REPORT OF THE GOVERNOR OF ALASKA. EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Sitka, Alaska, October 18, 1899. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith my annual report on affairs in Alaska. RESOURCES. FISH. The salmon and salmon fisheries.-Those who are deeply interested in this subject would do well to obtain the publications of the United States Commisioner of Fish and Fisheries, especially those reports of Dr. Tarleton H. Bean, Captain Tanner, and Capt. Jefferson F. Moser, the latter of whom are officers in the United States Navy and have been in command of the steamer Albatross, the vessel which belongs to the Fish Commission. Many things are known about the salmon, but very much remains yet to be learned. At certain seasons of the year they come in from the sea and play around the mouths or estuaries of fresh-water streams, and after a while attempt to ascend those streams for the purpose of spawning and propagating their kind. They seem to prefer such streams as have their sources in lakes, and it is wonderful to behold the efforts which they make to shoot rapids, ascend falls, and get over obstructions to reach the desired spot for spawning. It is claimed that very few fish after these efforts return to the sea. It is a life and death struggle for them. If anyone will take the trouble to place a good map of Alaska before him, and study the coast line from its initial point around to the mouth of the Yukon, he will begin to understand what a wonderful resource the salmon industry should be. The large and small islands are visited by them wherever there is a stream which they can ascend, as are also the creeks and rivers of the mainland. It was the intention of the Fish Commission to visit all these streams, run surveys, take photographs, and obtain all possible information in regard to actual production of fish and the capacity of each stream. But such a work requires much time and care. The Albatross has been detailed to other work. Such preliminary labor is necessary when the Government comes to take the matter in hand and see that the streams are constantly replenished. The canning of salmon began in the spring of 1878, two small canneries being erected that year. However, only a small business was done until 1882, when the first cannery was built on Karluk River, Kadiak Island. In 1883 several canneries were built, and each year one or more have been added. Some have been abandoned and a few have been burned to the ground. The present year nearly all the canneries which were in operation last year have been working, with the addition of some new ones. The Baranoff Packing Company sold out its plant and it was removed. The pack last year was 974,601 cases, 20,518 barrels, and 4,300 half barrels; total value, $3,544,128. From the most reliable information obtainable at the writing of this report 984,150 cases and 12,000 barrels of salt fish were already packed. It would be safe to say that not less than 1,000,000 cases and 15,000 barrels will be the pack for this year, which, at a valuation of $4 per case and $8 per barrel, would amount to $4,120,000. There have been no laws or rules regulating the location of these canneries; each canning company has built where it pleased, without let or hindrance. In some places, like Karluk, Kadiak Island, many canneries have been built close together, and there has been the keenest rivalry as to which shall put up the largest pack. Some of the streams have been wonderfully prolific. The pack at Karluk River in 1894 was 229,284 cases; in 1896, 226,428 cases, and in 1897, 154,262 cases. The business was profitable, and has been conducted in a spirit of rivalry and competition which has been in defiance of the laws on the statute books and of all safeguards for the proper protection and propagation of the fish. Nobody knows better than the canning people that this has been a short-sighted policy. and This same Karluk River in 1898 produced about 60,000 cases, the pack this year will probably not amount to over 40,000 cases. It should be said here that the Alaska Packers' Association, seeing what was bound to come, started a hatchery on the Karluk River, and have been conducting it for several years at a great expense, but so far there is no sign of replenishment. There can be no possible doubt that if the fishing continues a few years longer as it is now going on the streams will be depleted. It will be well to quote here what Captain Moser says on the subject: DEPLETION OF STREAMS. When a person interested in a cannnery is questioned regarding the decrease of salmon in Alaskan waters, he is likely to assure you at once that there are just as many salmon in the streams as there ever were, and begins his proofs by citing years like 1896 when there was a large run of redfish in Alaska; but any disinterested authority on the subject will say that the streams of Alaska are becoming depleted. While it can hardly be said that the streams will fail entirely within a few years, there is no doubt that the average runs show fewer fish year by year, and if the laws are not amended and enforced the time will come in the not very distant future when the canneries must suffer through their own actions. It is a difficult matter to furnish convincing proofs to those who do not wish to be convinced, and any argument may fail with those who are interested commercially. It is also difficult to establish proofs by statistics, because accurate stream statistics, as a rule, can not be obtained; and, as to packs, the canneries have multiplied in numbers and many of them have been so enlarged that no comparison can be made. The causes of the depletion are the barricading of streams and overfishing—in other words, illegal fishing. RELATIONS BETWEEN THE SALMON FISHERIES AND THE INDIANS. Whenever the Albatross anchored near any locality either permanently or temporarily inhabited by natives, a delegation of the older men or chiefs came on board and requested an audience. The powwows which followed invariably took the form of relating the