The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-06-04

the Territory That the Food Supply ol
Surely Encroached Upon.
Salmon catching and canning has come
| to be by far the most important of Alas
| ka's industries. The seals make more
! stir in diplomacy, the mines are so placed
/ as to raise the question of international
| boundaries, but the salmon stand ae the
| top of the territory's exports and give en-
| ployment to many men.
| 1t is an industry. too, whose rapid growth
| betokens great future. In 1888 the total
| pack was only 5000 cases, or less than
| 1906, 900 cans. In 1885 it had become q. SEQ
cases; the next year, 30, 100 cases; in 1887 it
| had reached 100 200 cases; in 1855 it was
4S9, 293, while for 1890 the pack was 6sS, 332
ca es, or g, 039 $50 cans. There was also :
| trade that year in the sailed fish amount
| ing to 1900 barrels, and altogether ths
business employs, with its scores of fac
tories, 100 steam vessels and 500 fishing
boats and about $500 men.
1t is unfortunate, therefore, that an ex-
perienced officer of the revenue marine,
Captain NJ. A Healy, Of the Bear. should
find reason TO declare these canneries "a
curse TO Alaska" In his view, both whites
and Indians have just cause to complain
of them, and they are conducted TO the
detriment of the best interests of the terri
tory The whites are offended because the
canneries openly import coolies from Brit
ish Columbia and elsewhere under con-
tracts for furnishing all their supplies, 50
that they are Of no benefit in building up
local trade. But the grievance of the In
dams is more serious, it being that the
1anneries seize upon all the neighboring
salmon, occupying every available stream
and cutting off the natives from their Gus
tomary supplies of food. Captain Healy
fears that if such aggressions upon the
Thlinket Indians are continued a general
outbreak may result.
These are not the first complaints that
have been made against the canneries.
Several years ago the governor OF Alaska
reported that there was urgent need of
regulating the fisheries, and that reports
had reached him of everlasting some
streams and of barricading them so that
the salmon could not go up. A govern
ment official was directedsto check this
latter practice, but could not secure trans
portation or money for his expenses. The
1pAAO" IDS year XIV CAl1NA pOI
that in many places the salmon fishing is
overdone and in many more unwise and
destructive methods are employed. Aside
from the business interests of the white
people, the actual subsistence OF the ma
tives is largely concerned. They are
bound to their local resorts, fishing
grounds and the habits of their ancestors.
They know no other way Of life or means
OF subsistence"
Some time ago a report was current that
the Indians of Chilcat were stirred up by
the threats Of the canneries to cut down
one-half the prices paid them for catching
salmon. As the threatened disturbance
did not result, it may be presumed that
the matter was peaceably arranged; but it
created anxiety for time. Still another
source of trouble was officially reported by
Mr.. Ivan Petrotf, who had charge of tax
ing the recent census in Alaska:
AN evil of another kind can also only
be suppressed by the presence of local
magistrates; that is, the introduction of
the vilest kind Of liquor manufactured by
the Chinese laborers employed at the can
neries. These men bring up their own
supplies, and in this way can easily intro
duce any quantity of this pernicious stuff
without detection. Nearly all of this liq-
uor passes into the hands of the native
laborers and of the worst element among
the fishermen. The Chinese peddle this vile
beverage openly at three or four dollars
q bottle, and so extensive is this trade that
the large amount Of coin taken up BY the
various esta Adjustments for paying off la
bOrers, amounting to many thousands of
dollars, invariably becomes locked up in
the hands of the Chinese toward the end
of the season.
The gentlemen in charge of these large
fishing establishments do their best to sup
press the evil, but it is only in rare IN
stances that they succeed in confscating
small quantities of the liquor, which they
do not even dare 10 destroy for fear Of
strikes on the part of Chinese employees
and injury to their business.
The number of this class of population
during the summer season l estimate as
At the canneries of Nushegak, on
Bristol bay, about $50 whites and over 400
Chinese: at the canneries on the Alaska
peninsula about 200 whites and 800 Chi
nese; at Karluk, about GO white men and
nearly 500 Chinese; at the canneries Of
Cook inlet, about $50 whites and 200 Chi
DeSe, ab the fTlOCS W iAl4dL1 SOuIU anu
Cooper river canperies, about 80 whites
and 200 Chinese"
The statistics of the seven districts of
Alaska in which the census was taken
showed no fewer than 2,125 Cinnamon.
nearly all at work for the salmon can
neries, while the white population was put
down at 400, and about 1850 of these were
engaged in the same industry The i'm
portance of the subject reported upon by
Captain Healy is accordingly manifest.
To drive the natives OF Alaska into hos
tilities By encroaching upon their food
supply would be great crime. Their con-
duct toward the whites and the little
trouble they have given to the government
during the quarter of century OF our oc-
OF Alaska merit more humane
treatment.
The native indians" says Secretary
Noble in his report. quoting from the
yoveI nor Of the territory, are more set
tied. reliable and intelligent than the In
dams Of the plains They live in fixed
abodes, and a-e independent and self sus-
tanning. They have made great strides to
ward the American civilization. and their
progress my De facilitated b. the continued
liberal aid of the government IN the matter
IF education and IL the protection Of thei-
egal rights Cor New York sun