432 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



(32) Not entering salmon intended for exportation with the proper officer of cus- 

 toms before shipment between the, 3d September and the 30th April. Penalty : First 

 od'ense, not exceeding £2 a Hsh; second, not less than £2 and not exceeding £2 a 

 fish; third, not less than £5 and not exceeding £2 a fish; fourth, not less than £2 a 

 fish. 



[Salmon fishery act, 1873.] 



(33) Clerk of the peace omitting to send notice of the names and addresses of the 

 conservators appointed by difierent counties where the district comprises more than 

 one county to the clerk of the board within fourteen days of the appointment. Pen- 

 alty: First offense, £2; second, not less than £2 lOs. ; third, not less than £5. 



(34) Clerk of the justices not sending certificate of any conviction against the 

 salmon fishery acts to the clerk of the board of conservators within one month. 

 Penalty: First oft'ense, not exceeding £2; second, not less than £2 lOs. ; third, not 

 less than £5. 



(35) Shooting any draft net for salmon across a river or across more than three- 

 quarters of its width within 100 yards of any other draft net not drawn in and 

 landed. Penalty : First ofi'ense, not exceeding £5; second, not less than £2 10s. and 

 not exceeding £5; third, not less than £5. 



No. 5. — Letter of L. A. Pederson, showing condition existing on Xaknek River, Alaska. 



San Francisco, January 28, 1895. 



Dear Sir; Hope you will pardon my taking this liberty, sir, but Mr. Alexander, 

 fish commissioner for this coast, speaking in reference to my cannery site in Alaska, 

 recommended that I write full ])articulars to you personally, 



Mr. Alexander stated that lie was about to leave for Washington and will also bring 

 the matter before you. He has been on the ground and is personally acquainted with 

 the whole aft'air. 



I have been to Alaska regularly for the last nine years, and for the last five years 

 have been salting salmon for myself on the west side of Naknek Eiver, Bristcd Bay. 



Having but little money, I was obliged to start alone on a small scale at first and 

 only put up 250 barrels. I did this without any assistance from anyone. 



The company who allowed me to take passage on their vessel charged $600 for the 

 round trip. A moderate figure would have been $200. 



The next year I packed 450 barrels with the assistance of one man and a little help 

 from the natives. 



For the thinl year I had a contract made to pay $700 for my passage, but at this 

 time the Alaska Packers' Association was formed, which, as you no doubt know, is 

 a combination of all the Alaska canneries, excepting two or three. 



I went to them and endeavored to obtain a passage, but they refused to take me 

 up and told me that if I could do anything alone to go ahead. This was rather dis- 

 couraging to me, but, nothing daunted, I decided to charter a small schooner. Golden 

 Fleece by name, and after many hardships succeeded in coming home with 1,200 

 liarrels. These were packed with the assistance of 12 men and the natives. 



The fourth year I chartered the schooner Prosper, and with the assistance of 25 

 men and the natives packed 2,600 barrels. 



The fifth year I chartered the schooner Sailor Boy, and with the assistance of 29 

 men and the natives came home with 2,650 barrels. This was for the year 1894, but 

 I have not succeeded in selling all the salmon as yet, owing to action of the Alaska 

 Packers' Association. 



Knowing that most salting expeditions finally result in a cannery being put up, it 

 has been their policy right along to discourage salting as much as possible, and last 

 year they made a master stroke by deciding to put up as much salt salmon as they 

 could and then sell it for much less than cost. They reduced the price from $8 to $5 

 per barrel, which, of course, ruined the piofit I had been making each year. Besides, 

 I am unable to get rid of the salmon. 



The only thing left for me to do is to start a small cannery and I am now making 

 the necessary preparations. Before coming to this conclusion I appealed to the 

 Alaska Packers' Association and endeavored to sell them my plant, failing which, I 

 agreed to pay them for the use of their side of the river a good round rental each 

 year. They also refused this, and in fact I have not been able to come to any under- 

 standing with them whatever. 



They are also making preparations to put up a cannery across the river from me, 

 and I learn from good authority that their idea is to put traps on my side of the 

 river also, so that I Avill be entirely shut out. The situation is so that without traps 

 the fish can not be caught. 



