64 



ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1917. 



Justice to the country' demands that the true causes of the failures be made public, 

 and after stud\dng the subject from all possible viewpoints the conclusion has been 

 reached that the failures in fur farming in southeastern Alaska have been due to the 

 three following causes, which can in no way be charged against the industry or the 

 region: 



First. Neglect due to irresponsible drinking men being left in charge, who either 

 failed to care for the animals or allowed them to be poached off. 



Second. Persons going into the work with the idea that it would prove to be a 

 "get-rich-quick" proposition, then becoming discouraged, running short of money 

 and going out of business, or neglecting the animals after two or three years when 

 they discover their mistaken idea. 



Third. Perhaps a portion of the failures have as a partial cause the lack of expe- 

 rience and knowledge of how to handle the animals, but such trouble if had by respon- 

 sible, determined men would have been charged to experience, and they would have 

 in the future profited thereby and in the end been successful. 



Some persons might believe that a certain percentage of the failures has been due 

 to parties starting into the work without sufhcient funds to cany it to a successful 

 self-sustaining stage. This belief is true, but the situation is fully covered in the 

 second of the reasons given for failure. Referring to the third reason given for failvu-e, 

 it may be said that much that is charged to lack of knowledge and experience could 

 have been avoided by careful study, judgment, and the use of common sense. So 

 in the end the cause of the failures may almost without exception be laid to neglect 

 from one cause or another. 



At present there is but one fur farm in southeastern Alaska that has been sufficiently 

 long established to show its permanency and merit the name of a fur farm. This is 

 the blue-fox ranch of James York, on Sumdum Island, which has been in operation 

 for 19 years and is now on a firmly established basis. The blue foxes on this island 

 have the run of the entire place, and it can not be said how many animals there are. 



As a whole those attempting fur farming other than with blue foxes have been 

 hunters, trappers, prospectors, and others who have obtained for their stock local 

 wild animals. These persons have taken up the project as a side line and when for 

 any cause any of their work was neglected it was the animals that suffered. 



The greatest number of attempts to operate fur farms have been with red foxes, 

 and of these there have been no less than eight, as follows: 



Mink and marten farmers are next in numbers or perhaps even in greater numbers 

 than the fox raisers, but the operations are less conspicuous and many have probably 

 not come to notice: 



