The Alaska daily empire., 1917-08-23
FISHING DESTINED TO BECOME GREAT
 JUNEAU INDUSTRY

Fishing is destined to become one of the greatest industries in the Juneau and the entire southeast ern Alaska section and during the period following the end of the present war this industry will take a forward leap which will astonish even the most sanguine of those already engaged in that industry" said B. L. Thane, manager of the Alaska Gastineau Mining company today.
 Mir. Thane is heavily interested in the Icy Straits Packing company and also the Chatham Straits Pack. 1 ing company and has been close student of the fishing industry for several years.
 "The cattle and live stock in Eu rope have been terribly depleted by the present war, and in some of the countries of that continent al most exterminated. Following the end of the war there will be such demand for meat from the Ameri cas-, and for live stock to replen
 
 make a great demand on the Ameri can market and what will be the result" he said in discussing the fishing industry today.
 Meat prices in America are bound to advance and the people will have to look for a cheaper substitute. Fish will be the demand. and even now the demand for fresh and pre- pared fish of all kinds is growing by leaps and bounds. As the demand for fish grows the price will natu- rally stiffen until the fishermen arc receiving prices for their fish never before dreamed of in the history of the world.
 "Fishermen making good money, packers and cannerymen making good money, and everyone connected with the industry making good money The money will all be spent in the section where the fishermen and those earning it live, which will naturally be as close as possible to the fishing grounds where their har vest is reaped. No other section of the world is so fortunately situated regarding fish ing grounds as is Southeastern Alas ka and Juneau Here we have the salmon, and no better food fish swims the annual value of which amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars annually We have the halibut, which I is caught all the year round, and which product also amounts to hun dreds of millions annually.
 "Then we have the black cod, or sable fish, red snapper, and herring, the annual value of all of which amounts into the millions of dollars. All of these fishing industries com bined employ thousands of men the year round and these people all make their homes in this section. 1 Every man, woman and child in Juneau should have some money in vested in the fishing industry. ! don't mean in any wild theoretical company, but in some good legitimate branch of the industry. Even If 1t is only a few dollars. everyone in I Juneau should have personal in terest in the fishing business of this section. In this way more and more 4 will the fishing industry center in II Juneau.
 "The local banks no doubt would finance capable salmon packers. put ting up their money to be paid for from the proceeds of the pack when sold. This is the way 1t is done in the states and wherever the pack CTS get their money. that is where they buy their supplies. If the local banks would go after this class of business they would get lots of it, and the resulting benefit to Juneau would be immense"