150 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
dsli to tueir cannery at Chignik, and upon request of the salmon inspector, wlio hap- 
pened to be there and who saw the great loss of fish in transit and the poor condition 
in which they arrived at their destination. 
In 1896 the Alaska Improvement Company employed GO white and 18 Aleut fisher- 
men, and 16 white and 122 Chinese cannery-hands, including boss, tester, and cook. 
The white fishermen were transported free from San Francisco to Karluk and return. 
Fi’om the time of lauding until fishing commenced they were paid at the rate of $10 
per month, and during this time were employed in getting boats, nets, gear, etc., 
ready for the season’s work. From the time fishing stopped until their departure from 
Karluk the same rate was paid; during this time they were employed in clearing up 
and closing the cannery. The fishermen in 1896, at these rates, were paid 40 days in 
the spring and 54 days in the fall. While fishing they were paid $15 per 1,000 salmon, 
collectively, and a ration of 35 cents per day per man. Quarters, fuel, water, and salt 
were supplied and a cook and baker furnished, who together got $100 per month. 
The fishermen had no work on the vessel either way except to man the iiumps. Full 
crews were kept on the vessels all the time. 
The Chinese were transported each way free of charge, but they fed and bedded 
themselves. They contracted at 45 cents a case, and were found (quarters, water, fuel, 
and salt. A cook was furnished who received $300 for the season. The boss China- 
man had an additional salary of $50 per month besides his lay, and the tester was 
hired independently and paid $350 for the season. 
There were used 3 seines 500 fathoms long, 3J-inch mesh stretched, 160 meshes 
deep at bunt, 100 meshes at the offshore end, and 60 meshes deep at the inshore end; 
1 seine 350 fathoms long, 3^ inch mesh; 1 river seine, 175 fathoms long; and 1 seine 
150 fathoms long; value of all seines, $1,75 per fathom. 
The large seines were used by the white crews on the outside beaches, and the 
small ones by the Aleuts in the river and lagoon. There were also 2 seines, 500 
fathoms long, stretched and hnng in the loft ready for use, and some spare web on 
hand, all valued at $2,000. 
The Alaska Improvement Company used an experimental trap at Uganuk in 1896. 
As there is no timber in this country for piling and as the water is very deep, the trap 
was made floating. It had a leader of 200 fathoms with a pot 36 feet by 200 feet. Old 
seines, 3J-inch mesh, were used in the leader. The following gear was used in anchoring 
and floating the trap: Six coils 2-inch, 24 coils 24-inch, and 4 coils 3-inch rope; 400 
keg floats and 10,000 cork floats; 12 400-pound anchors, 14 300 pound anchors, and 
20 150-pound anchors. Depth of water at pot, 11 fathoms. 
The Alaska Improvement Company placed a second floating trap at Uganuk in 
the spring of 1897, which was similar to the one just described, but larger. It had 
a leader of 300 fathoms, and a pot 50 by 300 feet, with a circular extension wing 100 
fathoms long. Depth at pot at high water, 12 fathoms. There were used in the con- 
struction of this trap, aside from the web, 10 coils each of 1^ inch, 2-inch, 2J-inch, 
and 3-inch rope, 20 coils 2f-inch rope, 10,000 cork floats, 900 tlu’ee-gallou keg-floats, 
and many anchors. These traps were set at the time of the transfer of the property 
and turned over to the Alaska Packers’ Association; but, as the fishery at Uganuk 
was a failure, they were taken up, and at the time of our visit they were stored in the 
cannery. 
The Alaska Improvement Company employed the steamer Kadialc, of 58 tons, 
with a crew of 8, and valued at $23,000; the steamer Alaslca, of 23 tons, with a crew 
