64 



After the fish are caught they are carried in dories and 

 other boats along the beach, and through the river mouth 

 to the cleaning-houses on the river bank ; or, when it is too 

 rough, they are taken across the s^^it in hand-barrows. 

 Large lighters and scows are also used as fish-carriers, 

 and these are towed by steam launches. In the cleaning- 

 houses the salmon are prepared for the cannery by cutting 

 off the heads and fins and removing the viscera. Then they 

 are washed, and finally thrown into hand-carts, to be 

 hauled into the cannery, where they pass through various 

 processes, almost all of which are carried on by machinery. 

 First, they are cut into lengths suitable for the size of the 

 can. These pieces are carried along and fed into cans, 

 inequalities in the filling being supplied by hand- work. 

 The cans are then topped in the topping-machine, from 

 which they pass to the soldering-machine ; and then fol- 

 low the processes of venting, cooking, steaming in great 

 retorts, cooling, japanning, and labelling. The cans are 

 then boxed and stored in warehouses until a cargo is accu- 

 mulated, and then, by means of scows and lighters, towed 

 by steam launches, they are carried to vessels lying in the 

 roadstead, and soon start upon a voyage to San Francisco, 

 Portland, or Astoria, and eventually to other sides of the 

 globe — for these are the greatest globe-trotters of modern 

 times. 



Thirty-six canneries were operated in Alaska in 1889, 

 located principally in the southern part of the territory, 

 none of them north of the Nushagak River, in the Bristol 

 Bay region. Nearly one-third were established on the 

 Kadiak group of islands, and these secured fully one-half 

 of the Alaskan catch. Sixty-six vessels were engaged in 

 carrying the equipment and workmen for these canneries 

 and the products of their Industry. There were 13 steamers, 

 4 steam schooners, 1 ship, 13 barks, 2 brigs, 10 barkentines, 

 and 23 schooners. 



