FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY. 83 
USE OF AUTO TRUCKS. 
On the first trip of the Roosevelt in 1918 three 1-ton auto trucks 
were sent to the Pribilof Islands, one to St. George and two to St. 
Paul. These were Ford machines with Wright truck attachments, 
and they proved of very great value on both islands. 
On St. George Talend, the truck was used in the early part of the 
season to construct roads about the village, and later when the 
sealing operations began, skins were hauled to the salt house and 
carcasses were hauled to the silo for preservation for winter fox food. 
After the sealing season was over the truck was of further use in 
moving building materials and other supplies about the village. 
Heretofore the only means of conveying freight on St. George was 
by man power, other than for the short tramroad extending from the 
landing part way up the village hill. 
The St. Paul Island trucks were placed in immediate operation and 
were used in such work as had been done previously by mules. 
Sealskins were hauled from several killing grounds to the salt house, 
freight was distributed from the landings, and some work was done 
toward the building of roads to the more distant parts of the island. 
There was some difficulty experienced on this island in getting the 
machines through loose sand, which occurs especially on the way to 
Northeast Point. In fact, it was not possible to get within 4 miles 
of this large killing ground. 
The feasibility of using power transportation equipment on the 
islands was thus fully demonstrated. The Bureau plans to provide 
additional trucks or tractors as soon as possible. 
BY-PRODUCTS PLANT. 
During the season of 1918 a by-products plant was erected on St. 
Paul Island for the reduction of seal carcasses. A special allotment 
of $25,000 was secured in April from the National Security and 
Defense Fund for this plant, of which $24,125.07 had been expended 
at the end of the year for special machinery, supplies, equipment, 
and miscellaneous expenses. The building is 55 by 75 feet, of two- 
story frame construction, with concrete foundation. The chief 
items of equipment are as follows: One 300-ton hydraulic tankage 
press; 1 rotary vacuum fertilizer drier; 1 vacuum pump 6 by 8 by 12, 
with condenser; 2 grease tanks; 2 digesters, maximum capacity 
44 tons each; one 4,000-gallon fir tank; two 125-barrel closed-top oil 
tanks; 2 steel tanks, small; one 35-horsepower boiler; one 12-horse- 
power horizontal steam engine; one 15-horsepower horizontal gas 
engine; one 6-horsepower horizontal gas engine. The machinery has 
been so placed that 2 more digesters can be added without rearrange- 
ment. 
The building was put up and machinery installed under the super- 
vision of R. B. Bentley, a by-products expert engaged for the season. 
Although the plant was completed too late for much practical use 
before the seal migration was over, two experimental tests were made 
which gave interesting results. In the first test 71 carcasses were 
placed in the digester, some of which weighed as much as 180 pounds, 
and in the second test 73 carcasses were used, ranging in weight from 
41 to 131 pounds. It was found that from 3 to 3} hours was the 
