ALASKA SALMON INVESTIGATIONS IN 1900. 
191 
level, tallied the catch into the car, which, when full, was run to the tish-house and 
unloaded by dumping. 
At another cannery, where fish are conveyed to the cannery by steam tenders, an 
inclined plane was used, extending to deep water, having the end V-shaped, admitting 
the cannery steamer into the V and allowing her to discharge from either side. In 
this case the tilled cars were run over an elevation into the bins and then dumped. 
In a locality where the conditions" did not permit the tish-house to be located over 
the water at low tide, and where the cannery supply of running water was large, an 
immense hopper was built under the door, with an inclined trough, through which 
the gurry was washed by a constant stream. 
In a few canneries it was noticed that each fish-cleaning table had a spray of 
water from several jets playing over it, thus washing off the blood and gurry. This 
feature might be more extensively copied, as it promotes cleanliness in a place which 
is never too clean or free from odor. 
At several canneries a neat and satisfactory contrivance was seen in operation 
for transporting fish from the fish-house to«the cannery, which consisted of a shallow 
trough having for its bottom an endless chain of buckets. As a neat addition, a 
spray, formed by a perforated pipe about 8 feet long and suspended over the buckets, 
washed the fish while passing under it. 
A new solderer was noticed, having, instead of the endless chain to give motion 
to the cans, a metal spiral running the length of the machine and revolving on an 
axle through the center. Each loop grasped a can and followed it to the end, thus 
giving the cans the proper motion and preventing them from rolling side by side and 
lapping the solder over the ends, as is frequently the case with the chain machines. 
An effective contrivance was seen by which the can, after leaving the solderer, 
was turned upon an endless belt so as to permit the solder to set into the top, and 
carried upright for a distance of about 20 feet, when it was again turned on its side 
automatically and rolled under the cooling spray. New retorts with quick closing- 
doors were also seen. 
The Alaska Packers Association sent several fish-cleaning machines into the field 
for trial, but none was seen in operation. It is understood, however, that one, the 
invention of William Munn, the superintendent of their cannery at Alitak Bay, has 
been perfected after several trials, and is said to work so satisfactorily that a number 
are now under construction for the season of 1901. If a machine for fish-cleaning 
can be successfully operated it will be a great boon to the canneries. 
Can-making machines are now being extensively introduced by the Alaska 
Packers Association, and the season of 1901 will probably see all their canneries 
equipped with these machines. A set consists of one cutter, which cuts the sheet 
tin into exact lengths for the bodies; one body-maker, which forms the body, makes 
the seam, and solders it; one topper and one solderer, both of which are of the same 
form as those used in the cannery. In the can-making department there are also 
dies operated by steam for cutting tops and bottoms and an extra one for cutting- 
floats — the small piece of tin used inside the can under the top to keep the vent clear 
in processing. The feed for the plate in the body-maker seems to be the most imper- 
fect part of the machine, causing frequent jams; but even allowing for delays due to 
these jams, a set will turn out an average of fifty cans a minute. 
