging men at Oonalaska is to call 

 them together at some convenient place, and the superintendent of the 

 Alaska Commercial Company asks these men, "Do you want to go to 

 work f And those that want to go to work go on board the vessel 

 and aie transported up. When they are there they go to work, and the 

 boys earn $15 a month and the men $25 to $50. 



Q. I understand they get a dollar a day and their board and lodging. 



Mr. Morgan. Some of the smaller boys that can not do a man's work 

 are paid as low as $15 a month. 



Q. Does the company supply them with board and lodging? 



Mr. Morgan. Yes, sir; and rations and transportation. 



The Witness. They are sui)plied with board, lodging, houses, 

 churches, and schools, all at the expense of the company. Under their 

 contract the company is obliged tofnrnish to the natives of these islands 

 certain matters — schools and a certain amount of provisions and a cer- 

 tain amount of fuel, and as you will see from these photos the company, 

 in excess of that, have built at their own expense wooden cottages, 

 which have taken the place of the old habitations. 



By the Chairman : 



Q. Will you look over them and identify them, as I wish to have cuts 

 made of them. Identify them by numbers, so that the stenographer 

 will be able to identify them. Mr. Morgan, will you state what these 

 photographs here are, numbered from I to 4? 



Mr. Morgan. From ISTos. 1 to 3 they are the houses they had out 

 there when the Territory was ceded to the United States. 



Q. And the only kind of houses rhey had? — A. Yes. 



Mr. Morgan. These houses (from 4 to 5) were erected by the company 

 and they are assigned to a family ; each family is assigned a house. There 

 is no charge ever made to the natives, either for the cost of erection or 

 rental of any sort. The fee, so to speak, vests in the company, in order 

 that a certain degree of control may remain with them and the Treasury 

 agent, in case the party does not take ])roper care of his house. The na- 

 tives are furnished by the company with all that they require in the way 

 of food. Seal meat of course they are entitled toby the act of Congress, 

 and such minor things as they need in course of their subsistence they 

 purchase from the store which the company keeps upon theisland, which 

 are sold to them at a regular scale of prices established by the company, 

 and printed and hung up in the stores, subject always to the inspection 

 of the Government agent, and the rate of prices is fixed at 25 per cent, 

 above the wholesale cost of goods of the same character in San Francisco. 

 The goods are purchased in San Francisco as closely, that is, as cheaply, 

 as possible, for a good article, and 25 per cent, of the wholesale cost is 

 added to cover the expense of transportation and landing, etc., and at 

 that price it is sold to the natives, and that price is tabulated and hung 

 up in the store, always exposed for reference. 



By Mr. Cummings: 

 Q. Printed in Russian? — A. In both languages. 

 Q. Do you pay them in cash or in onlcrs in the store? — A. We pay 



99S4 



