Developing Reindeer
Packing Industry
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An increasing demand for reindeer
meat has made the packing of this
meat for market one of Alaska’s
g'-eatest industries and the business
is showing a steady gain, according
to a statement made public June 25
by the Department of the Interior.
About two thirds of the 500,000
oi the reindeer in Alaska are the pro
perty of the native Eskimos, and
shiiis now are plying regularly out
of Alaskan ports with cargoes of rein
deer meat. The lull text of the state
ment follows:
i'-iups are coming down trom Alas
ka regularly now with cargoes ot'
2,000 reindeer carcasses to supply
the increasing demand for this new
neat. One dealer in Seattle sells
l’f'ndeer meat exclusively and con
sumes three or four animals a day.
The meat may now he bought almost
anywhere in the northwest and oc
casionally finds its way even into
eastern bills of fare.
Idle Department of the Interior
which has nurtured this industry re
ports that about two thirds of the
half million reindeer in Alaska are
the porperty of the native Eskimos.
The reindeer industry is already one
of the greatest in Alaska, and it is
rapidly increasing.
A large part of the reindeer meat
that is being shipped out of Alaska
is owned by an ineorporated com
pany whose headquarters are at
Nome. This company owns more than
50,000 head of reindeer. It operates
in the Seward Peninsula district and
has recently reorganized with capi
tal of $,‘1,000,000 in order to increase
its exportation of reindeer meat. It
has constructed several coldstorage
plants on the coast of Seward Penin
sula to which the deer are driven
when in prime condition, and there
slaughtered and placed in storage.
Three cold-storage barges are also
operated along the coast.
Each season the United States Bu
reau of Education’s vessel, the “Rox
*r,” transports considerable amount
oi reindeer meat to southern mar
kets. Reindeer meat is also trans
ported on the commercial steamers.
“Siera.” a freighter of 2,000 capa
city, and the “Victoria,” with cold
storage space for 2,000 carcasses,
usually making three voyages to
Seattle during the open season of
navigation. Another si;ip, the “Ala
meda,” is placed in service when
necessity arises.
m the northern portion of Alaska,
nature provides t lie heat possible
coldstorage facilities, as tile ground
is frozen solid to great depths, and
even in summer the ice is within
tew inches of the surface.
THE KKAli DISCOYK11Y OF Till]
KLONDIKE
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The story of tile discovery of the
Klondike lias been told by Alaskans
bt:' never as it realiy happened. 1 i
so far as the mild controversy has
been waged as to whether Carmack
or Henderson discovered the KIoji
d.ke we assert that neither one o•
those men discovered the Klondike,
'i lie AlASKAN claims that the or
ig.nal discoverers of the Klondike
were Indians—“Tagish” Charley
and “Skookum” Jim.
Ceorge Carmack was a “siwash
ed” piece of flotsam and jet.sum,
drifting through Alaska, prospect
ing, trapping, living off the land and
the Indians. He was a white man
turned hack to the lowest type of
humanity. Living with an Indian
woman— Kate —tribal sister or
Skookum Jim and Tagish, he father
ed her children; starved with lie
in the hills and lived off the hunt
ing skill of her “brothers.”
The Indians themselves looked
n Km Carmack with contempt; as a
poor piece of liquor soaked drift
wood, without shame, credit or
standing where he was known
among white men or Indian. lie
and work were on anything but
frTndly terms.
Carmack was out in the hills with
Kiite and her children struggling
1< get enough game to feed and
clothe them, lie was not prospect
inc as has been claimed. Worried
that Kale and her children mighi
si u ve, Charley and Jim with a neph
ew or two went into the hills to the
Carmack camp. Seing them with
hardly enough food to feed a hun
gry mulamute, they went moose
h rating.
locating fresh moose sign the
mm spread out in hunting order,
c ding the moose to them. One of
4he nephews sitting by a very small
stream leaned over to drink and
c" .v a glitter in the water. He reach
ed down and picked what he knew
vhife men were crazy to find—wlufi
made raving maniacs of some, mur
ders of others—but what all were
crazy to fino. lie showed the nug
gt I to his uncle and it was decided
thev would keel) it secret. Afte*'
<!'. return to camp a conference waj
he id in which Kate had no voice hut
of which she was a part. They de
cided that being unable to stake
and hold claims by virtue of the
law they would have Carmack file
the claims—which he did. The claim*
v.oe recorded in his name. Only
one ol the Indians held on to anv
p tion of the proceeds of his share
in the claims: Jim threw gold on the
streets of Seattle “to see whiteman
am: fight for gold: Carmack deserted
i no woman who mothered his chil
dren and went south where he “mar
mi • »” one of his own kind. Kate
died of a broken heart for the
ve.rib which became hers never
made her forget her shame and loss
m ivn* cniiciren s latnor.
TTpon his death, Carmack’s will
l'C nil to liis? Seattle wife but his
daughter coming lip from Califor
nia disputed the claims of the wid
ow Settlement of a very substan
tial sum was was made with thn
g”i—so Kate’s loss of “husband”
and anguish of years gone by was
recompensed in a measure by his
child.