FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 403 



No. 18. 



BiNGHAMTON, N. Y., December 12, 1887. 

 Dear Sir: Inclosed you will find a letter from the Alaska Commercial Company, 

 of San Francisco, addressed to myself. The contents of that letter is my excuse for 

 thus addressing you. 



As you will see by the tenor of the company's letter to myself, they are seeking 

 data iu refutation of serious charges made against them and their mode of doing 

 business in the Territory of Alaska. Allow me to say that it is a pleasure to myself 

 to be able, from my own observation, and from information carefully gleaned from 

 others (both white and native) living in Alaska, to contradict the charges named iu 

 the company's letter to myself. I would also state my motive for seeking this in- 

 formation — it was to be sent to the Daily Republican, a newspaper published iu 

 Binghamton, N. Y. Knowing, from a long personal acquaintance with the editor, 

 that nothing but what was reliable would be acceptable to the Republican, I was 

 very careful and, so far as my surroundings would permit, thorough in my efforts to 

 gain nothing iu the way of news that was not borne out by facts. 



I will now, so far as my personal knowledge goes, answer the questions in the or- 

 der named in the company's letter : 



First. " That we have, by paying ridiculously low prices for their furs, and by con- 

 stant oppression and abases reduced the natives to a condition of absolute slavery." 

 This is uujust and untrue, for the hunters, both white and native, told me in 1883 

 that the company had been paying them as high as $140 for their prime sea-otter 

 skins ; but that year (1883) the company was to pay them $80 for all sea-otter skins 

 just as they run, prime or inferior. These prices were in United States gold coin, the 

 natives not being obliged to take store pay. In 1883 I saw a notice posted up in the 

 company's store iu Oonalaska, stating that all goods should be sold alike to natives 

 and whites, both paying the same prices for the same goods. In 1886, while sitting 

 in the company's office in Oonalaska, in company with my brother, Capt. W. H. Kel- 

 ley, a little native girl led into the office a blind native. The old man stated that he 

 had no money and nothing to eat. The clerk told him that he was not authorized to 

 advance him anything, as he had two sons who were well able to care for him. 



The agent, Mr. Nimens, came in and the case was laid before him. Mr. Nimens 

 questioned the old native in a kind manner; after doing so he told the clerk to ad- 

 vance the old blind man, from time to time, provisions as his necessities required. The 

 clerk asked him to what amount, and Mr. Nimens replied $200. The clerk replied 

 that the old man had no means to repay the amount ; Mr. Nimens replied, in an angry 

 tone, "What, would you let this old native suifer for food because he can not repay? 

 He has been in our employ in former years, and was a good man ; now that he is old 

 and blind he shall not suffer because he can not pay." 



Again, in 1883, while in Oonalaska, I saw a native at work building a bidarkie, or 

 canoe. I had frequent and long conversations with this native. I asked him where 

 he got the sea-lion skin to cover his canoe ; he said that it came from San Francisco. 

 1 asked him how much the company charged the natives for those skins ; he said 

 nothing, as the company always gave the hunters the skins, making no charge for 

 them. 



In 1886, while in Oonalaska, some of the crew from my brother's ship, while on 

 shore, in a most wanton manner cut and destroyed some sea-lion skins belonging to 

 some natives. Mr. Nimens, the agent, stated the facts to my brother, saying that the 

 company would pay for the skins, as they never allowed the natives to suffer any loss 

 at the handsof a white man. My brother paid for the skins. 



I never heard a native that was in the company's employ find one word of fault. 

 On the contrary, I found them well clothed, with good, warm, comfortable frame 

 dwellings, and, to all appearances, comfortable and happy. 



Second. "That no oue, white or native, can live in the Territory in comfort and 

 peace, except by the sufferance of this company ; that we have prevented any at- 

 tempt at settlement, and discouraged immigration." 



This is not true, for different members of the company have told me that the whole 

 Territory was open and free to every one, excepting the islands of St. Paul and St. 

 George, which they had leased from the United States Government, and under that 

 lease held the exclusive right to kill seals on those two islands, and that, farther 

 than that lease, they had no more rights in the Territory of Alaska than any other 

 American citizen. 



In 1883 I nuide inquiries from the agent at Oonalaska regarding the salmon fish- 

 eries, telling him that I was going to start a fishery, and he not only gave me all the 

 desired information, but referred me to the company's office in San Francisco for 

 farther advice and information. 

 This did not look like discouraging immigration. 



