The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-28
SALMON IN ALASKA.
How the Fish Are Being Exter-
minated by the Packers.
THE GOVERNMENT CONCERNED,
Restrictions Nust Be Made, Else the
Fish supply VIII BE Exhausted
God and Herring Abundant.


inroads whlea fishing and packing CON-
panses have made on the supply o. sal
mon ~ fns Alaskan rivers has given
great concern % the government FOR Sew
ersl years PAS. since j. became eFi1ent
ina the fsA we're destined 20 the same
fac Of ex{erTui nation which has over
taken the buffalo and that ls being visited
or the fur bearing seals o. the northern
7zaeers All the attempts 20 secure e1ec-
tive RESTRAINING legislation from congress
has proven practically without result. but
a new phase OF ne canning syn1lcates'
operations IS now engaging The atten-
ton OF ghn land ofire. which may result
81 rneaEurse fnat Wiz have the effect or
restricting the enterprises OF some OF
the companies engaged ln the business
T. has recently been brought 20 the at
tsnsfon % Conmiss,oner Lamoreaux OF
the lard Office that some % the salmon
companies are acquiring much land Al
tie mouths OF the rivers whore they are
engaged and pre-empting strategicat
points OF future commerce Consequent
~ the COMMISSIONS has detailed \. h.
Swinehord an ex-governor OF Alaska.
who IL now an inspector OF the interior
department. 10 make an investigation OF
the matter aud keep The department post
ed that II may know that all the re-
utfrsments OF the Law are complied with.
TIE cannery companies have asked tha&
surveys be made ny the government OF
view OF their acquisition. Mr. Swineford
VIII Eail from Seattle for Alaska in few
days.
The present governor Of Alaska In his
Last report 10 the secretary OF the inter-
ior called attention to the -iurOads being
made on the salmon. and the same sub
iecf was treated an a report 10 the Fifty
third congress By Fish Commissioner Ne
Donald. MIR Mcdonald then recommendS
ed that come or all OF the following meas
lirea be adopted for the protection OF the
Gsh. A weekly close season from sat
ur,iay evening 10 Monday morning. a
yearly close season during Sep enther and
Oriober. the establishment OF salmon res
eryarions. absolute prohibition OF salmon
fishing within 100 yards Of the mouth or
river absolute prohibition % more than
one seine TO the same seine berth, and
the leasing OF privileges and limitations
of the catch. No authority is given 10
the tlsh COMMISSIONER to enforce any re-
strictiOn measures. this power belonging
entirely 10 the treasury department
There Is particularly no law 10 be en-
forced however. for the only legislation
ever adopted was an act OF lsSs, prohibit
ing the erection OF dams or distractions
to prevent the ascent of salmon into
their spawning grounds. and II Is rather
difficult 10 carry this into effect, since
all inspection has to be done by one
agent Of the treasury department. DIR.
Hugh Smith, one OF the experts or the
fEh commission believes that the ex-
tinction OF the Alaska Ash Is inevitable
II the present methods continue I'M
checked Every fish that swirns. he says.
can be caught at the mouths OF the riv
ers, and as a matter OF fact, few salmon
now reach the old spawning grounds In
the rivers OF Alaska.
More than half OF the salmon pack of
the United States. and nearly half Of
the worlds supply, now comes from
Alaska. IL Will be shown In a paper To
be prepared for publication by Or. Will
lam M. Wilcox. OF the fish commission.
that the capital Invested In these nsh-
cries amounts TO more than $3,W1,oO. and
the value OF the seasons catch, not In
Guiding the manufactured products there
from, comes 10 about 100000. Last year
there were tw 4nty-two canneries in oper-
alton which packed Gt50D cases Ga case
holding - pound packages) and twenty
four sailing establishments pat on the
market u 600 barrels of salt salmon. The
largest pack which has been IN the Alas
kan waters was that OF 1891. when So.
nngrl pounds OF salmon were shipped
to the markets of the Pacific coast for
distribution. The proportions which the
business had reached alarmed the COM
panies engaged ia IL, and 10 prevent In
furious competition an agreement was
made 20 limit the output 10 little more
than one-hdH OF the capacity or the
works In 1871 the number Of men en-
ployed was i.sa aud In 1872 II was re-
duced TO est Even with this comhna-
ton In effect the fish have been killed of
from year 10 year 50 that the supply is
surely decreasing at great rate. The
greater part 81 the catch il made at the
mouth OF the karluk river. Exports OF
the fish commission assert thar tho kinds
OF selnes used operate 10 har the way so
enectualy. ono being placed behind an
other. that practically all OF the fish
are caught at the mouths Of the rivers.
Thus they are prevented from reaching
their spawning grounds and their produc-
ton IL prevented.
II was only after the salmon fisheries
OF the Columbia and other Pacific rivers
had been greatly overworkod that re-
sort was had 10 the products Of Alaskan
rivers The government was awakened
at a late day 10 its negligence TN fail
ing 10 restrict fishermen OF oregon and
Washington. Now e weekly closed season
Is In effect on the waters of these states.
Cod and herring are already being
caught in small quantities. and there Is
much opportunity for enterprise ir the
development Of new fisheries. The FISH
commission has collected much Informal
tion concerning the food FISH ~ Alaska
which shows that there are many undo
veleped fisheries furnishing great conf
mercial possibilities FOR the future.