East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-12-15
WEALTH OF alaska
SEAL RooKERIES DINnN-
ISHING EACH YEAR.
rotal Value of Merchandise Shipped
Into Alaska During the Past Year
Was S11,227, ,619-Total Gold and
Silver Shipments Out of the Terri
tory Amounted to S19,SO1, 100.

The report of the secretary of the
Interior contains the following inter-
esting statistics on Alaska territory.
which is rapidly increasing in wealth:
The total pack of the salmon can
Heries for the past year viii be about
I.500, 900 cases of dozen 1-pound
cans 10 the case. but the prices have
been rather low. as there has not been
an active demand for these products.
A number Of canneries were not in
operation.
The governor thinks this condition
10 due to the lack OF sanitary precau-
tons. and that upon failure of the
owners to agree among themselves
upon rules and regulations for clean
ing, handling and packing this pro-
duct the government should promul-
gate rules for a rigid inspection and
have an officer at each cannery to
zee that the same are strictly complied
with. He also suggests that the la
borers, consisting of Chinese. Japan
ese, Italians, Swedes, Norwegians,
Portuguese. Porto Ricans, Filipinos
and Guamese, be first obligated to
undergo a medical examination before
being employed in the canneries.
and are being sent to the eastern mar
kets; herring are caught in large guam
titles, and the oil and guano factories
are using them for their work; after
the oil is extracted they are turned
into fertilizer.
At Juneau the small herrings are
being put up for sardines, and as the
product seems to give entire satisfac-
ton, the demand for them is increas-
ing. The governor is of the opinion
that the wealth of the sea along the
Alaskan shores in time will bring to
her inhabitants as much wealth as
her hills and valleys yield in gold.
The exports of furs and fur skins
is given at nearly 100000, but as the
finest grades can be placed in a small
compass and handled as personal bag
gage. it is doubtful whether the
amount covers the whole value.
The seal rookeries are becoming
year by year smaller. and the killing
By the North American Commercial
oompany's agents during the past year
has been about 1900 on st. Paul and
1900 on st. George island.
The governor states that il would
be good policy for the government to
come to friendly understanding for
the remainder of the lease with that
company, based upon the number
taken the last five years, stop the kill
ing for eight or 10 years, deport the
natives on both islands. and keep
there only the necessary agents to look
after the rookeries. To prevent the
entire determination of these animals
some such immediate action Is neces-
sary.
Domestic merchandise shipped from
the United States 10 Alaska from GUS
toms districts in Oregon. Puget sound
and San Francisco aggregated $11,-
BESSIE. of which s9,679,SOO was car
ried in American sailing vessels.
The shipment of domestic merchan-
disc from Alaska to the United States
was OF the value of s1O,69S,694. The
shipment of gold and silver coin from
the United States to Alaska amount
ed to f437,O36, and shipment of coin
from Alaska to the United States
amounted to $39,3S4. The total ship
ments of gold and silver from Alaska
10 the United States aggregated in
value s19,sn1,1e0.
The imports of merchandise into
Alaska from foreign countries were of
the value of s1,45O,91O. and the ex-
ports to foreign countries were 81
o72,026.
The consolidated receipts from Gus
toms, including s116,5SO.37 for duties
on imports, were $133,24S.15, and the
expenses of collection amounted to
;es,739.35.
The total amount of internal reve-
nue. collected in the district for the
past fiscal year was s1S,419.4S.
There are 22 newspapers now being
published in the district, some Of
which are issued daily.