COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 25 



FREEZING SALMON. 



The preparing of frozen salmon began in 1902. The San Juan Fish- 

 ing and Packing Company, soon to be succeeded by the Pacific Cold 

 Storage Company, put up a cannery and cold-storage plant at Taku 

 Harbor, Southeast Alaska, in 1901, though it did not operate the cold- 

 storage portion until 1902. The quantity prepared that year was not 

 reported by the company. It appears that in 1903 the pack was 

 valued at $50,000 and in 1904, 57,427 pounds were frozen. In 1905 

 the pack was as follows: King salmon, 21,643 pounds, valued at 

 $866; silver salmon, 22,334 pounds, $893; pink salmon, 16,348 pounds, 

 $654, and steelhead trout, 12,306 pounds, $738. Nearly all of this 

 frozen fish is shipped to Europe. 



The season of 1905 witnessed the inception of a new branch of the 

 salmon fishery. About the middle of January king salmon were 

 observed in the vicinity of Ketchikan, but it was not until January 23 

 that the first fish were brought to this place for sale. News of the 

 heavy run of fish having spread very rapidly, there were soon a large 

 number of whites and Indians out in canoes catching them. The fish 

 were feeding on the schools of young herring, and as they were close to 

 the reefs nets could not be employed, and trolling lines were brought 

 into use. At first herring bait was employed, but it was soon dis- 

 covered that a nickel trolling spoon would answer the purpose just as 

 well. The vicinity of Point Comano and Point Stewart seemed to be 

 favorite spots for the fish, but they were to be found almost every- 

 where within a radius of 50 miles from Ketchikan. Several firms in 

 Ketchikan early saw the financial possibilities of the business and soon 

 had out steamers and launches to collect the fish from the fishing boats 

 and bring them to Ketchikan to be packed in ice and shipped to Puget 

 Sound ports. The fish averaged 25 pounds in weight. One weighed 

 77 pounds and several 75 pounds each. About 25 per cent of the catch 

 consisted of white-meat fish and 75 per cent of red-meat fish. For 

 the former the fishermen were paid 25 cents each and for the latter 

 50 cents each. During the run, which lasted until May 18, 271,644 

 pounds, valued at $15,600, were shipped. A considerable quantity 

 was cured by the Indians for their own use also. 



HATCHERIES. 



A few of the more far-sighted cannerymen early saw the necessity 

 of repairing, by artificial means, the enormous drain upon the supply 

 of salmon caused by the large number of canneries in operation. 

 In 1891 the several canneries in operation at Karluk combined 

 forces and built a hatchery on the lagoon at that place. There were 

 2,500,000 eggs taken, but owing to bad water, crude appliances, and 

 want of experience, only about 500,000 fish were hatched. As the can- 

 nerymen could not agree in regard to fishing operations in 1892, the 



