ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1934 35 



LOSSES AND DISASTERS 



In southeastern Alaska the reduction plant of the Salmoil Corpora- 

 tion at Mud Bay was destroyed by fire in July, with a loss of $25,400. 

 Other losses reported for the district included the gas boat White Bear 

 and miscellaneous fishing apparatus, the total value of which was 

 $14,540. 



Reported losses in central Alaska were various fishing boats, appa- 

 ratus, and equipment, as well as damage to buildings and docks, 

 amounting to $24,361; and in the western district, small boats, nets, 

 and miscellaneous equipment, having a total value of $26,462. 



Twenty-five lives were lost — 3 in southeast Alaska, 12 in central, 

 and 10 in western Alaska. Three shoresmen in the southeastern 

 district died of disease. In central Alaska, 3 fishermen, 1 shoresman, 

 and 3 transporters were drowned; 1 fisherman and 3 shoresmen died 

 of disease; and 1 fisherman met death by accident. Five fishermen 

 and 1 transporter \n western Alaska were drowned; 1 fisherman died 

 of disease; and 1 fisherman, 1 shoresman, and 1 transporter were 

 kiUed in accidents. 



STATISTICS 



There were 110 canneries operated in Alaska in 1934, or 19 more 

 than in the previous year. Employment was given to 21,654 per- 

 sons, as compared with 17,130 in 1933, an increase of 4,524. White 

 employees increased 2,585; natives, 735; Chinese, 279; Japanese, 330; 

 Filipinos, 774; and miscellaneous (Kanakas, Koreans, and Puerto 

 Eicans), 28; while Mexicans decreased 175, and Negroes 32. 



The total pack of canned salmon was 7,481,830 cases, valued at 

 $37,611,950. This was an increase of 2,256,226 cases, or 43 percent, 

 over the pack of 1933, and an increase in value of $9,235,936, or about 

 33 percent. All districts shared in the gain; in southeast Alaska the 

 output increased from 2,087,951 to 3,295,093 cases, or about 58 per- 

 cent; in central Alaska from 1,485,994 cases to 2,327,418 cases, or 

 about 57 percent; and in western Alaska from 1,651,659 cases to 

 1,859,319 cases, or about 13 percent. In Alaska as a whole the pack 

 of each species was larger in 1934 than in the preceding year; reds 

 increased from 2,180,283 cases to 2,628,016 cases, or nearly 21 percent; 

 pinks from 2,182,551 to 3,824,193 cases, or 75 percent; cohos from 

 162,568 to 236,117 cases, or 45 percent; chums from 658,789 to 740,- 

 641 cases, or 12 percent; and kings from 41,413 to 52,863 cases, or 

 about 28 percent. 



Data are included in the following tables to show comparison of the 

 1934 pack with the average for the 5 preceding years, 1929 to 1933, by 

 cases of each species and by districts. All species except king salmon 

 show a gain over the 5-year average. By districts, the pack in south- 

 east Alaska increased 38 percent, in central Alaska 37 percent, and 

 in western Alaska 58 percent, making a net increase of 42 percent over 

 the 5-year average for the entire output. 



