The daily progressive-miner. [volume] (Ketchikan, Alaska) 1915-1919, 1918-04-18
WANT
PRICES SET ON
PUCETS. BASIS
Cannerymen Declare That
Hioher Price Would leave
No Margin for Profit
BY IRENE Du hAMEL

Judge Royal A. Gunnison, territor-
ial Food Administrator for Alaska,
al the conference held last evening
for the purpose Of discussing prices
with the cannerymen. operators, pack
ers and fishermen declared that the
men engaged in the business OF pro-
ducing food for the soldiers in the
trenches and the munition workers of
the country. were fighting the Huns
just as faithfully as any o. Uncle
Sans soldiers"
In mis- opening remarks Mr.. Cum
nison impressed upon his hearers the
value OF fish as food product, plac-
ing i. third in importance. after wheat
and meat He declared that in good
many places in America there pre-
vailed a wrong impression Of what
the United States is fighting for. The
United States is lighting for the Tn
tied States. helping the Allies OF
course, bur fighting for her own in
teres. and II this war is not won ca
European soil. it will have TO be fought
over again on our own shores" He
stated il was the patriotic duty OF all
20 do as much as possible 20 win the
war. without the thought o. pemunary
reward IN view. This. he said, must
apply 10 the fishermen as well as to
T. = 1rrrv- ~ - an,
20 produce as much foodstuffs az as
reasonable q price as possible, at the
same time allowing them to receive a
fair living wage. Mr.. Guanison re-
marked that the e. S. Food Admins
1ralion would set no prices until con-
.ereaces had been held ali over and
until value OF the canned product
could be ascersained Alaska fisher
nen viii have 10 contend with the in
aux OF alien Austrian fishermen who
viii be coming north from Puget
Sound, should high prices prevail in
this district Their coming here will
cut the production OF the local fisher
men in two, and not increase their in
come, nor add 10 the amount Of the
pack Concluding Mr.. Gunnison stat
ed he was holding conferences to OBJ
tain information on wha. the fisher
men and cannerymsn should get with
company gear and Independent gear.
II developed in answer TO a question
from one OF the audience that at the
recent conference IN Seattle no prices
for Puge. Sound had been set and
that no prices would be set until an
understanding had been arrived at, at
which time the prices for the entire
Pacific Coast from California to Cook
Inlet would be regulated.
Fishermen in the audience we're
then called upon to give an estimate
of the cost Of operation with company
: gear, fuel and boat, also with indie
pendent gear and boats In the various
districts. The high boat OF the Dis
trict, il developed, was the Sunbeam
owned by "Squaw" Brown. which
ne.ted $50, 800 for the season. Five
men made up the crew. who receiv
ed each 1890 az shares This boai
made twice a. much as any oshel
boat, Prices received from Dog Sad
mon ranged from -15c TO 40. for Co
hoes. 25c. 10 SOC. to the cAnneries
: Gear prices however have increased
considerably this year, the informer
) Nick Bee, stated Web had increased
: from IS TO 7sc, corks from Sc to 10c
and lead about the same He express
ed the opinion that prices should b
set according to the Puget Sound bas
g, allowing for the extra cost 70 can
,usrymen IN Aiasln.
The general average Of boats how
lever, ran between 5000 and $500
net earnings for the season. with Nv,
linen 10 . boat, s shares, three to ;
boat, and one share per man nettin,
them about $3.50 pr month.