598 INVESTIGATION" OF THE FUE-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



The Chairman. I only spoke of that at this time because that 

 would be a pretty good way to settle the salt question that we have 

 had so much dispute about heretofore. 



Mr. McGutre. I understand the witness is now testifying about 

 other skins which he salted. 



Mr. Bruckner. The witness in testifying stated that the skins were 

 not heavier after being salted. I was led to believe they were by a 

 statement made by Mr. Clark on Monday morning, as I understood 

 it. That is the reason I raised the question. I am frank to admit 

 I do not know the first thing about it. I only desire information. 



Mr. McGuire. I think you will find, upon examination of the 

 record, that you misunderstood Mr. Clark's statement. 



Mr. Bruckner. Undoubtedly you are correct. 



Mr. McGuniE. You may proceed, Mr. Lembkey. 



Mr. Lembkey. Several instances also were cited of the weighing 

 of green skins on the island and the subsequent weighing of them 

 after salting while the skins were still on the islands, the comparison 

 of which weights bore out our contention that those skins lost weight 

 through salting. Mr. Elliott had never performed any experiments 

 to determine what change, if any, occurred in the skins through the 

 action of the salt and therefore was unable to produce any evidence 

 to support his contention. 



While the green and salt weights of sealskins had been compared 

 several times on the island, as a matter of fact no extended and 

 systematic effort had at this time ever been made by anyone to deter- 

 mine this question. For this reason, and after the hearings mentioned 

 had been concluded, the Bureau of Fisheries determined to conduct 

 experiments on a large scale for the purpose of ascertaining definitely 

 and conclusively what effect salt had on the weight of sealskins. It 

 was determined to weigh every skin that was taken from seals killed 

 in the season of 1912 before any of the skins were placed in salt, to 

 number each skin with a serial number on a tag attached permanently 

 to the skin, and to weigh the same skins after they had been in salt 

 for varying periods, and by a comparison of the green and salt weights 

 thus taken to determine just what change, if any, occurred in the 

 skin as a result of its being brought into contact with salt. This 

 experiment was carried out. Every skin taken on the islands that 

 year, so far as I know, was provided with a permanent numbered 

 tag, so that the skin might thereafter be identified, was weighed just 

 after it had been removed from the animal and before it had been 

 salted, and afterwards weighed after it had been in salt for periods 

 varying from a few days to over a month. These weights thus 

 obtained were furnished to the Bureau of Fisheries and are now on 

 file there. As I am not now connected with the bureau, it is impos- 

 sible for me to furnish a complete list of those weights to the com- 

 mittee. I am able to furnish the committee, however, with the 

 weights of over 200 skins which were weighed by me and others 

 during the period stated, and in accordance with the methods out- 

 lined, which weights are published in Bureau of Fisheries Document 

 No. 780, being a report on the fisherv and fur industries of Alaska 

 in 1912. 



The Chairman. When you said "weighed by you and others," 

 whom do you mean by "others" ? 



