The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-10-25


nerss. unloading. building and
preparing and painting their boats
before tho fiah start.
For rcd salmon they received this
year &c apiece per boat. or 30 for
each man. For tho great King
salmon. weighing sometimes ms much
as rs or oven 100 pounds. they yet
soc. or isc per man. In addition tho
company feeds the men. and IN case
Of death pays their families 1900.
The profits. explained another
swede fisherman. must be immense.
ONE SALMON
MAKES CASE
'ona King salmon Weighing 90
pounds Will make q case Of the finest
salmon In tho market" he said. This
company pays us 400 for that fiah
and gets. Wholesale. In cans. $50.
'Or take a red salmon. IL talfcs
II reds 10 make a case. We Get &c.
or SIC.
"Considcr tho difference BE-
tween n farmer and q salmon
packer" he continued. "a farm.
~ has 90 buy his land. pay taxes
on II. pillow u, fertiilxe II. sow his
seed. run the risks from pests
and bad weather - and then
comes tho harvest. A salmon
packer pays nothing for his
firids. he has 10 SOW no crops.
and thcrc are no risks. An hc
has TO do IL To bring up hts crew
for thu harvest. It's pretty soft,
and it's no wonder tho salmon
industry h making miilionsircs
In . hurry
Tho fishermen. like members of
our Chinese gang. must outfit them.
selves Their OUTFIT must include
rubber boots. rain coats. heavy un.
derwear and n number OF other good
wcclen articles. Then there must be
some good whisky. considered 90 be
a part OF the equipment for ~mrrgen.
cicr. $50 union dues and soms,imes
an extra net. This costs s4s.
They must pay g. 10 IN. Alaskan
government for school tar and So for
fishing license.
IL the fish run good. the man car
make an much as 800. This means
hard and steady work for a. days.
with ilttls' sleep. During the war
pons made as high as 81 900 for the
season. The average fisherman viii
be lucky this year " he makes $3.50
for the season. Each year the price
he grts Il smaller and tho fish he can
catch arr fewer.
AZ our csnnery this year the aver.
ago catch was 1900 reds. AZ &c
apiece this would make s1so. Sailor
Toms was high boat" lie and hts
partner caught ef.1s3 reds. making
sTss.es apiece. And tho cannesy pack
this year whs ss.is7 cases. tho big
gest since 1918. Last year II was
only $1,000. Also the fields ws finhed |
In are the beat In Northwest ALASKA.
which means tho best In the world |
outside Of Siberia
The firhcmrn's risks are many. |
Often tho squalls come up 10 sud. |
denly In Alaskan waters that the |
little boats can barely make n haven
In time. II they have good luck and
make bis haul. they must no, load
their boa, too heavily. or !, win be
swampcd on the way to tho tally |
rcow.
On our boat was . pleasant
young Latin who two years ago
wus swsmpcd with his partner
af Ssknek. The two were In
the water ciinEing to the aides
Of their capsired boat for 10
hours before they were rescued
nearly frozen.
This year, when he returned
to his young wife In the city. he
would meet hIs first born baby
for the first time.
Another fisherman on this
ship last year, young Russian,
came back from two years on the
front 10 be drowned In Alaska
why do these brawny sons OF the
Northiand and Of tho Mediterranean
each year come up to Alaska. risk
their lives and age themselves before
their time for a rrubstake that win |
barely SEQ them thru the winter7
We'll. somebody had TO catch tho
saimon." answered one OF the Swod.
ish brothers from Oakland. EFF we're
lucky we make living. and that's
all a working man can do anywhere" H
Cdorc Tomorrow