20 THE FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1906. 



retain their juice and flavor, and then are removed to cold storage. 

 The result, even after eight or ten months, is almost fresh fish, which 

 when properly smoked have a very rich flavor. 



In packing mild-cured salmon for smokers only the very largest 

 fish are used, usually those weighing over 20 pounds. Thus all 

 but king salmon are eliminated, the other species being too small; 

 and the bigger the fish the better, as the large sides make a nice 

 slice when cut up and do not dry out too much in the process of 

 salting, which usually requires about three days. 



King salmon are abundant in the waters of Alaska, being found in 

 many of the rivers, particularly the Unuk, Stikine, Taku, Ugashik, 

 Kvichak, and Nushagak, during the breeding season, while during 

 the rest of the year, in Southeast Alaska, and probably in other por- 

 tions, they are to be found in the numerous bays, lagoons, straits, 

 and sounds. They spawn during the months of May and June in 

 southeast and central Alaska, and in June and July in Bristol Bay. 

 When not breeding they are feeding upon the herring, and are espe- 

 cially abundant then in the vicinity of Point Comano on Cleveland 

 Peninsula, and in Frederick Sound, Seymour Canal, Taku Inlet, and 

 Gastineau Channel. According to Mr. Walter S. El well, who has 

 fished for some years in Tenakee Inlet, off Chatham Strait, there was 

 a run of kings in the inlet in the fall of 1905 and the spring of 1906, 

 the first run he had ever noticed there. 



During the winter of 1904-5, when a big run appeared in the lower 

 portion of southeast Alaska, several dealers at Ketchikan shipped 

 large quantities fresh to Puget Sound ports. These shipments drew 

 the attention of the Pacific coast representatives of certain German 

 firms to the possibility of securing supplies for mild-curing from 

 Alaskan waters in order to eke out the inadequate supply from the 

 Columbia and other rivers, and an investigation was made during the 

 summer and fall of 1905, with the result that when the run began 

 during the early part of 1906 ten fu'ms and individuals engaged in the 

 business, and these gave employment to 145 fishermen, 24 shoremen, 

 and 8 transporters. The shore property used in the industry had a 

 value of S12,250, while 5 launches, valued at S6,550, and 150 boats, 

 valued at $6,270, were used. The apparatus employed consisted of 63 

 gill nets, which were used in the breeding season, and were valued at 

 $12,450, and $80 worth of trolling lines, which were used when the fish 

 were feeding. The pack amounted to 1,103 tierces, containing 

 885,600 pounds of cm'ed fish, valued at $65,747, in Southeast Alaska, 

 and to 23 tierces, containing 18,400 pounds of cured fish, valued at 

 $1,260, in Western Alaska. The number of fish utilized amounted to 

 56,300, about 50 being required to the tierce. The greater part of the 

 pack was made during the months of May, June, and July. 



At times the competition for fish was quite keen. In May and June 

 the Juneau and Douglas packers paid 75 cents each for all red-meated 



