ALASKA SALMON INVESTIGATIONS IN 1900. 
261 
WRANGELL NARROWS. 
Icy Strait Packing Company , Petersburg . — This company, incorporated in the 
State of Washington, is organized from the stockholders of the Quadra Packing 
Company, who, to expand their work in Alaska, purchased the saltery interests in 
Bartlett Bay, near Icy Strait, intending to build a cannery at that point during the 
season of 1899. Circumstances arose which made it inexpedient to carry out the 
Bartlett Bay project at the time, and, attention having been directed to a site in 
Wrangell Narrows for a cannery, fishery, sawmill, etc., work was commenced on this 
plant in the summer of 1899, when a small sawmill was set up, a substantial steamer 
wharf built, and a warehouse, store, and residence completed. It is located inside 
of the northern entrance to Wrangell Narrows on the southeastern shore, about 
a mile above Turn Point and an equal distance from the open waters of Frederick 
Sound. The position is an excellent one, as it is convenient to several very good 
fisheries, and all steamers pass close to the wharf on their regular routes to and from 
Alaska ports. A town site has been recorded, a post-office and an express office 
established under the name of Petersburg, and an Indian village has sprung up close 
by. During the winter of 1899-1900, and while the building operations were in 
progress, the company engaged in the herring and halibut fisheries. Of the former, 
during the months of September and October, 1,500 barrels were salted, mostly taken 
from Wrangell Narrows. The halibut were shipped on ice to Puget Sound. As this 
may become an important industry, it will be referred to under another heading. 
In the spring of 1900 the cannery building, warehouse, bunk-house, etc., were 
erected and the canning machinery installed. Situated on the steamer route, the 
surroundings have been made attractive by gardens, plank walks, bridges, etc.., and 
the buildings are substantial, well arranged, and very clean. 
Fish are pewed from boats or lighters to the fish-house on the end of the wharf, 
which is well arranged, clean, and clear of bad odors. After cleaning, the fish are 
passed directly from the draining tables to the cutter. As the pack is made by hand, 
the severed fish are carried from the cutter to the filling tables, which are arranged 
for 61 fillers. Klootchmen do most of this work and receive 6 cents a case for filling. 
The cans then go to the washer, after which the floats are put in and the tops put 
on by Chinese; the} 7 then pass to the crimpers, and in succession to the acid bath, 
solderer, etc. 
The cannery machinery consists of 5 steam boxes, 3 retorts, 1 cutter, 1 washer, 
2 cappers, 2 crimpers, and 1 solderer. They have a good supply of hand tools, 
small lathe, drill press, etc., and a well-equipped cooperage and box factory. 14,500 
cases of cans were purchased; the remainder were made at the cannery. The tin 
was 100-pound plate for the tops and bodies, both domestic and imported, but the 
proportion of each could not be ascertained. The cannery as installed at present 
has a daily capacity of 1,000 cases, hand-filled. Jt is probable that filling machinery 
will be introduced, though it is believed that a hand-filled pack is preferred. 
The Chinese contract was 45 cents, with the usual conditions. The fishermen 
received $35 per month, board and allowances, which brings the average up to about 
$50 per month. Native fishermen receive the same as whites if they complete the 
season. Fish were purchased at the lowest rates for which they could be obtained. 
The native work this season was very satisfactory. 
