INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 285 
The cannery of the Nushagak Canning Company is also located on 
the east bank of the river, 9 miles below Fort Alexander. It was built in 
1887, and is under the management of J. W. Clark and J. L. Wetherbee. 
The working force comprises 40 fishermen, 100 Chinamen, 1 engineer, 
2 firemen, 1 carpenter, 1 box-maker, 1 cook, and 2 waiters. They use 1 
steam launch, 20 boats, and 5 scows, of which one is sloop-rigged. 
The Alaska Packing Company’s cannery was established in 1886, 
and has paid a good interest on the investment. The men and boats 
employed are as follows: 50 fishermen, 95 Chinamen, several engineers 
and firemen, 2 carpenters, 1 box-maker, 1 cook, and 2 waiters; 25 boats, 
8 scows, of which 1 is sloop-rigged, 1 steam launch 36 feet long, and 1 
steamer of 40 tons burden. 
The Bristol Bay Canning Company’s establishment is on the west 
side of the river, nearly opposite Fort Alexander, in what is considered 
to be one of the best locations in the region; it was built in 1885. It 
-employs 50 fishermen, 83 Chinamen, and 18 other persons, including 
engineers, carpenters, firemen, etc.; and is equipped with 25 boats, 5 
scows, 1 sloop, and 1 steam launch. 
All the canneries on the Nushagak River have adopted the same 
methods of fishing for salmon, namely, with gill nets, which yield the 
best results at all times. They are regarded as much superior to drag 
seines and traps. Two sizes of nets are employed, one for king salmon 
the other for red and silver salmon. <A king-salmon net is 100 fathoms 
long and 233 feet deep, or 30 meshes, measuring 95 inches stretched. 
The nets for the red and silver salmon are 70 fathoms long and 13 feet 
or 24 meshes deep, the size of the mesh being 65 inches. The floats are 
made of wood and are placed 3 feet apart; the leads on the foot line 
are 24 feet apart. Attached to the lower corners of each net is a gal- 
vanized-iron ring, 1 foot in diameter, which prevents the net from foul- 
ing. Without their use the nets, when set in a strong current, tend to 
roll up into an inextricable ball. The nets seldom survive a season’s 
fishing, for they are continually in the water, except when undergoing 
repairs. The fishermen generally regard the Barbour twine, manutac- 
tured in this country, as superior to that of Scotch manufacture, because 
it wears better, and some canneries have discarded the use of all for- 
eign-made twine, notwithstanding its cheaper price. The fishermen 
rig and hang all nets and other gear used in the fishery, and also keep 
them in repair. When fish are abundant one or two men from each 
cannery are detailed to attend to the repairing. 
The boats used by the Alaska Packing Company are of the Colum- 
bia River type, measuring 25 feet long, 8 feet beam, and 2 feet deep. 
They are provided with centerboard, and with a small half deck, both 
fore and aft, under which smallarticles can be stored. An 8-inch wash- 
rail affords some protection against a choppy sea in a stiff breeze. 
The sprit-sail rig is universally employed on the Nushagak as on the 
Columbia River, the sail area being from 40 to 60 square yards. All 
