ALASKA TRADE GOES UP
Report Shows Increase
In Almost All Business
COPPER EXPORTS DOUBLE
IN VALUE, SAYS REPORT
Salmon Takes Only Drop
MINING AND IMMIGRATION
SHOW UPWARD TREND
The animal statement, of the
customs and commerce business
of Alaska, published by the
United States Customs Service,
Office of the Collector, June iu,
has the following to i-av under
date of December ill, 1937:
“With continued favorable
prices being paid for minerals,
Alaska has enjoyed another
prosperous year, particularly in
the mining industry. New
dredges installed during 1936
came into full operation during
the present year which rn iter -
ally increased the output of
gold. Increased activities in the
mining of platinum also stimu
lated the shipment of mining
machinery and supplies to the
Territory With such favorable
conditions in an industry as vat-t
as mining in Alaska, trade and
transportation generally has
been favorably affected, with the
result that the commerce of
Alaska for 1937 was of outstand
ing proportions.
< TOTAL TRADE BALANCE
“The total commerce of Aims
k'a for .1937 aggregated in value
$124,o5'V81, ns compared with
$115,963,586 for the year 1936.
or an increase of $8,087,595. The
totd declared value of outbound
shipments was $30 967,183,which
was an increase of $4,329,318
over 1936. The totil -declared
value of inbound shipments was
$43 083,998, or an i crease of
$3,7.8.277 over 1936 The ba
lance of trade in favor of Alaska
for J 937 was $j7,683,-185.
COPPER GREATEST GAIN
‘'The greatest single increase
was in the shipment of copper
ore. Total shipments of this
ore amounted to 47,678,765
pounds at a declared value of
$6,938,438 as compared with
24,671,472 pounds and $2,488,
703 >n values for the previous
year of 1936. This represented
an increase of 23.007,293 in
pounds and $4,449,735 in values
tor 1937.
“Shipments of domestic gold
from Alaska to the United
States likewise showed a major
increase during 1937 over trie
previous year of $1,123,022. To
tal shipments for 1937 amounted
to $17,776,401.
SALMON SUFFERS LOSS
“While shipments of lish and
fisli products from Alaska dur
ing 1937 showed considerable
loss as a whole, yet the major
loss was suffered by the canned
salmon industry. The total
shipments of fish and fish prod
ucts aggregated $49,561,300 for
the past year, as against $51,
971.2 )6 for 1936, or a loss of $2
409,906. Canned salmon ship
ped during 1937 amounted to
316,438,386 pounds at a declared’
value of $42,026,305 as against
407,619,414 pounds and* $46,173,
176 in value shipped in 1936.
This represents a decrease for
this year as compared with 1936
of 91,181 028 pounds and $4,146,
bll in value. Detailed statistics
following in this leport, how
ever, show substantial gains in
the following fish and fish prod
ucts: Fresh salmon and halibut;
sable fish; cured salmon; crabs;
fish oil.
FUR SHIPMENTS
“Shipments of furs and fur
skins from Alaska during 1937
(exclusive of seal skins and
manufactured furs) aggregated
$2,323,428, which was an in
crease over 1936 of $360,835. The
talcing of beaver skins through
out Alaska was prohibited in
1937, otherwise this increase
would have been augmented by
approximately $250,000, accord
ing to past beaver catches.
PLATINUM ENCOURAGING
The mining of platinum, par
ticularly in the Goodnews Say
section of Alaska, promises to
be an important future industry
of the territory. New dredges
and drag-line equipment was
added to this in l us try during
1937 but their erection was not
completed in time to be oper
ated for but only a short time
near the close of the season.
Shipments aggregating 2,377
ounces, at a declared value of
$118,850, were made during the
year. However, this office has
information that an additional
7,271 ounces, valued at $376,638
was produced during 1937, but
statistics regarding its ship
meut did not reach this office
in time to be included in this
report, but will be included in
our 1933 report.
PASSENGER TRAVEL
“Passenger travel from the
continental United . Slates and
Canada during the year repre
sented a satisfactory increase
and was probably due to the
placing of better and larger ves
sels on the Alaska run by trans
portation interest4*. A total of
36,043 persons arrived in Alaska
during 1937, as against 33,653
during 1936, or an increase of
2,390 persons.
“The general statistics on the
following pages give a complete
analysis of the year’s business.
The figures are taken from the
records of this office and those
of the Department of Commerce
at Washington,
JAMES J. CONNORS
Collector of Customs.’’
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INTERESTING POINTS
YEAR
’19
’21
’23
’25
’27
’29
’31
’33
’35
’37
ARRIVALS FROM
U. S. & B. C.
24,273
17,157
23,330
29,777
32,221
. 31,594
25,497
16,117
29,427 -
36,043
DEPARTURES TO
U. S. & B. C.
23,902.
17,301
• 24,542
30,871
32,769
32,378
24,969
16.233
27,597
34,848
(Phew! What a-close shave! Almost ran out of numbers!)
SHIPMENTS, UNITED STATES TO ALASKA
AccorJitij' to the report, “tin cans, finished and unfinished”
had the highest value among the imports, being worth more
than seven and a half million dollars.
Next in amount come “beverages and fruit juices,” at over
one million; eight hundred thousand dollars. Next comes “gas
and fueloil,” at over one million, one hundred and seventy
thousand dollars. More than eight hundred thousand dollars
went into smoking tobacco, cigarettes and cigars
Here are a few more: ‘ All foods listed in the report add up to
almost six million dollars; mining and quarrying machinery,
over one million forty six thousand.