The San Francisco call., 1897-11-12
CAPITALISTS FIGHTING.
Alaska Is the Scene of Con-
tentions About Salmon
Fisheries.
Suit for Heavy Damages Against the
0pulent Packers Association
of This City.

Trouble has again broken out among
the wealthy Alaskan salmon fishermen,
and yesterday snit for $100, 900 was flied
by the Pacific Steam Whaling Company
against the Alaska Packers Association.
The complaint is sworn TO by Edwin L.
Griffith, manager of the Pacific Steam
Whaling Company, and sets forth that
the plaintiff and defendants are both en-
gagged in fishing for So lmon in and about
the mouth OF Karluk R yer and in Tangle-
foot Bay and along ka:luk Beach and
Tangefoot Beach. A rivalry has thus
grown up between these two powerful
corporations that finally resulted in a
physical Contest and threats to shoot, IN
which the Packers Association came off
victorious.
Mr.. Griffith sets forth that during the
months of May, June, July, August and
Septe Der in each year there are heavy
runs OF salmon in the waters einbefore
indicated, and that these fishing grounds
are not susceptible of private nership
ana are not owned by the defendants or
any other pr vate pers Dns. During the
months from May to September of this
year the Steam Whaling Company at
tenn pied 10 carry on the salmon-f fs ing
business in these wa'ers, and in pursuance
OF that object Invested large sums of
money for steamers, boats. seines, tackle,
ana the like.
1t is stated that the efforts OF the plain
tiffs to carry on their business were rem
dered of no effect because of the inter
ference of the defendants, who, without
right and by force and violence and with
intent to injure the plaintiffs, prevented
carving on of this business.
Particular men ZION is made OF the trans
actions OF Ju y % of this year, when the
employees of the plaintiffs were fishing on
Tanglefoot Beach, anu had run out seine
and were about to pull in their caIch OF
fish, when the employees OF the opposition
by force and violence pulled another seine
in the way and prevented the taking OF
the fish; that various employees and labor
ers of the defendants, by authority of the
defendants, stationed themse selves with fire.
arms on bluff overlooking the beach and
threatened to shoot the employees of the
plaintiffs If thay did not abandon their
seine and de,lst in their efforts to draw in
the fish. Another seine was als) run in
near the shore by the EN- ployes OF the de-
fsndan $, thus making it practically i'm
possible to land the seine owned by the
plaintiffs
On the day following the employees Of
the Steam Whaling Company attempted
to fish from the pany's steamers In
deep water off Karluk Beach, but the en-
poves of the plaintiffs surrounded the
steamers with other seines and frustra ted
all efforts to take the heavy run of SAL
mon. An attempt was made, Mr.. Griffith
says, to trip and maui up the ancho;s of
the steamers, and TO haul their anchors
and wreck them.
n tice was gwen by the Fac kerS' Asso-
citation that their rivals would not be al
lowed 10 take any salmon in those waters,
and this threat was carried out success
fully, for which reason the plaintiffs say
they are damaged to the extent of $780,,
900, and for that amount they sue.