ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 433 



I had my side of the river duly surveyed last summer, and what I particularly 

 desire and pray for is that you restrict them from fishing on my side of the river and 

 on the land that I have had surveyed. Of course, my survey only goes down on the 

 beach as far as high-water mark, and it seems to rue that they can be restricted from 

 fishing on any laud in front of my survey, and which is dry at low water. 



I would be perfectly willing to stay on my side of the river if they would stay on 

 theirs, and they have the better side. Of course, I shall be dependent entirely for 

 my living on what I do in this river, while they are a large corporation with 

 $5,000,000 of capital, and have cannery sites all over Alaska, so that any little incon- 

 venience they might suffer by bothering me, or any small loss which they might 

 incur by so doing, would really cut no figure in their business. 



If they are allowed to block me in with traps on my side of the river I shall cer- 

 tainly bo driven to the wall, and not only I, but many of the poor natives, who 

 depend upon the work which they obtain from me for their living. 



For the last three years I have given them $1 a day and board. They are also 

 becoming more civilized each season and seem more willing to work. It has been my 

 policy right along to encourage them in this and to teach them as much us possible. 



Each year, as soon as our vessel is sighted out in Bristol Bay, a score or more of 

 the natives start right out in canoes and board us many miles from our anchorage. 

 They are always anxious for provisions, and I deal out to them chests of crackers, 

 clothing, and provisions, all of which seem to delight them very much. 



All I have made in and out of Alaska I have put in improvements at my cannery 

 site, and it seems a strange law to me which will allow a huge corporation like the 

 Alaska Packers' Association to down a poor man. 



Since first starting in Naknek with a very small capital I have certainly had uphill 

 work and a varied experience. It has been nothing but constant work and trouble. 

 This will, of course, all count for naught if these people are allowed to crush me, and 

 my whole prospect in life will be spoiled. 



I appeal to you, sir, for protection, and hope you will do all in your power to assist 

 me in seeing that they keep within the law, and that they do nothing toward their 

 fellow-men (even if the law can be evaded in so doing) except what is just. 



I know the Government likes to protect the natives as much as possible, and if I 

 am ruined the natives will be injured beyond measure also. In addition to this, all 

 the men that I have been employing each year, and have taken from here, will of 

 course be out of employment, and if I am successful in constructing my cannery and 

 protected in catching fish on the land which I have had surveyed, I will be able to 

 employ many more than any year before. 



I feel satisfied that with your assistance I can pull through, and this large corpo- 

 ration can easily be kept within the proper bounds. They have certainly no right 

 to molest me and have no reason for being jealous of me, as my cannery is not in 

 opposition to theirs, for I was in Alaska long before the Alaska Packers' Association 

 was ever thought of. 



Would it be convenient for you to send a steamer by the river before the fishing 

 season commences, say about middle of June? 



Am very anxious to hear from you, sir, and hope you will be kind enough to let me 

 know what the prospect is as soon as convenient. 



Thanking you in advance and anxiously awaiting your reply, I remain, 

 Your obedient servant, 



L. A. PEDERSON, 

 72 Harrison street. 



Col. MARSHALL MCDONALD, 



United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, Washington, D. C. 



KARLUK, ALASKA, August 16, 1894. 



STATEMENT OF MR. ARTHUR L. DUNCAN. 



Arthur L, Duncan, superintendent of the Hume Canning and Trading Company, 

 Tanglefoot Bay, near Karluk, Kadiak Island. My business is catching and canning 

 salmon in shore seines drawn from the shore. 



On July 9, 1894, we made our first lay out with the purse seine, under direction of 

 Mr. James Williams, who was then our boss fisherman (purse seine), and who is now 

 at San Francisco. 



We first started to fish below Julia Ford Point, but the Alaska Packers' Associa- 

 tion did not trouble us below that point. On July 9 we started to layout our purse 

 seine, and after we got our line run out this party came out from the shore and Mr. 

 Williams picked up our line and then moved his whole gear, lighter and all, farther 

 down toward the mouth of the river; he did this because he thought they were 



H. Doc. 92, pt. 2 28 



