The weekly Alaska citizen., 1918-08-26

| fisheries experiment station to serve the same function to the fishing in dustry that an agricultural expert ment station serves to agriculture Such a station if located on Puget sound would be expected to meet ir large measure the immediate needs of Alaska. If, however, it were found after experience that Alaska's inter est in this respect could be more adequately served by station with in her own territory. the bureau oi fisheries would be ready to submit an estimate for such an additional station to congress.
 "It is the earnest desire and in tention of the fisheries service to extend what is known as the fisher ies intelligence service so as to make it more useful to all the fishermen of Alaska. At present this intelli. gence service comprises market quo. tations on certain fishes at Seattle, which quotations are daily wired to ketchikan, from which point there is daily telegraphic market report to Juneau, Wrangell, Petersburg, Skagway. Cordova, Valdez, Seward and Sitka. This service was insti. tuted in response to a memorial of the Alaska legislature and is main tained without expense to the ter ritory.
 "The rich aquatic resources of Alaska have not heretofore received the attention they deserve. One or two fisheries of great importance have overshadowed others. Yet these more or less neglected fishes are valuable food products and are the very ones which have made other countries prosperous. Particular stress is now being laid, as you know, by the bureau of fisheries on the salting of herring after the Scotch method and the curing of at. ka-fish and others. There can be no doubt that with proper publicity and instruction the Alaska herring in dustry can be made to rival that of Norway and Scotland and this de- partment is definitely committed to the task of bringing this to pass. We have undertaken campaign to introduce into wider popular use the valuable food fishes of Alaska hith. erto largely neglected. We regard it as certain that they will come in time to be an economic importance to these almost unused fish foods which will greatly contribute to the wealth of Alaska.
 "Coincident with the resumption of commercial sealing on the Pribilof Islands, the department for the first time in the history of those Islands is making use of the by-products of the sealing industry A reduction plant has been sent to the Islands and there will henceforth be large and valuable output of oil and fer tilizer. These are both in great de- mand and will never again be utter ly wasted as in the past. A number of Alaskans have been taken to the Seal Islands for temporary employ ment during the height of the pres ent season.
 "In my recent visit to the Pacific northwest it was more than once sug- gested as a hope that the coast of Alaska might be dotted with fishing villages, each pursuing prosperous local indrstry and each contributing to the nations food supply and wealth. It is our earnest hope that this may come to pass and the de- partment of commerce will willingly lend its efforts to bringing this about.
 "The department realizes, how ever that no country can safely de- pend permanently upon any one single overshadowing industry or oc- cupation. In diversity lies security. Every interest in Alaska should have the fostering care of the country so that its development may be rounded and not partial. Before the shores of Alaska, however, can be covered as they ought to be with the vessels bringing to and from her ports the commerce that is their due, the wa ters of Alaska must be made safe and this means that the surveys of many straits and arms must be work ed out so that the navigator shall know how to avoid the perils that now threaten him. To this important task the services of the coast and geodetic survey shall be continuously devoted. It is a pleasure, therefore, to know that pending legislation car ries an appropriation for another fine surveying steamer, similar to but pos sibly an improvement upon the "Sur- veyor," which vessels we hope may contribute to safeguarding the Alas. kan shores"
 HAITI r0kTTDA~