The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-05-03
SEALING N BFHRIHc SEA.



tsrs1g The Behring sea, wia sch ns
sealing scizpoEe-s for fifty cents On al
dollar. said Mr.. J G. Nixon, manage
for The A r Hotasing Co, YESTERDAY
II will b,sexk up an industry d
great value To Seattle and other PaeiEi
coast touns. There are aboxt ten d
these scho<ners owned or controlled 4.
Seattle. fhirty-five In sAn Francisco
three In Astoria. and about thirty-fiys
in Victoria. though we aon's cars
much about the iarfer.
Take tiEpse sealing scboeners which
make their headquarters in Seattle and
see what they amount 70. There's the
Aoliie Adams. She cost So 90 and
carries crew OF twenfy-six men, and
The Edward =. Webster which eosi
1900 and errries twenty men, both
owned by .. Jacobs; the Oscar and
Hattie whii.h cost 81. 90 and carries q
crew Of sixteen men. and which /:
owned By Gloucester parties and man,
aged by 5. Jacobs. the Allie I. Agar
which is worth <f6no carries
twenfy-thnse men; the ]. Fl.
Lewis, worth 10000 and carry.
Ing a crew Of twenty-ous
men: the Venture worth <s.Dot
and carrying eleven men: these three
latter vessels have the honor to own.
Then there Is the Henry Dennis. wortl
Si2 90. and carrying twenty men,
which is owned by Gloucester parties
and managed BY ). Jacobs, the Ghai,
iengcr, worth $500, with q crew oil
eighteen men, and owned BY stock
company at Whatcom, and the Teas.
er. worth 5000, and owned by s
Baxter. There are also one % two
others which ] cannot just now call Il
mind, I"
What Is the average catch Of these
schooners per season 20
A small Average would be ZOO
skins and these would be worth, az ths
ruling rate Of 81 piece, $is 900.
What wages do You pay the met
on the sealing schooners ?h
The captains receive $fCa pei
month mites. $50: cooks, $50: cabin
boys. SIS; sailors. $50 per month and
ten cents for each seal killed In the
bs,ats they row In. Hunters are paid
$l.50 for each seal they kill.
About ell the wages due 10 crews
OF the above mentioned vessels are
paid to them here and all the provi
siDns and salt used are bought in
Seattle stores and amounts to a great
deal, assure you.
ITO show you what this amounts &c
need but mention two recent Incl
dents. The Allie j.. Agar arrived in
Seattle hsrbor on April q from d
short cruise in the North Pacific, with
6i3 skins. Since then | have paid out
on her account $500 in this city fol
wages. supplies and repairs. The Mol.
lie Adams get in on the same date
with $40 skins. and ] have disbursed
cent of this money viii remain in this
city, and il helps considerably in keep.
Ing things moving.
II consiaer the action OF the gov.
eminent IS most unjust generally
toward the sealers. Take the case oil
the Allie /. Agar. She was seized
when entering Behring sea in 1887.
At that time she had on board mum.
Der OF seal skins. The original owners
OF these skins were shot in the Pacific
ocean. far outside the jurisdiction d
the United States.
Take last year as another example
The American vessels were told Il
keep ont Of the Behring sea, and did
so. The English vessels had privats
advices that they would not be seized
and went into the Behring sea and re.
turned with from 100 TO $500 skins
each. The following letter from Sena
tor j. n. Dolph explains how the
Americans were played upon in this
UNITED STATES sgxATE,
WASHINGTON. ID. c., Feb. !. 1859
j. c. Nixon. Esq. Seattle W. T. Dea,
SIR: | have the honor 10 acknowledge re-
cetpt Of yoiir communication. dated Sc
Of the secretary OF state in regard C
American and English vessels engaged Ia
the seal fisheries OF the Behring sea.
had already had my attention called 10 the
matter.
II Is reported that when the government
vessels left san Francisco, they sailed
under sealed orders. which were not 70 be
opened until they were flfty miles at sea
and thaf uiose sealed orders were 10 the
eifee; that hey should make no seizure OF
British reAeis engaged in catching seals
Great Britain or Canada. had an agent
here, II u supposed. who nad some means
Of learning that such orders had been
issued; Word was sent 70 the Canadian
capitol and teiegraphed 10 Victoria. and q
cutter sent at once TO inform the British
sealers, SO that they were on the fishing.
grounds before our revenae vessels arrived
and. OF coarse, prevented seal fishing dur
ing the season, without molestafion.
do not kiaow that this is the exact bis
tory OF the case, but il l. substantially cor
rect The matter Is now being invest.
gated before q House committee. I will
try 20 bear the matter In mind. aud send
you = printed copy OF the testimony when
II Is ready for distribution. Yours truly.
J. N. DOLPH.
What do the sealers desire %
If the proclamation Is 10 he en-
forced the Americans viii have ta
keep out OF Behring sea this year. and
that win practically ruin the business
What the sealers desire is permission
10 Kill seals anywhere on the ocean or
sea three miles from land. The
Alaska Commercial Company claims
jurisdiction over the whole OF the Beh.
ring sea and the entire 1900 miles oil
the shore line of Alaska. The
lease OF the fur seal islands
20 the Alaska Commercial Company
reads that they shall have control
of The seal islands and the waters adj.
iacent thereto. I don't think this
means all the waters OF Alaska, and
vet the company claims that ii does.
On the same principle they nigh,
just as well claim thar all the salt
water OF the earth Is adjacent to the
fur islands The company don't want
the esrth-it only wants the waters
thereof
What We desire Is that the presi.
dents Proclamation shall not be en-
forced. Enrther that the rnefes
and hoards OF the jurisdiction
al the Alaska Commercial Com.
pany shall he SO defined that We
shall know where they begin and end
We desire 10 obey the law. as Nc
are law abiding citizens: still we think
it a great injustice to be kept out oil
the Behring sea, and so destroy wha,
viii in tiais grow 70 he O great indus
try. III seal -sishing Is prohibited /.
cannot help bat hart several OF the
towns on the Pacific coast
The lease OF the Alaska CONNER
cial Co. expires this year. ard for
one heartily hope that il viii not bs
renewed. As the matter is of vital
Importance 70 this city I think some
of oar public bodies like the Beard o1
Trade or the Chamber of Commerce
should take the matter I'M hand and
use their Influence 20 prevent, II posi-
Bile the president from enforcing his
proclamation