FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1910. 43 



In shipping fresh, the best fish are from 25 to 30 pounds in weight. 

 A 1 3-pound fish is quite a small one. Those smaller are known as 

 "chickens." Most of the Alaska halibut are of good grade. But 

 few logy halibut are found; that is, with watery flesh which clings 

 to the knife when cut and does not have the blue tint of the first-class 

 fish. 



Sometimes the dealer makes a contract with a vessel owner at a 

 certain fixed figure, but when the fish are received on consignment 

 the commission charged is generally 5 per cent. The dealers usually 

 purchase outright, at the current rates, the fish landed by the small 

 boats. 



Large halibut are occasionally taken, one being delivered at Juneau 

 in 1904 which weighed 365 pounds. According to the fishermen the 

 females appear to have well developed eggs at any season of the year. 



Shooks for making a halibut box cost from 65 to 70 cents for each 

 box, depending upon the quantity ordered. The only other expense 

 is for nails and the labor required in making the box. The fisher- 

 men deliver the halibut at the scows in an eviscerated condition- 

 When being packed for shipment the head is removed and the fish 

 thrown into the box with the tail toward the middle. Under 

 ordinary conditions 1 ton of ice is required for 6 tons of fish, which 

 is quite reasonable when it is taken into consideration that the fisb 

 must be carried a distance of over 700 miles by steamer. The 

 freight rate to Seattle varies from $7 to $7.50 per cubic ton, depend- 

 ing upon the distance of the shipping point from Seattle. For 

 shipments of less than 6 boxes the rate is somewhat higher.' In 

 addition wharfage has to be paid in Alaska (usually about SI per ton) 

 and in Seattle (40 cents per ton). Six boxes of fish are considered 

 to weigh 2\ tons. 



The greater portion of the Pacific coast halibut is shipped to 

 points east of the Mississippi River, Chicago, New York, and Boston 

 being the principal distributing centers. The demand from the 

 Pacific coast and adjacent States, however, is showing a healthy 

 growth, and will eventually absorb the greater part of the catch. 



Heretofore the vessels of the New England Fish Co. have operated 

 from the company's plant in Vancouver, British Columbia, the fish 

 landed from the vessels with American register having been shipped 

 through to places in the United States in bond, free of duty. Since 

 the establishment of the company's station at Ketchikan these 

 steamers have virtually made this place their headquarters and 

 have been so credited in this year's report. 



On December 29, 1909 (too late to be included in the report for 

 that year), as the gasoline schooner Capella was being towed from 

 Wrangell to Petersburg by the gasoline boat Neptune, the latter 

 broke down and both vessels drifted onto the northeast shore of 



