The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-05-07
WEALTH AND RESOURCES OF ALASKA.

The census office at Washington
has recently issued an intensely
interesting bulletin under the above
title, from which We make the fol-
lowing quotations:
"Tbe value Of the fur-gcal skins
shipped from Alaska and sold in the
London markets since the territory came
into the possession Of the United States
is given as nearly $33 ,00o, 900, and Of
other furs as s16, 900, 900.
With regard to the fisheries Of the
territory, the value OF the products Of the
salmon canneries alone from 1854 to
1890 is reported at nearly 81 900, 900, and
Of salmon saIte1 at $500,0 In 1899
over 100000 salmon were taken at
Karlnk, where the largest cannery in
the world ID situated, and 10 lever than
200, 900 cases 81 salmon were canned az
this place last year, 100 fishermen and
packers being employed therein. The
herring fishery at Kiilisnoo yields an
nually over 10000 gallons of oil and
nearly 900 tons Of fertilizing material
and the value Of the codfish catch in
Alaskan waters since 1868 is stated 10 be
fully 100000.
Zone Of the most eminent authorities
on Alaska recently stated it as his belief
that the salmon, cod and herring fisher
| les Of the territory would become of such
| immense value in the event Of the en-
| tire destruction Of the fur seal, which
now preys upon the fish, that its pos
| sible determination is contingency
that need not excite serious alarm.
| Among the facts brought out il that the
red salmon and the king salmon (the
latter sometimes attaining a length Of
| from Eve. TO six feet and weight OF 120
| pounds) literally crowd the waters OF the
| great Yukon river for distance OF sew
eral hundred miles"
The total value of the precious
metals exported since 1863 is stat
cd as $4,000, 900, the present annual
production Of gold dust and bullion
being 100000. Copper and Ignite
coal are reported as abundant,
though difficulties Of transporta-
ton, ETC., have prevented the de-
velopment of any extensive mines.
In closing his review Mr.. PATRIOT,
the special agent of the census
Office, says:
"In this survey Of the wealth and re-
sources Of Alaska the observer is struck
with one rather discouraging feature /:
that all these vast resources, the pro-
ducts of land and sea, are taken out of
the country without leaving any equiva-
lent TO the inhabitants. The chief in
dustries, such as salmon canneries, cod
fisheries, mines, and the fur trade are
carried on with labor imported into
Alaska and taken away again, thus tax
ing out OF the country the wages earned.
Every pound OF subsistence for these
laborers, as well as Of the clothing they
use, is carried by them into Alaska
The shipping of Alaska, which has be-
come of considerable value, is also car
ried on wholly by non-residcnts Of the
territory, chiefly from California, Ore
gon, and Washington, and this state OF
affairs extends even TO the important
tourists travel to the southeastern dis
trict OF Alaska. Not only the passage
money, but the whole cost OF subsist-
ence Of these tourists during their stay
in Alaska, goes 10 the California owners
OF the steamship lines. To give an idea
Of the magnitude Of this traffic, IL is only
necessary TO state that the number OF
tourists tickets sold each season ex.
ceeds . 900, each ticket representing an
expenditure OF not less than 500, max.
ing total OF 500 900.
! The Insignificant payments tot iufi