The Alaska sourdough. [volume] (Douglas, Alaska) 1911-1911, 1911-10-24
FISHERIES OF ALASKA

Christoe in the Alaska uk0n magazine
has been popularity accepted as the
chief resource Of this big new land.
Indeed, the mention of the word Alas
ka, calls up in flash two mental pie
tures-a vast white snow fetld, and
the CLEAN Of golden nuggets.
Like 50 many popular notions CLEAN
ed in these busy days from hurried
persuals of tall headlines of newspap-
ers, this concept lacks accuracy. 1t
comes, therefore, as a surprise to most
of us to learn that gold and the pro-
duets Of gold mining-in fact, the total
output Of all the mineral products OF
Alaska combined-fall far below the
products of another industry, and that
the place of honor in the wealth of
Alaska must be given to it's fisheries.
Since 1878, when definite reports be-
gan to be kept, the mineral products of
Alaska have yielded $l47, 100000. The
products of it's fisheries during these
y
900. Before this time, in the days Of
the Russian occupation and the trans
fer of 1867, the mineral products were
an unknown quantity.
1t was fur trading, not gold mining,
that led to the first exploration and set
Element of Alaska. Gold has been sent
from Alaska in considerable quantities
for only fourteen years past; but hun
bred years ago millions and millions
of dollars in wealth were being taken
from Alaska yearly in the shape of furs
from aquatic animals-the sea otter, the
gold rush is more recent but no more
remark able than the Crush that took
place from Siberian shores for these
precious skins on the return Of the Der
ing expedition in 1743. Crowds of ad
venturers, half mad, started to cross
the stormy Bering straits in every rude
kind of hand made craft, boxes even,
fully a third Of the voyagers losing
their lives on the way. Sitka, the seat
of the great Russian American Fur
company, was casting bells for the Cal
ifornia missions a quarter century be-
fore the historic gold strike Of 40. The
Yukon river country was sprinkled
with settlements Of French Canadian
trappers years before the washing out
Of some yellow nuggets by Carmack on
Bonanza creek made an epoch in the
history of the continent
Indiscriminate butchering Of these
valuable sea animals for so many years
would have led to their extinction but
for government measures for their pro-
lection. With the decrease of their i'm
portance as a factor in the wealth Of
Alaska, another phase of the fishing in
dustry has assumed growing prom:
lnence-the catching and preparation of
food fishes for the markets of the world
1t is interesting to note in the official
reports of the Pacific Coast salmon
pack, from the inception of the indus
try in 1864, how Alaska, beginning late
in the list, has steadily and rapidly out
stripped all other sections Of the coast
In 1909, with two million cases Of
canned salmon to her credit, Alaska
doubled the second competitor, Puget
Sound. In 1910, with a slightly larger
output, the number was three times the
next in rank, British Columbia; Puget
Sound in this year taking third place
This is to say nothing Of the other
food fishes that are prepared in various
ways for the market. Alaska halibut,
for example, finds it's way to Nova SEQ
tia and the east, for as Atlantic banks
decrease by being fshed out the newer
Pacific is more largely drawn upon.
The fisheries Of Alaska present So
many points Of interest that the treat
ment Of them would take one far ahead
if he followed the lead. Historically,
it takes one back to the beginning of
things, and there is romance enough in
those old days Of the despot Of Baranoff
opd bo G., ~