The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1926-12-08
General Improvement Noted
I'm Alaska i'm Parks Report


second annual report to the Sec
retary Of the Interior just made
public, says reports received from
nearly all sections of the Territory
indicate an improvement in all CON
ditions that affected the welfare of
Alaska during the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1926. There were no
serious epidemics, and health con-
ditions generally throughout the
Territory are better than they were
last year. He was pleased to note
that commerce, both domestic and
foreign had increased about 2.3 per
cent over 1925 and that the exports
increased in greater proportion, than
the imports. The year closed with
balance of trade in favor of the
Territory amounting to $29,-
O24,224.
The Governor said that while
making official visits to Southeast
ern Alaska, the districts adjoining
the Alaska Railroad and Richard
son Highway, the Yukon River Val
ley below Tanana and the Seward
Peninsula, he found there was un-
mistakable indications of an i'm
provement in economic conditions
in nearly every district mentioned
with one notable exception, the
lower Yukon River Valley He said
1.-The depression in that district and
in lesser degree in the lower Kus
kokwim region, may be attributed
to the closing of the fisheries. For
many years the residents in those
districts derived substantial reve-
nue. from the salmon fisheries and
as in some other regions. unre-
stricted fishing depleted the supply
to the point of extinction, hence it
was necessary to close the areas to
commercial fishing in an effort to
perpetuate the species. The closed
season has been enforced for several
years, thus depriving the residents
of one of their chief sources of
revenue. The results are inevitable,
the population is decreasing, regu-
lar steamboat transportation below
Holy Cross has been replaced by
small gasoline launches operating
on a bimonthly schedule, many of
the traders are reducing their stocks
of goods or closing out their bust
ness, in fact the entire lower Yu-
kon district is less prosperous than
1t has been for years"
King Salmon Fishing
The Governor Sup0pSfpn that "a
possible relief for the situation
might be the opening, to a limited
extent, of the fishing for king sal
mon. He said that the fishing in
dustry continued to maintain its
place as the leading revenue pro-
ducer in the Territory although the
value of the products was somewhat
less than in 1925. The total in
vestment in the fisheries is about
$4.5OO.00O greater than last year,
and the exceptional feature was the
increase in the growth of the her.
ring industry in which the capital
investment and value of the pro-
ducts increased more than so per
cent over the previous high record
of 1924.
Fisheries Investments
The total active investment in
the fisheries Of the Territory in
1925 is estimated to be S67,077,4 ,495
and of this sum about 80 per cent
is credited to the salmon fisheries.
More than SO per cent of the total
investment or $33,695,736 is in
Southeastern Alaska, while South
western Alaska with $16,728,70O
and Central Alaska with $16,653,
O59 follow in the order named. The
total value of the fisheries products.
exclusive of aquatic furs. is esti-
mated to be $40,03S.745 or ap
proximately S250,000 less than in
the preceding year. There were
27,6S5 persons employed in the fish
cries, an increase of 2,491 over
1924 OF these 1896 were whites,
1907 natives, 1928 Chinese, 1,54S
japanese. 2.246 Filipinos. 1.510
Mexicans, $50 negroes, $50 Porto
Ricans, and 95 of other races.
Fisheries Protection
The policy Of continuing the pro-
lection and perpetuation OF the
fisheries by the Secretary of Com
merce, has resulted in some changes
in the regulations in closing addi-
tional areas, shortening the periods
of fishing in other areas, and plac-
ing limitations on fishing gear. The
efforts of Federal and Territorial
officials were directed to solving the
problems involved in the utilization
of the waste pOrducts from the sal
mon canneries and the prevention
of the extravagant consumption of
herring in the fertilizer plants.
Seal Herd Increases
The census OF the seal herd, taken