PACIFIC COAST FISHERIES. 299 



THE SALMON INDUSTRY. 



Brief notice has been made of the first canuing of salmon in Alaska, 

 of its success, and of tl)e rush to this new region of those previously 

 engaged in the business in other sections. The number of canneries in 

 the Territory increased up to 1891, when the business reached high- 

 water mark ; the number of canneries in operation was 33 and the pack 

 was 808,908 cases. This large amount of canned salmon, added to the 

 customary yearly pack of the Columbia and other rivers, could have but 

 one result, that of an overstocked market, that at once necessitated 

 a curtailing of operations. Salmon continued in great abundance 

 in Alaskan waters, and it was apparent that the running of the 33 

 canneries to their full capacity would result in great pecuniary loss. 

 Twenty-seven of the canning firms consequently decided to largely 

 diminish expenses and reduce the amount of the pack in 1892, and in 

 future years, so far as possible, to limit the production to the probable 

 demand of the trade. This was accomplished by the firms mentioned 

 pooling their business and closing 18 canneries that had run in 1891; 

 the others, with those not entering the combine, made the number of 

 factories operated in 1892 only 15. The pack in 1892 was 408,970 cases. 



The principal salmon used in the canning business in Alaska are the 

 small red-meated fish, locally known as red salmon, which has an 

 average weight of 7 pounds, and the larger king or chinook salmon, 

 which averages 30 pounds. In packing a case of 48 one-pound cans, 

 the average number of red salmon required is 12, and of king salmon 2f . 

 This is a much larger average than obtains at the canneries in the 

 Pacific States, where the fish are less abundant and more valuable. 

 The great abundance of these fish in Alaska results in the use of only 

 the choicest parts and in the loss or waste of large quantities of products 

 which otherwise would be utilized. 



The extent of the salmon fishery of Alaska and of the canning and 

 salting industry dependent thereon is given in the following tables. 

 It appears that in 1892 2,601 persons were engaged in the industry, 

 that $2,184,303 was invested, that 37,534,100 j)ounds of salmon were 

 utilized at the canneries in the preparation of 468,970 cases of canned 

 fish and 55 barrels of salt salmon, the manufactured products having a 

 value of $1,970,110. For reasons already given, the business was much 

 less extensive in 1892 than in any of the other years under considera- 

 tion. The canneries not operated in the ye'ars shown represent a very 

 large investment which does not appear in the statistics. Only the 

 property actively employed is noticed. 



The business of salting salmon, as a branch of the fishing industry 

 independent of the salting done at the canneries, is quite important 

 and is yearly increasing in extent. About a dozen firms, located in 

 various parts of Ala^ska, engaged in salting salmon in 1892, utilizing 

 4,697,400 pounds of fresh fish and preparing 15,658 barrels of salt 

 salmon, having a value of $125,264. In the following year 5,871,600 

 pounds of raw material were consumed in the production of 19,572 



