REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 19 



rough mountain trail by means of pack ponies, winter supplies being 

 purchased in bulk and brought in before the trail is blockaded by 

 snow. Yes Bay, Alaska, is about 40 miles from the nearest base of 

 supply, with only an irregular communication by water, which in 

 winter sometimes ceases entirely. The conditions at Afognak, 

 Alaska, are even worse, and Avhen that station is fully completed simi- 

 lar arrangements for subsistence will be necessary. The employees 

 of these stations accepted their places with the understanding that 

 subsistence would be furnished, as is customary in hiring men for 

 lumbering operations and other work at a distance from settlements, 

 and it is doubted whether it would be possible without such an arrange- 

 ment to maintain an efficient personnel at these remote localities. 



In view of these conditions, it has been customary and has seemed 

 advisable to allow subsistence to employees at the stations in ques- 

 tion. Recently, however, it has been decided by the Treasury De- 

 partment that under the law subsistence can not be furnished to statu- 

 tory employees even under these unusual circumstances. It is ac- 

 cordingly recommended that Congress be asked either specifically to 

 authorize the subsistence or else to increase the wages of such em- 

 ployees commensurabl3^ 



In submitting estimates for the conduct of the work for the fiscal 

 year 1908 the Bureau asked that the salaries of all skilled laborers, 

 laborers, seamen, firemen, messengers, and cooks receiving less than 

 $720 per annum be increased to that amount. Owing to the increased 

 cost of living in all parts of the country and the demands of com- 

 mercial business, it is no longer j)ossible to secure competent services 

 for less than the above salary, and the duties required of the employees 

 indicated are worth more than this compensation. Skilled laborers 

 and laborers are expected to and do perform the same work as fish- 

 culturists and are appointed from the civil-service fish-cultural lists. 

 Attention has before been called to the inadequate pay of the firemen 

 and messengers in this Bureau as compared with that of similar 

 positions in other branches of the Government service. Seamen and 

 cooks are obliged to pay mess bills out of their salaries, thus leaving 

 such small balances under the present rates that good and reliable 

 men are not attracted to the service. The recommended increases 

 aggi'egated $15,3G0. This recommendation was only partially com- 

 plied with, salaries less than $600 being raised to the latter amount. 

 The matter is still regarded as of the greatest importance, and it is 

 earnestly hoped that favorable action will be taken by Congress the 

 coming year. 



