Valdez daily prospector., 1912-08-16
ALASKA 6at1h0N
 PACK 'ii!s::;:sLoW
Season's Pack Not Expected to be Normal Owing to Volcanic Dls-
 turbanoe and Strike


 of salmon this season in several of the principal producing dis tricts of Alaska and that, although other districts have done and are still doing we'll, the total Alaska pack will be no more than nor mai, is the statement made by c. H. Buschmann, treasurer and manager of the Northwestern Fisheries company, who has just returned to Seattle after a trip of inspection of the company's var ious Alaska canneries. MT. Buschmann brought back to Se- attle the most complete informa- tion relating to what has been accomplished in the north this season that has yet reached the city. He said:
 "The reports up to the present time from Bristol bay indicate a fair pack in that section, although the information available up to now from that section is at an early stage of the season, and tho packing then was not far enough advanced to form any estimates of the ultimate pack.
 'The run of fish in western Alaska outside of the zone affect cd by the volcanic disturbance, is normal up to the latest reports and a fair pack is looked for.
 Southeastern Alaska, from Gambler bay and Petersburg south, which includes all but the Icy strait and Lynn canal dis tricts, has had a flshcrmen's strike to contend with, which was only settled on July 25 in a com- promise with the men. As fish, especially in the Ketchikan dis trict. was plentiful for some time previous to the settlement of the strike, very considerable por- tion of the pack is lost to the packers.
 During the tie-up, which last ed about three weeks, no fish of consequence was packed by the canneries. A few boats under were fishing, but this was of little consequence; the only fish brought in in quantities was from the few traps operated.
 During the last week about 30,000 cases per day were lost by the packers. owing to the scines laying al home. A good share of the pink salmon run being lost in this manner. it is matter for as to the seriousness of the shortage to the packers.
 'The Icy strait section, how ever, has done remarkably well this season, and has shown a con- increase in the red sal mon packed. About twO-thirds of the pack prepared for has already been put up; and, while the run has slacked off for the present. there is every likelihood of the securing the pack out fitted for in Icy and Chatham straits.
 "On the outside of Prince of Wales island the run of hump backs does not begin in earnest until about the first of August, so nothing can be said as yet about this district except that the best of the rcd salmon run Is lost through the operation of the fish crmen's strike.
 "Thc section in and around Wrangcll and Petersburg has Ina a slack run up to this time, the indications now being for short pack. At Kctchikan fish are plen- tiful at the present writing.
 "The packs on the Columbia, Puget Sound and Fraser are all short, and to considerable de- gree, and Alaska can only put up a normal pack, according to the most sanguine expectations; so with the market in first hands, as well as cleaned up as it Is, no un- easiness should be felt by any one as to the seasons results"