82 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



them in cash. We never pay them in orders ; \\e have never given 

 them anything of the sort. 



Q. Are they at perfect liberty to leave the island whenever they 

 wish'? — A. They are under no restrictions whatever, except such as the 

 Treasury agent exercises. 



Q, The company exercises no restriction ? — A. None whatever. Not 

 only that, but the company furnishes to each island a physician, and 

 dispensary and medicines, and no charge is ever made for medical at- 

 tendance or any medicines furnished. 



Q. You were speaking of schools ; how are the schools established ? 

 Who pays for them ? — A. The company. It is in their contract that 

 they shall furnish schools, afid they furnish the teacher and have built 

 for the people a school-house on each island and furnished a teacher and 

 transported and pay them their salaries. 



Q. What are the natives taught 



The Chairman. Allow me right there. [Exhibiting photograph] I 

 take this to be the school building. 



The Witness. That is the school building on the island, and this is 

 another view and shows the school building which was erected by the 

 company [see phorograi)hs 7 and M] and this is the school building on 

 St. George [see i)hotograph 9], 



Q. These are the scholars there, right outside of the school-house [see 

 photographs 10 and 11]'? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. You were speaking of restriction I — A. There is only one restric- 

 tion that is placed upon the people by the company and by the Govern- 

 ment agent and by every one who can possibly bring any influence to 

 bear upon them, and that is to restrict them in the use of a liquor called 

 quass, which they brew themselves. The only complaint that the Aleut 

 ever makes and has ever been heard to make is that while under the 

 Eussian rule he was allowed as much '' drunk" as he wanted, under the 

 American he is not; but still, he prefers his situation, with his house and 

 school and church and comforts under the American rule. Yet, in every 

 possible way he gets quass; therefore the company at its own instance 

 and at the request of the Treasury agent has limited to the lowest point 

 the supply of sugar which they allow them to buy in order that they 

 can not distil this intoxicant. There is no other restriction placed upon 

 them in any way. 



Most of the people are desirous, when they have money, of buying 

 everything that is put before them, aud if a tendency toward undue ex- 

 travagance is noted, we refuse to sell them goods and endeavor to get 

 them to place their money where it will be secure. We have endeavored 

 to explain to them, and to get them to place their money in savings 

 banks in San Francisco; but they look upon that with suspicion and 

 were disinclined to do so, but they are willing to place their money with 

 the company. The company receives their deposits and gives them 

 books for it, and as their deposits accumulate it is sent to San Francisco, 

 and the company purchase an equivalent amount in United States bonds, 

 which are labeled. The deposits of the natives are always kept apart 

 and considered as a sacred trust, and this deposit is never used in any 

 other way. These bonds draw 4 per cent, interest, and the natives re- 

 ceive the same. Here is a table which will show the deposits which we 

 have been able to induce them to save up to this time (see page 64 and 

 following of reply of the Alaska Commercial Company to the charges of 

 Gov. Alfred P. Swineford). The total amount of their savings up to 

 August, 1887, was $94,128.28, but in that is included (to which I would 

 like to call your attention) twenty-nine thousand and odd dollars which 



