64 ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1915. 
Akutan, in western Alaska. The latter concern was listed in 1914 
under the name of the Pacific Sea Products Co. A number of addi- 
tions and improvements have been made at this plant. Both of 
these stations had a successful season, the total catch of whales num- 
bering 470, as compared with a total of 482 in 1914. Although the 
European market for some of the whale products was demoralized on 
account of the war the domestic demand has been such that a much 
better financial return was obtained than in 1914. 
The method of killing whales is by means of small steamers equipped 
with a muzzle-loading gun which shoots an explosive bomb into the 
animal, from which a line leads to powerful winches on the forward 
deck of the vessel by which the animal is finally drawn alongside, 
It is then pumped up with air to keep it from sinking and is towed 
to the shore station, where it is hauled out on a platform by means 
of winches and cut up. Every part of the animal is used, different 
grades of oil being obtained from the blubber, from the meat, and 
from the bones, while two grades of fertilizer or meal are secured, one 
from the meat and the other from the bones. 
Five steamers were used in killing whales in Alaska in 1915, the 
Star I (133 tons), Star IT, and Star IIT (97 tons each) being operated 
by the United States Whaling Co., and the Unimak and Kodiak (99 
tons each) being operated by the North Pacific Sea Products Co. 
Heavy weather retarded the operations of both plants in the earlier 
part of the season. It becomes a matter of great difficulty or even an 
impossibility to hit a whale when there is much of a sea running. 
The United States Whaling Co. experienced two disasters. Karly 
in the season some of the buildings were destroyed by fire, at a loss of 
about $4,000, and in December a severe gale damaged a number of 
the buildings to the extent of approximately $6,000. 
In connection with its operations the North Pacific Sea Products 
Co. gave employment to 17 natives, which number included all avail- 
able natives on Akutan Island as well as some from other settle- 
ments. While there is considerable work that the natives are not 
able to perform, at least until they have received instruction for some 
time, the company has found them very satisfactory in certain lines 
of work for which they are well qualified. This is a gratifying situa- 
tion and anything that can be done in the way of giving natives em- 
ployment will be of great benefit to them as their lot is ordinarily a 
hard one and their means of making a living are generally quite 
meager in the more isolated sections of western Alaska. 
OFFSHORE WHALING FLEET. 
The operations of the offshore whaling fleet, which a few decades 
ago were of great importance in Alaskan waters, have practically 
ceased. The only offshore whaling vessel of this fleet which is re- 
