39 S FUE-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



No. 12. 



LETTER FROM THE REV. WILLIAM H. WEINLAND, WRITTEN AT REQUEST OF BISHOP 

 DE SCHWEINITZ. 



Gracehill, Iowa, Becemher 13, 1887. 

 Gentlemex : The letter you wrote to Bishop de Schweinitz reached me last even- 

 ing, and I have prepared the inclosed testimony, hoiiiug it may be of service to you 

 in proving false these groundless accusations. 

 Wishing you the continued prosperity which you deserve, 

 I am, very sincerely yours, 



William H. Welnland. 



Gracehill, Washington County, Iowa, 



December 13, 1887. 

 To ivhomerer it may concern : 



In regard to the charges made by t]\e governor of Alaska against the Alaska Com- 

 mercial Company, the undersigned, for two years a resident missionary of the Mora- 

 vian Church, laboring on the Koskokvim River, Alaska, begs to submit the following: 



The governor charges that the Alaska Commercial Company discountenances every 

 attempt at immigration or settlement ; and whenever it has obtained a foothokl, 

 neither Avhite man nor native can live in peace or comfort, except by its sufferance. 



The writer tirst became acquainted with the officers of the Alasiia Commercial Com- 

 pany on April 28, 1884, when, in company with the Rev. Adolphus Hartmann, of 

 Canada, he was on his way to Alaska to inspect that Territory, with a view to locat- 

 ing a Moravian mission. We had been sent from Bethlehem, Pa., by the Society for 

 Propagating the Gospel among the Heathen, the principal missionary society of the 

 Moravian Church. From Washington, D. C, transportation to Alaska had been fur- 

 nished for us on the U. S. revenue-cutter Corivin, Capt. Mark Healy in command, 

 and through the kindness of this gentleman we were introduced to the officers ot- 

 the Alaska Commercial Company. Upon learning our destination and business, they 

 showed us every attention and kindness possible, offered us free transportation on 

 any of the vessels of the company, and also furnished us with letters of introduction 

 to their various agents and traders in the Territory. 



The company's agent at Oonalaska, Mr. Reudolph Neumann, gave us all the in- 

 formation asked, and assisted us on our way to Nushagak, where Mr. John Clark, the 

 company's agent, put himself to no small inconvenience to assist us in gathering in- 

 formation, and in other ways forwarding the cause which we represented. This was 

 again our experience on tlie Koskokvim River, where the agents of the company did 

 all in their power to assist us. 



Upon our return to San Francisco, on September 12, 1884, we informed the X)resident 

 of the Alaska Commercial Company that we had decided to locate our mission on the 

 Koskokvim River, near the company's trading post at Mumtrekhlagamute, and he at 

 once offered such assistance in establishing the mission as the company might be able 

 to give. 



The following spring, the writer, in company with a party of missionaries, sailed 

 directly to the Koskokvim River, aud during the following summer we located our 

 mission at the place selected. On the 18th of August, 1885, Mr. Hans Torgersen, our 

 carpenter, was accidentally drowned. 



Being thus left without human assistance of any kind, we were thankful to have 

 the agents of the company to turn to for advice and aid, and most nobly did they re- 

 spond, offering us even their own houses until we could construct our own. The 

 Alaska Commercial Company also acted as agents for our missionary society in the 

 East, and, at great cost of time and care, selected onr goods for us according to the 

 commissions intrusted to them, so that we were as well pleased with the goods sent 

 as if we ourselves had done the selecting. 



We had constant business transactions with their agents at Oonalaska, Nushagak, 

 on the Koskokvim River, and also on the Yukon River, and we also found these agents 

 courteous, gentlemanly, considerate, and helpful to our mission, even as we found the 

 officers of the company themselves. 



Furthermore, we ourselves have witnessed the assistance which the company aud its 

 agents gave to prospectors and miners, who visited our northwestern part of Alaska 

 for the purpose of looking into the resources of the country aud having had a fair 

 opportunity to judge, 1 testify that, in my estimation, the company has done all that 

 could reasonably be ex))ected of them in opening up the country, in encouraging the 

 fishing industries started alongside of its own business, and in other ways encouraging 

 such immigration and settlement in Alaska as the climate and resources of the Terri- 

 tory will warrant. 



