The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-07-25
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Il
Three thousand miles from home, is
not so far in these days of rapid
transit, but to be cast upon the shores
OF an Alaska island where news from
the outside world can be had only
once in half month makes one feel
that he is long way off. and indeed
he is. We have been here week, and
the rushing events of a great world
are wholly unknown to us. Kings
may die and nations rise and fall and
we still remain in blissful ignorance
of all.
I'VE arrived in Seattle on the Goth of
June. and had ITO remain there until
the 23d before we could get boat
that sailed to Shakan. 1t was our good
fortune to take passage on the Al-ki,
as.large freight andss..passenger ship
owned by the Pacific Coast Steamship
company. We were just week out
before reaching our destination, but
as. the weather was fine most of the
way, the officers and crew obliging,
meals good and scenery grand beyond
description, the trip was not weari-
some~if wes bar the inconvience of
crowded decks with freight. There
is probably no passage in the world
that equals for beauty Of scenery and
placidity of water the "inside chan
nel' from Seattle to Skagwsy There
is not a place for more than a thous-
and miles that land is not observable
on one side or the other and most of
the distance great mountains rise on
both sides with only few rods inter
vening where boats pass to and fro.
Down these mountain sides, even this
late in the season when there is COM
paratively little snow left. are fire.
quently seen little streams of water
threading their way down the steep
declevities to mingle with the mighty
waters of the great Pacific. For four
hundred miles after reaching Victoria
on the way north. vessels plough
through British waters, along the left
bank of which lies Vancouver Island.
Standing on the forward deck of the
ship at eleven clock at night, after
three days out, the captain from the
pilot house Informed us that we were
just crossing into American waters
the territory of Alaska. Mr.. G. G.
Bennett of Minneapolis, enroute to
Tonka, where he is interested with
other of his townsmen in the cannery
business, with several other good
Americans, proposed three cheers for
America and they were given with q
heartiness that made the mountains
echo back three times three, with a
tiger. Speaking of time reminds Us
that the days are practically continu-
GUS up here at this time of year A
newspaper can be easily read at mid
night unless it should be cloudy
which, by the way, is all too aften.
The sun is seen here despite the high
mountains surrounding Shakan, until
nine o'clock at night-Pacifc coast
time. And after the sun sinks from
view bright twilight continues until
about midnight. From that time
until o'clock a. m. is the darkest of
the twenty -four hours 1t is breaking
day rapidly at a. m. So my friends
in Minnesota can realize that to get
the regulation Gopher night sleep It is
necessary to go to bed about shutdown
and arise some three or four hours
after the sun is up The fact is there
is little or no real night in Alaska at
this season. But the inhabitants have
plenty Of time in winter to make up
for lost time, as their days are as
short then as the nights are brief now.
The Alaska Fish & Lumber Co, the
home Office of which is in Mankato,
have made some very important i'm
provements here during the past thre
months. They have one of the largest
salmon canneries in Alaska, wholly
equipped with new and modern ma
chinery, and the best and largest
wharf, according to captains of boats
who ply Alaska waters, in the south
eastern part of the territory. 1t is
certainly by far the best that we saw
at any port out from Seattle.
Salmon canning is certainly great
industry, and one that requires the en-
ployment of the most careful. pains
taking and competent help. When
the fish begin to run, the season of
which is now on for sockeyes, the red
fish, there is no room for drnnes and
no rest for anyone. 1t may not be
interesting for the readers of the Free
Press to follow as through the process
Of canning case of salmon. At any
rate we will make bold to explain the
process best we can for the double
purpose of showing the vast amount of
handling required before being made
ready for the market, and the cleanli-
ness with which the work is perform
ed.
In the first place, aside from q
superintendent and foreman of the
cannery, only Chinese and Japanese
labor is employed. For canning fish
theyss'seem by nature to be especially
designed. Of course the all-impor-
tant thing in canning salmon is first
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