38 COMMEKCIAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1905. 



put up 5,000 gallons of whale oil, valued at $500. During the period 

 from 1883 to 1889, both inclusive, the Alaska Commercial. Company 

 shipped 33 packages of whalebone from Alaska. The weight and 

 value of the packages are not given. In 1882, 166 barrels and in 

 1889, 13 barrels of whale oil were shipped from Alaska by the same 

 company. 



GENERAL STATISTICS FOR 1905. 



The fisheries of Southeast Alaska in 1905 were canvassed by the 

 writer in person; the figures for the salmon fisheries of Central and 

 Western Alaska are compiled from the reports sent in by the canneries 

 and salteries to the agent at the salmon fisheries of Alaska ; data for 

 the cod and other fisheries of the same sections were secured either 

 by personal interviews or by correspondence with the owners of 

 fishing vessels and stations, nearly all of whom are located either in 

 California or Washington ; the yield of fur seals from the Pribilof 

 group was obtained from the report of the agent at the fur seal 

 islands, and of the balance of the fur seals and the other aquatic furs 

 and skins, also the whalebone, walrus ivory, etc., from the custom- 

 house records at Juneau, Alaska. The custom-house records show 

 the fiscal year (1904-5) ; all other data in the following tables rep- 

 resent the calendar year 1905. 



In order that the data might be shown with greater clearness, the 

 district has been divided into four geographical sections. Southeast 

 Alaska embraces all that narrow strip of mainland and the numerous 

 islands adjacent, from Portland Canal northwestward to, but not 

 including, Yakutat Bay; Central Alaska embraces everything on the 

 Pacific, or south, side from Yakutat Bay westward, including the 

 Aleutian chain; Western Alaska the shores of Bering Sea and islands 

 in this sea; and Arctic Alaska, from Bering Strait to the Canadian 

 border. As these divisions are already quite generally recognized 

 throughout the district, their use here will not be confusing. 



The number of persons employed was 11,467, of which 4,028 

 were engaged directly in fishing and 6,856 in the canneries, salteries, 

 and other shore work, while 583 were employed on the transporting 

 vessels. In the salmon fishery the employees of the cannery or salt- 

 ery are usually taken to the latter place aboard a sailing vessel, which 

 remains until the season's work is ended, when she returns to the 

 home port with the employees and the season's pack. While lying 

 idle during the fishing season most of the crew, not being needed 

 aboard the ship, are employed as fishermen, and have been counted as 

 such, thus materially reducing the number of transporters. 



The total investment in the fisheries was $22, 038,485, of which 

 Western Alaska furnished more than one-half. The only fishing ves- 

 sels (for herring and halibut) are those in Southeast Alaska. An 

 important feature is the large number of transporting vessels — 185 — 

 with a tonnage of 67,109 and a value of $3,112,307. Nearly all of 



