The Cordova daily times., 1919-03-24
ALASKAL00MS UP LARGE ON
 HORIZON

The MOHLuly bulleIlA, lSSuou Uy lho Alaska Bureau of Publicity, contai1A much information of interest, from which the following excerpts are taken:
 Things Are About to Begin to Happen
 Present indications are that gen. eral business activities will begin in Alaska this year nearly a month earlier than usual. Already the can nery people have started their annual overhaulings and Improvements are getting in supplies for the season. The small boat contingent is also be- coming active all along our 26,O00 miles of coastline and the commercial interests are encouraged in conse- quence as the Mosquito Fleet" con- stitutes the widest and richest pay. streak enjoyed by the commercial in terests of the sections in which they homeport and secure their outfits. Any town in Alaska that has from fifty to two hundred-the more the better small fishing craft operating from it never fails to ride' the crest of the wave of prosperity during the fishing season. Crews for operating can neries are already arriving, although the actual work of canning, salting and packing is not due to start yet for another month or SIX weeks-depend- ng wholly on when the run of fish starts.
 New Alaska Industry
 That the production of sugar beets in Alaska in commercial quantities would prove remunerative industry has been shown by tests made by the department of agriculture at Washing ton of beets grown in the famous Matanuska valley and along the line of the government railroad. Beets grown there and sent to Washington 169 per cent sugar. This is consid- cred a remarkably good showing when it is considered that it was the first crop from virgin ground which yield ed from seven to eight tons of beets to the acre. That beets will do equally we'll in many other localities in the territory as in the Matanuska country is certain. * Fish, and By-Products -ESfa
 The fishing industry of Alaska has made many millionaires during the past score of years, but the mapority of the Napoleons of finance have been content with canning, salting and packing. Few have paid any attention to the by-products, which offer a broad field for exploitation. Thou sands of tons of offal is annually thrown back into the sea that could ; be utilized with profit. Fertilizer and oil are, among the most valuable prod ucts that are being practically over looked while the opportunities for the ' cod liver oil industry all along the chain of islands forming the Aleutian group is acknowledged by those con- versant with conditions to be the most promising in the world This item and the erection and mainten- ance of cold storage plants at advan- tageous points on the Aleutian islands offers great inducements to capital
 Fish hatcheries Advocated
 More drastic laws are needed to protect the fish in the Alaskan waters, otherwise the now teeming ex- panses will be exhausted of their God given resources of wealth, and that within few years. Many theories are advanced as causes for the grow ing scarcity of fish-pfincipally salmon-but the principal one is that fewer fish are reaching the spawning grounds with each succeeding year. This is due largely to the practice of fishing the very mouths of the spawn ing streams and even the streams themselves. Too many itinerant fish ermen care nothing for the future of the industry but have thought only for the present-"Grab all we can this year and get out" The Alaska Fish and Game club of Juneau is experi- menting in fish hatcheries and won- derful results are being obtained, dem onstrating that artificial hatcieries can be operated as successfully in Alaska as anywhere. The club Is all ready receiving financial assistance from many of the concerns interested in the matter of propagating the fish of Alaska and it is probable that the X territorial legislature now in session will award financial aid to this emil nently deserving enterprise.