22 SALMON FISHERIES OF PACIFIC COAST. 



Rivers are the main streams, while in southeast Alaska are found, 

 among many others, the Anklow, Seetuck, Alsek, Chilkat, Chilkoot, 

 Taku, Stikine, and Unuk Rivers. Most of the fishing in Alaska is 

 carried on in the bays into which these rivers debouch. In southeast 

 Alaska, which is composed largely of islands, the fishing is carried on 

 mainly in the bays, sounds, and straits among these. 



Even before the purchase of the District from Russia in 1867 our 

 fishermen occasionally resorted to southeast Alaska and prepared 

 salted salmon. The salmon fisheries did not become important, how- 

 ever, until canning was begun. The first two canneries in the District 

 were built in the spring of 1878, both being located in southeast 

 Alaska. One was built by the Cutting Packing Co. at the Redoubt, 

 Old Sitka, on Baranof Island, while the other was constructed at 

 Klawak, on Prince of Wales Island, by the North Pacific Trading & 

 Packing Co., which latter company still operates at the same place. 



The first cannery in central Alaska was built by Smith & Hirsch 

 at Karluk, on Kodiak Island; in western Alaska the first was con- 

 structed on Nushagak Bay in 1884 by the Arctic Packing Co. 



Owing to the increased demand for canned salmon and the inability 

 of the coast States canneries to keep pace with it, the number of 

 canneries in Alaska rapidly increased for some years until in 1890, 

 when there were 38 in operation. The inevitable happened about this 

 time, however, the production having far outstripped the demand, 

 and canned salmon became a drug on the market. 



Heretofore each cannery had operated without regard to the others, 

 but with this condition of affairs prevailing it was soon perceived that 

 steps to reduce the output would have to be taken, and a number of 

 the companies pooled their packs, reduced the number of plants oper- 

 ated, and thus cut down the output nearly one-half. The first ar- 

 rangement was only temporary, but in 1893 a number of the com- 

 panies combined permanently and formed the Alaska Packers' Asso- 

 ciation, which was then, and is yet, the largest company operating in 

 the District. 



Since 1893 the industry has experienced periods of alternate pros- 

 perity and adversity. In 1910 there were in operation 23 canneries 

 in southeast Alaska, 10 in central Alaska, and 19 in western Alaska, a 

 total of 52. The high prices realized for salmon in 1910 have drawn 

 more capital into the industry, and in 1911 13 new canneries will be 

 constructed and operated. 



