The Daily Alaska empire., 1930-01-01
1929 COMMERCE
 OF TERRITORY
 ABOVE AVERAGE
Total Outborne Shipments Worth $67, 500,000-
 Figures Incomplete

Alaska commodities, including gold and silver, but not certain fur shipments, shipped to the States during 1929 aggregated in round figures $67 ,500,0o0, according to un- official estimates based on month to month Custom House reports is- sued during the year By mail shipments Of fur and the Pribilof Islands seal take yet to be added should bring the total for the year to about $70,O00,000
 Only four times in the Territorys history has this figure been ex- ceeded-1917, 1918, 1926 and 1928 making last year rank fifth.
 Well Above Average
 It is well above the average for the past decade, which was about $56 0O00C0. It fell short of the mark established in 1928, S74,227,- 334, which was within $2,250,000 of the record made in 1917 under the stimulus of wartime prices and conditions.
 The products of the fisheries in dustry ranked first. All of the fisheries combined produced com modities valued at about 46,500, 900 This was $6,5o0,000 less than in 1928, the loss primarily being due to the shrinkage in the salmon pack. This dropped from S45, ,548,- ; GS3 in 1928 to $38 ,50o0o0 last year, or about $7,000O00. However, the salmon pack was regarded as ex- cellent in view of the fact that it was one of the so-called "off years in several districts including the ! red salmon fisheries of Bristol Bs,g.
 Halibut Makes Gain i There were some 14,o0o,000 pounds of halibut shipped during the year, valued at about $1 9o0,0oo The in- crease in quantity was about L. 100000 pounds, and in value about S225 ,0O0.
 Cured herring showed the heavi- est decline, dropping from $1 ,674 PA to about S940,000. Unreasonable weather, and poor runs in central and western Alaska areas were the main factors in the drop.
 Fisheries byproducts industries apparently experienced a prosper ous year. Fish meal production jumped almost 5000 tons to II 300 tons worth more than $825,000 Oil production increased from 2,569 ,439 gallons to 3.409,814 gallons, and in value from $1,073,4 ,454 to about S1,- 380,0O0.
 Gain in Minerals
 The most striking feature in last years outborne commerce was the gain made in mineral production as disclosed by export figures. The estimated total of all minerals for the year was $16,450,000.
 For the first time since 1922 gold and silver shipments exceeded ST. 000,000 the total being about ST. 100000 as compared to s6,633, ,249 in 1928. The gold volume was $7,126,- 724 and silver $281 ,731.
 Copper also made a gain, jump ing to about $8,700,o0o last year from s6781 ,655 in 1928 This was the result of higher market prices received for that mineral as the production declined from 45,349 ,937 pounds to 43,900,000 pounds. Other minerals produced were: lead, $17o,- GOO; tin, s52,500; and stone $110,000 1 The coal production figures are not contained in these estimates as all of it was consumed locally and only those commodities shipped outside of the Territory are covered by Customs House records.
 Furs Show Loss
 While the final figures on fur ex- ports will not be available for sev- eral weeks, or until the Post Off, ! flee authorities report on mail
 Continued on Page Three)