SALMON AND SALMON RIVERS OF ALASKA. 
201 
METHODS, CONDITIONS, AND STATISTICS OF THE SALMON 
FISHERIES. 
APPLIANCES AND METHODS. 
The fleet engaged in carrying cannery outfits, supplies, men, and iiroducts in the 
season of 1889 included 13 steamers, 4 steam schooners, 1 ship, 13 barks, 2 brigs, 10 
barkentiues, and 23 schooners, a total of 66 vessels. 
The earliest clearing date which I have observed was January 30, and the latest 
on my list is September 20, 1889. Many of these vessels are chartered by the fishing 
companies for the season or the trip. 
The number of dories employed at Karluk is about 200 ; the Karluk Packing 
Company alone has more than 50. At Afognak about 40 dories are used, and the 
number in Alitak Bay is probably not over 60. Several of the canning comiianies 
have steam launches for towing their scows and lighters. All of the companies have 
a sufficient number of the latter for loading and unloading their vessels, and all 
handling of freight to and from vessels must be done by means of the scows and 
lighters, as there are no wharves ondhe bay and no possibility of establishing them. 
The steam launches can tow lighters and flat-boats into the river at high tide, but not 
during low water nor on the half tide. Columbia River boats are used to some extent 
by the fishing companies at Kadiak, chiefly for making short voyages between 
stations. 
Most of the fish used in the canneries are caught in seines varying from 150 to 
250 fathoms in length, and from 16 to 20 feet in depth. The usual size of the mesh is 
inches. Gill-nets also are used at Karluk, in Prince William Sound, and some 
other localities. Soft-laid twine is preferred to the hard laid for beach seining at 
Karluk, as it does not chafe so much on the rocks. A purse-seine was used August 7 
by Mr. Barker outside of the kelp, and did reasonably well. The kelp is a great hin- 
drance to the seining at Karluk, but affords excellent shelter for the salmon. The 
bottom of the bay is thickly covered with it, and its fronds float up to the surface 
except over about a half mile adjacent to the river mouth. The species is known as 
Bull-kelp. 
We were informed that 36 canneries were in operation in Alaska in 1889, and we 
are indebted to Capt. H. E. Kichols, of the U. S. Coast Survey, for a chart showing 
the locations as nearly as could be ascertained. The canneries are situated as follows : 
Eight are on Kadiak Island, and 2 on Afognak; on the Kushagak there are 4; on the 
east side of the peninsula of Alaska, 5j in Cook’s Inlet, 2; in Prince William Sound, 
2; on Kayak Island, 2; in Lynn Canal, 3; Icy Strait, 1; Takou River, 1; Barauoflf 
