Seattle, Washington. 
November, 9 - 1943 
Dr. Waldo Schmidt, 
Smithsonian Institution, 
Washington, D.C. 
Dear Dr. Schmidt: 
Would it be possible for you to advise the writer 
if there has been any printed reports on your findings from your 
trip to Alaska about three years ago. 
Mr. Oakes, engineer on your boat is a cousin of 
my wife and the Captain a friend of the family. Mr. Oakes spent 
a few days here with us recently and told us some very interesting 
things about the trip. 
The writer is very much interested in the possibil- 
ities of our northern waters from the standpoint of bottom fishing* 
In fact, if the war had not upset matters, would have been up there 
two years ago to look things over. 
My attention was brought to this possibility several 
years ago in San Francisco by one of the Commissioners from Alaska. 
At that time however, gold mining held my chief interest. I believe 
at that that the fishing industry in Alaska produces more wealth than 
that of our gold mines. 
My present work is in the field of frozen food 
processing. Our pack consists of berries, fruit and vegetables. We 
have done nothing so far with sea foods. 
I will greatly appreciate hearing from you at your 
convenience and any information that you can give me will be of 
great assistance in laying out the program i am contemplating. 
I saw Captain Trafton in Anacortes this spring. Mr. 
Oakes asked me to send his kindest regards when writing you which I 
told him I intended to do. 
With kindest personal regards, I am. 
