Seward daily gateway., 1930-02-18
ALASKA TRADE
 LARGE DUR|N1
 YEAR 0F 1929
IMPORTS GREATER, EXPORTS LESS THAN DURING PRE-
 vIOUS ANNUM

While imports showed an in crease of $2,018,8sO over 1928, ex- ports decreased s2,787,245 bringing the total value Alaska commerce for the year 1929 to S106,7l8,396, or S768, ,355 under the total reached during 1928, according to the an nual report for 1929.
 The total value of exports for ene year 1929 was $72,O62,673, while imports totalled s34, ,655,723. Tn 1928 the total of exports was STA 4,649, ,9l8 and imports were $32.636,833-
 Records of figures in the customs office show that 1928 was an un- usually high year, the fourth high est in history. The balance of trade rn favor of Alaska in 1929. was ST. 4os,e5O as against $42,213,085 in 1928.
 GOLD EXPORTS LARGER
 The total declared value of ship nents of gold from Alaska mines H 1929 amounted to S7t26,724 an increase Of S775.520 over the pro- duction the preceding year. attri- Duted to increased output by both lode and placer mines.
 
 Favorable weather conditions such as good supply of water and a long season materially assisted production. Practically all the Esrge dredges recently installed in the Second and Fourth Divisions, were active during tA,e year. and most of them showed an increased output of gold, AEr.. -Mc3ride sai1 in his report. A pleasing increase Is noted fn the productin of gold from lode mines, and is attributed largely to the increased output from the mines Of the Alaska Juneau Gold Mining co.
 
 Shipments of copper ore for 1929 amounted to S8,710.567 an increase i'd value of s1.a28.9f2 over the pre- ceaing year. The quantity nr0duc- tiar. however, shows a decrease of T.ses. .527 pounds. The increase in v7ire is accounted for bv the fact that tho selling price of copper n 1929 was considerably higher than in 1928.
 FISH SHIPMENTS LESS
 Detailed statistics show de- cline In the total value of ship naents of fish and fish products as a whole, for 1929 from the year before. This is accounted for pri- marily in the canned salmon and herring industries, which suffered from d shorter run of these fish than for 1928.
 Canned salmon shipments from Alaska for 1929 amounted to 255,- 167, ASA pounds and $38, ,568,2l4 III value. This Is a decrease of 33,8l4,- TOT pounds and s6,980,719 in value from 1928. Shipments of cured or preserved herring amounted to o7Oo,3s2 pounds and $943,75O n value for 1929, which is decrease of 8.6eo ,862 pounds and $73O,6s7 m ralue from the preceding year
 Shipments of fresh and frozen haIibut, however, showed 3 sllgnt Increase. There were 14,O49,75S pounds of halibut shipped during the year at value of $1,909, ,213 pr an increase Of 354.885 pounds and s222, ,812 in value for the year.
 An increase was shown also in tho value of shipments of fresh and frozen salmon, altho 2 decrease is noted in the number of pounds shipped. Al total Of 6.82827o pounds were shipped at value of $865,719 which is an increase Of $53857 but q decrease of 95,5s1 pounds for 1928. Shipments of cured or pre- served salmon showed a pleasing r7craasa of sd o74 pounds and $289,- l75 in value over 1923.
 FURS PICK TTP
 Trrs and fur skins sF1irped from 1Tasln during the vear amonnted rn 1S cea 492 ar .an nnc~na sa of s572 fso A-7anr the l~a animals shinn- ~a -a e1t sheen. 78a blue foY @ad TOO p,,t,,I-