Handbook of Alaska (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1914 Excerpt: ...of the islands for a term of years. The first lease was made in 1870 for twenty years to the Alaska Commercial Company, under well-guarded restrictions to insure the preservation of the seal and to guard the welfare of the inhabitants of the islands. The company was authorized to take annually not more than 100,000 sealskins, paying therefor on a sliding scale, while certain food, fuel, and educational facilities were to be furnished the natives, whose liberty of action and removal were likewise insured. In 1890 the lease passed to the Northern Commercial Company, whose rights expire in 1910. Under the administration of these companies the conditions of life among the natives have very materially improved, and they are unsurpassed by the Aleuts of any other islands as to education, religious training, material well-being, or other civilized conditions. The seals resort to the Pribilof Islands for breeding purposes in the early part of June. The mother has one pup, born about the end of June, which by the early days of August has learned to swim and is ready to leave for the south. Full-grown seals of four years weigh about 200 pounds, and increase somewhat in weight after that age. Under existing law the only seals that can be legally killed in Alaska are: first, by the Pribilof natives for food; second, by Sitkan natives in the coast waters; and third, by the authorized lessors, the Northern Commercial Company. Under the terms of the lease only the males are killed, and from 1870 to 1890 the number was limited to 100,000 annually. These were taken between the middle of June and the first of August, when their skins are in prime condition. Since 1890 the number to be killed has been restricted to 40,000, but the largest number taken in late years was 30,654...