FISHERIES OF ALASKA IK 1909. 
17 
dispose of even at the very low prevailing prices. A few of the can- 
ners left these fish at their plants in Alaska during the winter, in 
order to save the storage charges on the Sound. The price of pink 
and dog salmon continued to decline this year, but a slightly better 
demand developed and it is hoped that as the accumulated pack on 
Puget Sound decreases the demand for the cheap grades from Alaska 
will eventually equal the supply. All other grades are in excellent 
demand at present and but few T cases were left in the packers’ hands 
at the close of this year. 
Owing to the expected quadrennial heavy run of sockeye salmon on 
Puget Sound, several cannerymen who operate there and in Alaska 
shut down their Alaska plants this season and devoted all their ener- 
gies to the Sound. Among those in southeast Alaska were the can- 
nery of Gorman & Co., at Kasaan, and of the Astoria and Puget 
Sound Packing Company, in Excursion Inlet. The Pyramid Harbor 
cannery of the Alaska Packers Association was not operated this 
year and probably will not be again. In western Alaska the Coffee 
Creek cannery of the Alaska Packers Association, which burned in 
1906, was rebuilt and operated this season. The Bradford cannery of 
the Alaska Packers Association, on Nushagak Bay, was not operated 
this year, nor, owing to the loss of its supply ship, as noted elsewhere, 
was the Wood Eiver cannery of the Alaska Salmon Company. 
The superintendent of the Sitkoh Bay cannery, in southeast Alaska, 
reports getting from Necker Bay, on the western shore of Baranof 
Island, a number of red salmon which ran 24 to the case — exception- 
ally small fish. They are said to have been very red in color and 
especially good for canning. Twenty-five of the smallest ones were 
opened and found to be all mature males. 
Persons engaged . — The fishermen engaged this year numbered 
2,992, of whom almost two-thirds were white. The cannery em- 
ployees numbered 7,100, of whom all nationalities except the whites, 
who increased 312 in number, show decreases as compared with 1908. 
The transporters numbered 430. All branches of the industry show 
decreases as compared with 1908. In all, 10,522 persons (4,391 whites, 
1,998 Indians, 1,992 Chinese, and 2,141 Japanese) were employed, 
as compared with 11,085 persons (4,403 whites, 2,250 Indians, 2,017 
Chinese, and 2,415 Japanese) employed in 1908. 
