VACIFIC SALMON FISHERIES 449 



tically all of thcso attempts wore failures, however. Three of the 

 strongest groups financially, however, have tended to ease the situa- 

 tion somewhat by buying outriglit various other competing canneries. 



There arc still too many canneries o])erating in the southeast Alaska 

 section, and the only measure of relief that will meet the situation 

 would be a material reduction in the number. This would not mean 

 a reduction in the total pack, as the industry has reached a stage 

 where the intrusion of a new cannery merely means that its pack 

 correspondingly reduces the pack of its near-])y competitors. As the 

 pack of the southeast Alaska canneries is mainly of low-grade species 

 in the sale of which heavy competition exists, the undue expansion 

 of the number of companies operating tends to greatly enhance the 

 cost of operation, and unless this is very materially reduced in the 

 near future our operators are going to be greatly handicapped in the 

 world's markets. 



Salmon salteries. — At one time salteries were of considerable im- 

 portance in this section, but the establishment of canneries, with the 

 consequent heavy demand for fresh salmon, induced most of the 

 salteries to sell their high-grade fish to the canneries and pack only 

 the cheaper grades. Many of them quit the business as a result of 

 the competition, while others were forced out by the low prices 

 prevailing at times for salted salmon. As many of the salters moved 

 from place to place, and frequently changed their operating name, 

 it has been difficult to keep track of them, and in this review only 

 those are listed who attained to some prominence either through 

 longevity or largeness of pack. 



James Millar, one of the earliest whites to take up his residence here 

 after the purchase of Alaska, and his sons were very active in starting 

 and operating salteries, and it was an unusual thing during the period 

 previous to 1910 when one of the family was not operating such a 

 plant. 



Jacob Louth established a saltery on the south arm of Moira Sound 

 about 1900 and operated it for some years. 



John C. Frey estabhshed a saltery on EtoUn Island in the nineties 

 and ran it until his death in 1904, when John H. Mantle purchased 

 and operated it until about 1910. 



Anderson & King built a saltery on Cholmondeley Sound, Prince of 

 Wales Island, in the nineties. In 1904 it was operated under the 

 name of A. E. King. After Mr. King's death his widow operated it 

 from 1906 to 1909. In 1910 the saltery was purchased by C. A. 

 Burckhardt & Co., who built a cannery on the site and began opera- 

 tions in 1911. In 1912 the name was changed to the Alaska Pacific 

 Fisheries. 



In 1889 D. Blauw, of Tacoma, Wash., built a saltery on Grouse 

 Island, Boca de Quadra, and dry-salted chum salmon. He operated 

 only one season. 



About 1890 a saltery was established on the north shore of the 

 mouth of Quadra Stream, on Boca de Quadra, by Clark & Martin, 

 It was operated intermittently until about 1898, when it was aban- 

 doned. The same parties also established a saltery at Ketchikan 

 shortly after the one on Quadra Stream was built and operated this 

 until about 1898, when the plant was turned into a steamer wharf 

 and warehouse for the new town of Ketchikan which was building 

 up around it. 



