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known as northern Alaska.

The annual cruise of the Bear to Point Barrow is utilized to a great extent in the transportation of persons and supplies to the schools and missions along the coast. Two of the officers are always designated as United States commissioner and deputy United States marshal and transact such legal business as comes under their jurisdiction. The commanding officer in a general way settles disputes among the natives and acts in such minor cases of infraction of laws and regulations as are not necessary to be carried to the courts. In more serious cases the officer acting as commissioner takes up the matter.

The cutters patrol the waters of the Alaskan Archipelago, inspect the villages, render medical aid to the natives, and in a general way, by means of officers deputized as United States commissioners, exercise a guardianship over those inhabitants of Alaska who are far removed from the jurisdiction of the civil authorities.

Annually the United States circuit court officials of the Valdez district are taken on a cruise to the towns and villages along the Alaskan Peninsula, where court is held on board the vessel to dispose of the accumulated legal business in these remote places.

A Coast Guard station is maintained at Nome, equipped for rendering assistance to shipping in distress.

At times when epidemics have raged among the inhabitants Coast Guard cutters have been especially detailed to carry relief to the stricken people. Much assistance has also been rendered the inhabitants of Alaska by the cutters on occasions of earthquakes, volcanoes, and other calamities. In a general way the Coast Guard acts as a guardian of the Territory, and its vessels are called upon to perform all manner of miscellaneous services for the welfare of its inhabitants.

HEALTH CONDITIONS.

As a whole, the Territory is healthful. Reports indicate that the incidence of the preventable diseases is no greater among the American population than elsewhere. In the southeastern and other sections, where there is a heavy rainfall and the humidity is excessive, there is perhaps a slight tendency to an increase in respiratory affections and rheumatism, but there is a similar tendency toward a decrease in the Yukon and other sections where the climate is dry. Children as a rule thrive remarkably well.

Among the native population conditions are different. Owing to the fact that the native stock have not acquired an immunity to many of the common infections, their resistance is lessened and severe outbreaks of such diseases may occur. Tuberculosis is a common affliction with the natives and seldom, if ever, terminates in recovery. The glandular, skin, and bone forms of the disease are especially prevalent. Measles is an infection to which the natives of Alaska have not become accustomed, and it is frequently accompanied by a mortality much beyond that observed in other sections, but to those who possess the average degree of racial resistance it is not especially dangerous. Eye diseases are common, among which are trachoma, keratitis, conjunctivitis, and pterygium. All of these, including tuberculosis, are prevalent in proportion to the insanitary living conditions. Several rather severe epidemics of smallpox have occurred, following its introduction from other localities, but this is to be expected when the transient character of the population is considered. Since vaccination has become more general the incidence of the disease is not as great. Among the young, throat affections, such as enlarged tonsils and adenoids, are quite common.

Control of health matters is vested in the governor, who is ex officio the commissioner of health. The assistant commisioner of health is designated by the governor and exercises the authority of the office. He has the power to establish quarantine and to make and enforce such regulations as seem best for the preservation of the public health. In the smaller settlements every school district is made a health district and the board of health is composed of the school authorities. This is unquestionably the best arrangement which can be made in sparsely settled districts. The United States Bureau of Education and the United States Public Health Service have cooperated in enforcing the health regulations of the Territory and for the instruction of the public in matters of sanitation. An officer of the Public Health Service has been detailed for this purpose and regularly visits every section, affording relief to those who are in need of medical attention and rendering instruction in the principles of preventive medicine to teachers and others concerned. Hospitals have also been established at favorable localities. As a result of this work considerable improvement in housing, care of the sick, and the prevention of disease has been noted.

In addition to the work outlined, medical officers of the Public Health Service assigned to duty on Coast Guard cutters in Alaskan waters render relief to the sick at various settlements. The maritime quarantine service of Alaska, engaged in the prevention of the introduction of contagious diseases, is also in charge of that service.

SCHOOLS FOR WHITE CHILDREN.

The governor of Alaska is ex officio superintendent of public instruction, and has supervision and direction of the public schools and prescribes rules and regulations for the examination and qualification of teachers.

Within incorporated towns school districts are established by the common council, but when established the schools are under the supervision and control of a school board of three members elected annually by the vote of all adults who are citizens of the United States or who have declared their intention to become such and who are residents of the school district. Applications for employment should be addressed to the clerk of the school board.

Outside the limits of incorporated towns school districts are established by the clerk of the district court upon petition of not less than 12 persons of adult age who are citizens of the United States or who have declared their intention to become such and who reside within the area of the proposed school district. The law provides that these school districts shall not embrace more than 40 square miles of territory nor contain less than 20 resident white children between the ages of 6 and 20 years. The schools in each district are managed by a school board, which has similar powers and is elected in a manner similar to the school boards in incorporated towns. Applications for employment should be addressed to the clerk of the school board.

