38 FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1910. 



The industry has suffered severely in the past from the spreading 

 broadcast of exaggerated ideas as to its possible profits. As a result 

 of this persons totally unfamiliar with the work have engaged in it, 

 and instead of building up a trade by the preparation of a good 

 product at a living price have prepared goods in a slipshod manner 

 and then disposed of them by cutting below the prices of more 

 reputable dealers. 



When the present season opened the trade was in a demoralized 

 condition, owing to excessive cutting of prices. During the summer 

 certain changes in ownership took place. A new company, the 

 Western Codfish Co., took over the plants, vessels, etc., of King & 

 Winge Co. and the Seattle-Alaska Fish Co. The Union Fish Co., 

 of San Francisco, bought and had delivered to it the catches of the 

 vessels owned and operated this year by the Kobinson Fisheries Co., 

 of Anacortes, Wash., and the Blom Codfish Co., of Tacoma, Wash. 



Through this centralizing of the industry, price cutting was elimi- 

 nated, temporarily at least, and when this report closed the market 

 was in excellent condition. A considerable surplus is on hand, but the 

 dealers are content to hold this for their own price, which, owing to 

 the shortage of cod on the Atlantic coast, they are reasonably sure of 

 getting. 



Mr. J. A. Matheson, of Anacortes, Wash., has incorporated his plant, 

 and it is now known as the Matheson Fisheries Co. The Pacific States 

 Trading Co., of San Francisco, which did not operate this year, will 

 probably resume operations in 1911. 



The winter of 1909-10 was severe, and the cod fishermen were very 

 much hampered as a result. Up to June 1 heavy winds prevailed, 

 and after that, while winds were light, heavy fogs were frequent. 

 Owing to the severe weather practically no fish were caught in Dublin 

 Bay. 



On March 28 the codfish schooner Stanley, owned by the Union Fish 

 Co., of San Francisco, Cal., when approaching Pavlof Harbor, on San- 

 nak Islands, in central Alaska, grounded on a reef and immediately 

 began to go to pieces. In the heavy seas continually breaking over 

 her one man was washed overboard and drowned and three men, 

 including the master, died from exposure before rescuing parties from 

 the shore could reach the ship. The rest of the crew, five men, were 

 saved. The vessel was carrying supplies to the company's shore sta- 

 tions in Alaska, and her loss seriously hampered the operation of 

 these for several months. 



SHORE STATIONS. 



During 1910 the following shore stations were operated: Alaska 

 Codfish Co.: Unga, Baralof (Squaw Harbor), and Kelleys Rock (Win- 

 chester), on Unga Island; and Companys Harbor and Moffats Cove, 



