FUK-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 387 



No. 3. 



LETTER OF LOUIS SLOSS, PRESIDENT OP THE ALASKA COMMERCIAL COMPANY, TO MR. 

 GEORGE R. TINGLE, UNITED STATES TREASURY AGENT RESIDING AT ST. PAUL, 

 ALASKA. 



San Francisco, December 5, 1887. 

 Dear Sir: Various charges have recently been made against the Alaska Commer- 

 cial Company in reference to its operations in Alaska, as well under its lease of the 

 islands of iSt. Paul aud St. George as generally in other parts of the country not em- 

 braced in the lease. Amoug other charges are: 



1. That it has reduced the native population to a condition of helpless dependence, 

 if not slavery, and that its oppression aud robbery of the natives are notorious. 



2. That it compels acceptance by the natives on paiu of starvation of such beggarly 

 Ijrices as manages invariably to keep them in debt and at its mercy. 



3. That to effect a monopoly of the trade it has marked and mutilated the United 

 States coin and refused to receive any other from the uatives in payment of goods 

 sold them. 



4. That it has boycotted and driven from the islands Government officers who re- 

 fused to do the bidding of its agents. 



5. That it is hostile to the settlement of the country, discourages immigration and 

 the investment of capital in the development of its great natural resources. 



G. That to the pernicious iutinence of the Alaska Commercial Company is due the 

 fact that Alaska is not to-day largely populated with an industrious and enterprising 

 people, aud that additional millions are not invested in the country. 



7. That it has committed tiagrant violations of the law and executive orders in re- 

 lation to the importation and sale of breech-loading fire-arms by its agents. 



8. That it has not kept its agreement with the Government as to the education of 

 the young natives in English. 



9. The lease l)y the Government to the Alaska Commercial Company should be re- 

 scinded, if possible, and if not, it should not be renewed. 



As the agent of the Government sent to the islands and charged with the manage- 

 ment of the seal fisheries in Alaska, and also the performance of other duties assigned 

 to you by the houorable Secretary of the Treasury, you have had an opportunity of 

 learning what truth there may be in the various charges above specitied. 



We should be much pleased to have you state the result of your own observation 

 and such information from reliable sources as you may have as to the company's op- 

 erations aud transactions on the Aleutian chain aud the mainland, as well as upon 

 the islands of St. Paul and St. George. Also what, in your opiniou, would be the re- 

 sult of the abolition of the present leasing system and the substitution in its place of 

 a plan in wliich the Government should take the place of the lessees on the two 

 islands named ; that the natives alone should kill the fur seals, and that the skins 

 should then be sold by the uatives in open market in presence of the Government 

 agent, who should collect a tax of $.5 on each skin sold. 



As early a reply as your personal convenience will enable you to make will be 

 greatly appreciated. 



Very respectfully and truly yours, 



Louis Sloss, 

 President of the Alaska Commercial Company. 



Mr. George E. Tingle. 



No. 4. 



REPLY OF MR, GKORGE R. TINGLE, UNITED STATES TREASURY AGENT AT ST. PAUL, 

 ALASKA, TO LOUIS SLOSS, PRESIDENT ALASKA COMMERCIAL COMPANY. 



San Francisco, December 7, 1887. 



Sir: Your letter of the 5th instant was duly received, informing me that " various 

 charges have recently been made against the Alaska Commercial Company in refer- 

 ence to its operations in Alaska, as well under its lease of the islands of St. Paul and 

 St. George as generally in other parts of the country not embraced in the lease.'' 

 You ask me to state the "result of my observations and such reliable information as 

 I may have as to the company's operations in Alaska." 



I may state that my opportunities as Treasury agent in charge of the fur-seal 

 islands since the spring of 1885, and intercourse with officers of the revenue-marine 

 service in Alaskan waters, aud acquaintance with the white people and natives at 

 various stations iu the Territory, have been such as to enable me to speak advisedly 