Afognak..
Blackburn.

Candle.

Chatanika.

Chichagof.

Chitina.

Council.

Craig.

Ellamar.

Fox..

Statistics of white schools for the school year 1914–15.

OUTSIDE OF INCORPORATED TOWNS.

Location.

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IN INCORPORATED TOWNS.

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NATIVE SCHOOLS AND REINDEER SERVICE.

The schools for the education of natives and the reindeer industry are under the supervision of the Commissioner of Education, to whom communications relating to these subjects should be addressed. In the schools instruction in carpentry, cooking, and sewing is emphasized. In the native villages the teachers endeavor to maintain sanitary conditions by inspecting the houses, by insisting upon proper disposal of garbage, and by giving instruction in healthful methods of living. The raising of vegetables is encouraged. The Commissioner of Education also employs a few physicians and nurses, who extend medical relief to the natives.

The importation of reindeer from Siberia into Alaska began in 1892 in order to furnish material for food and clothing for the Eskimo in the vicinity of Bering Strait. In 20 years the reindeer industry has made the natives inhabiting the coastal regions from Point Barrow to the Alaska Peninsula civilized, thrifty men, having in their herds assured support for themselves and opportunity to acquire wealth by the sale of meat and skins. The reindeer service is an integral part of the educational system for northern and western Alaska, administered through the school superintendents and teachers in those regions. The reindeer are distributed among the natives as rapidly as they can be trained, by a system of apprenticeship, to care for and use the reindeer. In June, 1914, there were in Alaska 57,872 reindeer, distributed among 65 herds, of which 37,828, or 66 per cent, were owned by 980 natives; 4,113, or 7 per cent, were owned by the United States; 5,924, or 10 per cent, were owned by missions; and 10,007, or 17 per cent, were owned by Lapps. The total income of the natives from the reindeer industry during the fiscal year 1912-13 was $77,934. Schools for natives are located at the following places:

Schools for natives of Alaska.

[Post office is given in parenthesis if name of post office is not the same as name of school.]

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The Department of the Interior is unable to give any definite information regarding business opportunities in Alaska. One important settlement, Anchorage, has recently been established on the line of the new Government railroad. There are already at this place many competitors in the various lines of trade and industry. As the construction of the Government railroad proceeds, new towns will doubtless be established at the more important locations, but not until after the railroad is completed from the coast to the Yukon Basin will there be the greatest development of the mineral and agricultural resources of the tributary territory. The railway from the Pacific Ocean to the navigable waters of the Yukon Basin will probably not be completed for three or four years.

Information regarding business opportunities can often be obtained from the commercial organizations listed below. It is suggested that a person contemplating establishing a business in Alaska should look into the actual conditions on the ground if he has no previous knowledge of the Territory.

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The Department of the Interior can not undertake to anwer particular inquiries as to opportunities for employment in Alaska. The commercial bodies listed above may appropriately be addressed on the subject of labor opportunities. The wages of skilled and unskilled laborers in Alaska are generally higher than in the States, but the rate differs widely according to locality, and the cost of living is usually higher.

GAME REGULATIONS.1

The chief provisions of the Alaska game law are administered by the governor of Alaska, but permits for the collection of mammals or birds for scientific purposes or live animals for exhibition must be obtained from the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

Game defined.—The act approved May 11, 1908 (Alaska game law), protects at certain seasons the following game and game birds: Deer, moose, caribou, mountain sheep, mountain goats, brown bear, sea lions, walrus, ducks, geese, brant, swan, plover, snipe, curlew, grouse, and ptarmigan.

Exemptions.-Any game animal or game bird may be killed by natives at any time for food or clothing or by miners or explorers at any time when in need of food; but the animals or birds so killed during the close season shall not be sold or shipped.

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Seasons.-North of latitude 62° the seasons when game animals and birds may be killed lawfully are as follows: Brown bear at any time; moose, caribou, sheep, walrus, and sea lions, August 1 to December 10; grouse, ptarmigan, shore birds, and waterfowl, September 1 to March 1.

South of latitude 62°, moose, caribou, mountain sheep, August 20 to December 31; brown bear, October 1 to July 1; deer, August 15 to November 1; mountain goats, August 1 to February 1; grouse, ptarmigan, shore birds, and waterfowl, September 1 to March 1.

Number.-It is unlawful for any one person in any one year to kill more than 2 moose, 1 walrus or sea lion, 3 caribou, 3 mountain sheep, 3 brown bears, 3 deer; or to kill or have in his possession in any one day more than 25 grouse or ptarmigan or 25 shore birds or waterfowl.

Sale. No person is permitted to sell or purchase during the close season (except the first 15 days) any game animal or game bird. The sale of deer is prohibited until August 1, 1916.

1 The addresses of game wardens are given on p. 58.

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