oppression of the white man. At Klinkwan, Chacon, Klakas, Klawak, Metlakahtla, Kasaan, Karta Bay, and, in fact, everwhere, the Indians were greatly exercised over their condition, and notwithstanding that they were repeatedly informed that the Fish Commission party had nothing to do with the execution of the law and was merely in the country for the purpose of examining the fisheries, they insisted that, as we were Government officers, we must hear them. The permanent Indian villages during the spring and summer months are practically deserted except by a few old people, the young men and women being away, living in camps and curing their winter supply during the spring, and, when the canneries open, fishing for them or doing work about them. The canneries at Klawak and Metlakahtla are operated by Indians, the former drawing quite a number from Howkan and Klinkwan. At Chacon the Indians from Kasaan were curing halibut, and they were again met at Hunter Bay, where they had come for cannery work. It is only during the winter that the permanent villages are fully inhabited. They are essentially fish-eating Indians, depending upon the streams of the country for a large amount of food supply. These streams, under their own administration, for centuries have belonged to certain tribes or clans settled in the vicinity, and their rights in these streams have never been infringed upon until the advent of the whites. No Indians would fish in a stream not their own except by invitation, and they can not understand how those of a higher civilization should be as they regard it-less honorable than their own savage kind. They claim the white man is crowding them from their homes, robbing them of their ancestral rights, taking away their fish by shiploads; that their streams must soon become exhausted; that the Indian will have no supply to maintain himself and family and that starvation must follow. The natives urge that the law prohibiting them from owning mining claims is very hard to endure; that they wear the same clothes, eat the same food, obey the same laws as the white man, and are far more orderly than the white communities, and that they should have the same rights. They acknowledge the white man's superiority; all they want is suitable encouragement to imitate him. The Prince of Wales Indians also complained against the Metlakahtla community, stating that the latter are foreigners and come to their island, cut out the best timber, and carry it to their sawmill at Metlakahtla. While acknowledging the Metlakahtlans as superior in intelligence, they say they would gladly embrace the same opportunities. From the Indians' standpoint, their complaints are undoubtedly well founded, but history will no doubt repeat itself here, as in other portions of our country, where the aborigines have come in contact with the civilizing influence of the white man, where rum, disease, and mercenary dealings have slowly but surely exterminated them. My own sympathy is with the Indian, and I would gladly recommend, if the way were clear, the establishment of ownership in streams; but it is impracticable, and I can only ask for him a consideration of his claim and, whatever law is framed, that a liberal balance be thrown in his favor. This testimony comes from a man who is without interest or prejudice in the matter, and who is well qualified to give expert testimony. The cannery people, themselves, will hardly seriously deny that the greater part of their fishing has been illegal. This brings us to the question of the relation of these fisheries to the natives. The following letters have come to this office this season: FORT WRANGELL, ALASKA, June 30, 1899. DEAR SIR: We, the undersigned, natives of Wrangell, Alaska, have come together to write you this letter. This being the first time we ever asked you, Governor, to help us in our trouble. We each one look to you, Governor, as our chief. We only ask for justice according to the laws of the United States. We are very thankful that the Government of the United States has such a law as to protect us with our lands and salmon streams, especially salmon creeks and hunting grounds. For all our living and our children's living comes from fishing and hunting. And so if the white man takes the salmon creeks away from us, where do you suppose, Governor, we Indians would make our living-we old Indians, such as old Arrow Kohwow and lots other Indians that can not talk a word of English or not able to work for white man for wages due? They simply have to starve or else look to the Government for support; if not we will have to take it in our own hands to keep such bad white man off our salmon streams. And then suppose the Government then will look into it right away, and we Indians will have to get punished for everything we do. So, to avoid all troubles, we, the undersigned, ask you this favor, you being governor of our land and a good friend of Indians, besides you being well acquainted with our ways and what we own. Now we will tell you, Governor, that one of our friend, Aarow Kohwow-we suppose you know him, one of the old Christians that was with David Towyatt and Moses Lewis-Aarow and Moses Lewis own a place call Au-Aw, which means "Town of all Towns," known as one of the oldest towns, where old Aarow's family used to go to dry salmon ever since God created us, and it went from one family up to Aarow, which he now has it in his hands for over twenty-four years, till few years ago, when the cannery was build here. Two years afterwards the superintendent, J. Batler, send men over to the place to fish every year, about ten days every year, while Aarow stays on it every about seven or eight months, hunt, fish, and tend to other thing; and now J. Batler claims he owns the place and want to keep the other Indians away from there. He, J. Batler, have keeped us away from there already. J. Babler tried to buy it from Aarow, but Aarow would not do it, so this year he want to lease it from Aarow, provided Aarow keep all other Indians away from the salmon creek; that Aarow