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SEALSKIN CURING OPERATIONS-SUPPLIED CONSUMED IN SEALSKIN CURING 



St. Paul St George 



Island Island 



Salt in 100 pound sacks: 



Coarse, for brine curing 



Medium, for barreling and kenchlng.. 

 For curing seal meat (private sales).. 



Boric acid in 250 pound paper barrels 



Wooden barrels for sealskins and blubber. 



SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT FOR SEALSKIN OPERATIONS 



1967 1968 1969 1970 



Pribilof Islands 



Aleutian Islands.. 



Mainland of Alaska. 



Contiguous 48 States — 



Total - 78 72 69 65 



■ 2 were former Pribilovlans now residing in Seattle. 



Despite the number of unemployed throughout Alaska and the Alaskans at- 

 tending schools in the contiguous 48 states, recruitment for the sealing season re- 

 sulted in hiring a larger number of Caucasians from stateside than anticipated. 

 During a three day interview held with Alaska Indian students at Chemawa 

 Indian School, Oregon, 21 individuals were interviewed of which 8 were 18 years 

 of age or over. The 8 qualified students were hired but all withdrew at a later 

 date. One applicant from the Indian school later applied. He was the only stu- 

 dent to arrive on St. Paul for employment. Recruitment in Alaska produced 

 6 applicants of which 3 withdraw later. The remaining 10 employees from the 

 mainland of Alaska were those returning from previous years employment. 



In recent years only 3 men have been employed from the Aleutian villages. 

 The continual interest in the king crab industry resulted in many of the former 

 fur sealing workers securing employment nearer their villages. However, due to 

 the depressed crab industry during the 1970 season, 6 men from the Aleutian 

 villages were recruited for our plant. 



Of the other Alaska employees one was hired from Chemawa Indian School, 

 Oregon, one from Mt. Edgecumbe, Alaska, and the remaining 11 were brought in 

 from the mainland. A week before the season began one man recruited for St. 

 George withdrew and 5 did not arrive at the onset of the season at St. Paul. Four 

 of the 6 positions were filled by Caucasians from the Seattle area. During the 

 peak of the season 46 men were employed in the plant at St. Paul and 19 at St. 

 George. 



Of the total employed in skin curing on both islands, 37 were imported from 

 the mainland and 6 from the Aleutian Chain. Of the 43 non-residents, 32 vcen- 

 hired as blubberers, 23 on St. Paul and 9 on St. George. The remaining employee;; 

 were laborers. Of the 6 men from the Aleutian Islands, 4 were employed in a 

 supervisory capacity, 1 as a blubberer and 1 as a laborer. 



Transportation for the workmen to and from St. Paul was provided by com- 

 mercial airlines. The M/V PRIBILOF provided transportation between St. Paul 

 and St. George. 



Mr. Robert Booth, an employee of The Fouke Company, was assigned to St. 

 Paul for two weeks at the beginning of the season. Walter Marlowe was assigned 

 to the island for an additional two weeks, one week overlapping with Mr. Booth's 

 stay. Their duties were as technical specialists and quality control inspectors. 



BEMUNEBATION OF SEASONAL EMPLOYEES 



All employees continue to be compensated under the Coordinated Federal Wage 

 System. Top foreman of the skin curing plant, 1 on each island, was paid $5.63 

 per hour. Employees in the category of Sealer Leadingman, 1 on St. Paul and 3 

 on St. George, who exceeded the average set by the three-year blubbering aver- 

 ages, were paid $4.94 per hour. An employee who had experience in blubbering but 

 fell below the past three-year seasonal average was classified as unskilled. The un- 

 skilled blubberers, 11 on St. George and 24 on St. Paul, where paid $4.70 per hour. 



