The Wrangell sentinel., 1918-06-20

THE; fish
SITUATION

Seattle Chamber of Commerce
ard Commercial Club, through its
/ Alaska Bureau of which !. l..
/ Mcpherson Is secretary, is bending
every effort 10 put conditions OF
the fishing industry IN their true
light before Congress. A concise
but complete statement prepared
/ by Secretary Mcpherson with re-
spect to this industry in Alaska is
as follows:
The great fishing industry of
the North Pacific has been con-
Quoted along lines OF economic
waste that have resulted in the use
Of only the more valuable varieties
of fish, increased cost to the con-
sumner and no commensurate re-
turn to the producer.
1T has been shown that from
one half to two-thirds of the time OF
fishermen is wasted operating from
bases at Prince Rupert or at Puget
Sound ports, while the fishing YES
sci is transporting the catch to its
base of operations. With the pres
ent need of food it would appear
imperative that we conserve the
valuable time of the fisherman and
his equipment in a more eCOnomi-
cal handling of this industry. This
can only be secured by the landing
of the fish at the nearest port to
the fishing banks where it can be
frozen or otherwise prepared and
transported by ireight-carrylng
steamers 10 railroad terminus.
If the Grand Trunk Pacific Rail
road, through a shorter distance
to the principal markets of the
East or due to other ecoi omlc con
ditions is enabled to secure a
greater part of the transportation
of this industry, the only regret
of the Alaskans will be due to their
patriotism. The Alaskan does,
however, strongly protest against
any condition, natural or other
wise, which may have the effect
of centering the producing part OF
this industry in Prince Rupert, as
such a condition can on Y result in
a continuation of the present waste
tul method of operation; the grad
ual loss Of our principal fish indus
try 10 the United States; and the
loss OF an industry to Alaska that
would, if economically developed,
result IN the building Of many
prosperous fishing communities
along the coast of Alaska.
This industry is now predomi-
nantlv American, due TO the fact
that it has been developed with
bases at San Francisco and the
ports of Puget Sound. If the pres
ent methods of operation are con-
tinuad, without restriction, the
base will shortly be Prince Rupe TT,
and the fleet and industry will be-
come Canadian, just as surely as
the Gloucester banker feet be anne
Newfoundlander; and the United
States will lose the only extensive
fisheries it possesses, the great
need of which is now known to our
people, both as a valuable source
of food supply and as training
ground for the seamen which this
nation will require tor its Navy and
Merchant marine.
Mature has richly endowed
Alaska with these fishing banks
adjacent 10 her shores and their
rational development, from the
standpoint of the fishermen, the
people of the United States and
the people of the great territory OF
Alaska, requires the cen,erlng OF
this industry at the nearest ports
on the coast of Alaska to the fish
ing banks. This would result in
more favorable conditions and
greater profit to the fishermen, re-.
duced cost to the consumer and
the building of prosperous fishing
communities along the coast OF
Alaska, from ketchikan to Kot-
zebue. a distance of over 1000