would not do so, the trouble comes in. J. Babler break and saw down Aarow's fence and got in on Aarow's garden, using it for camp ground. So Aarow made complaint, but the trial is put off till the Queen's return. All we ask you is to see the United States district attorney and give us a fair show and justice. We Indians of Wrangell can say this much, that we never tried to keep any white man away from fishing in the creeks; they have always fished every place; but when they tried to keep us out and try to take the ground away from us, we think we have right to kick. This is the third creek that white man tries to take away from us. There are three good creeks where we all used to fish; now one white man has it all in his possession and puts a fence across each creek every year, and we Indians left out. Now such things ought to be looked after. This have been going on every year for over seven years. So if we lose this case we will have to be keeped away from this creek by one white man. Let us have the creeks where we get our living and hunting grounds; that is all we ask of the Government. This letter represents all the natives of Wrangell and others near by. Let us hear from you on return boat. We remain your humble servants. GEORGE (his x mark) SHAKES, The leading men of Wrangell. JOHN G. BRADY, Governor of Alaska, Sitka. AFOGNAK, ALASKA, June 22, 1899. SIR: We, the natives and all the Russian population of Afognak, appeal to your excellency to help us to retain possession of the fish streams where we are dependent upon getting our winter's supply of food for ourselves and families. We can not get any chance of fishing in the streams, as the cannery fishermen of all the companies operating here have taken possession of the mouths of the rivers. They stretch a rope across the water, and as the rope vibrates from the force of the current, they frighten the fish. In the meantime they seine fish directly at the mouth of the stream. We tried to remonstrate with them and they threatened to smash our skulls. We lay these facts before your excellency so that you may give us some assistance. We can not allow our families to starve, and if the canneries are allowed to carry away all our fish-the main food-we will be obliged to starve. Hoping you will look kindly upon our petition, We are, very respectfully, your obedient servants, His excellency Hon. JOHN G. BRADY, VASILI ALEXANDROFF, Chiefs for the Afognak Population. Governor of Alaska. The Rev. J. H. Schochert, superintendent of the Moravian Mission on the Nushagak River in Alaska, under date of April 22, 1899, writes to the mission board begging them to appeal to the Government to prohibit the placing of fish traps in the Alaskan rivers. There is no objection to gill nets, which are from 6 to 6 inches in the mesh, for these allow the small fish to pass through; but the fish traps kill all the small fish, and will result in the extermination of the food supply. As it is, many of the natives die of starvation each winter and they earnestly petition for the prohibition of these fish traps. Many people have complained that the cannery people, especially the large concerns, conduct their business in a ruthless sort of way, bringing all their supplies and nearly all their labor-Chinamen, Italians, Portuguese, and Norwegians-aboard of large ships, which are sent to their different canneries, there to remain until the completion of the fishing season, about the last of September; that these men are contracted with not to receive their wages until their return to San Francisco. While all this may be true, the cannery men have no other recourse. When the fish are caught they must be canned without delay, and to do this men who are trained and used to it are necessary. They can not then undertake to deal with natives and others who have no training whatever, and who have no compunction in breaking a contract and leaving their work in the middle of the season. Again, as set forth in last year's report, the canneries have had very little legal protection, for the reason that they are at great distances from settled communities, and the civil officers have had no independent means of transportation, and have been nearly powerless to give them any speedy and adequate protection. Again, it must not be lost sight of that these canneries have given to the world a vast amount of wholesome and nutritious food at a very moderate cost, which otherwise would have been completely wasted. There are probably between eleven and twelve millions of dollars invested in buildings, machinery, tackle, boats, and steam vessels for this industry. They ought to be here to stay, and to expect that year after year they could rely upon doing a profitable business. In view, then, of what has been given above this is surely the proper time for Congress to take this matter in hand. It would probably be best to limit the number of canneries and the catch in accordance with the capacity of each stream, and put the hatchery business wholly in the hands of the United States Fish Commission, and tax each cannery for their support in proportion to the amount of its pack. The Fish Commission would no doubt gladly take up the work, and would have the warm and hearty support of all the cannery people. All the laws bearing on this industry should be both plain and susceptible of but one interpretation. And the officers and means for enforcing the same should be ample. The distances are such as to require a good, well-equipped steam vessel, so that the officers shall be entirely independent. Heretofore they have often been obliged to accept transportation and entertainment from the cannery people themselves. It does seem that in the light gained here in Alaska in the last ten years, and in view of what has been brought about in British territory and elsewhere, that a law should be framed that would give protection to the capital now invested and still give justice to the natives, who from time immemorial have regarded the salmon as their staple food, and at the same time keep the streams |