BRITISH COLUMBIA FISH OFFICIAL
GIVES DETAILED ACCOUNT HALIBUT
INVESTIGATIONS BY COMMISSION
John P. Babcock, Head of Fisheries for More Than 20
Years, Completes First Trip To These Waters—
Familiarizing Himself with Conditions.
MEMBER U. S.-G. B. HALIBUT TREATY COMN.
Commission Is Operating Own Halibut Boats In S. E. Al
aska—Expect to Come to This District Near Future
—Stringent Regulation May Be Outcome.
“I came North to get first-hand in-|
formation, to talk to the fishermen
and dealers that I couid mee:, so as
io familiarize myself with fishing
conditions in this district, a region
1 have never before visited,” stated
John P. Babcock, who for over twen
ty years has been in charge of the
British Columbia fisheries depart
ment and who has been associated
with and in the study of fisheries |
for more than forty years Mr. i
Babcock arrived in Sewari Tuesday
from the Pribilofs, on the Bureau of
Fisheries vessel Eider, departing yes
terday morning for Fairbanks.
Member Halibut Commission
Mr. Babcock is a member of the
treaty commission, created a few
months ago, by Great Britain, Cana
da and the United States, in which
it was agreed that a commission be
appointed, to consist of two Ameri
cans and two Canadians. The men
selected to fill this post were Henry
O’Malley, head of the United States
Bureau of Fisheries; Miller Freeman,
a publisher of Seattle; W. A. Found,
Director of the Fisheries in Canada
and Mr. Babcock. The commission
organized in Seattle in November,
and W. F. Thompson, the noted fish
ery authority, was appointed as di
rector of the investigation, into the
condition of the fisheries and the
life history of halibut.
Dr. Thompson, Mr. Babcock stat
ed, is the leading authority on hal
ibut in the world. For a period of
four years he was detailed to ser-;
vice in the fisheries department of
British Columbia, and made a de
tailed study of the halibut. He de
veloped such facts in the life his
tory of the halibut, which are now
known. The investigation was large
ly continued along statistical and
scientific lines. The commission,
like the governments concerned, are
interested in halibut from an eco
nomic food fish point of view.
To Conserve Supply.
“We seek to ascertain the condi- j
tion of halibut and its fishing with
The view of conserving the supply,”
Mr. Babcock continued,” and it may
be, or may not be necessary to make
more stringent regulations, but what-j
<ever regulations are made, will be
based on scientifically ascertained
facts. At the present time the de
partment is working out of Prince
Rupert and Southeastern Alaskan
waters.
Operating Halibut Boats.
“We have chartered and are oper
ating regular halibut fishing vessels,
manned by experienced halibut fish
ermen. The fishing is being conduct
ed in the prescribed way, and all
fish caught, which are not fatally
Injured in the catch, are tagged, writh
metal tags, and returned to the sea.
In this method we seek to ascertain
■whether migration goes on from one
bank to another—the rate of growth,
etc. It is planned to come further
North, into the waters of this dis
trict, in the near future. It is not
anticipated to reach a conclusion un
til after the commission’s second or
third season’s operations.
Statistics from Logs.
“The success of the commission’s
work depends very largely upon the
support given us by the halibut fish
ermen and dealers. We have been
promised their hearty support. The
statistical feature of the work, which
3s the main part, will be taken from
the logs of the halibut fishing ves
sels. Dr. Thompson’s most notable
publication is founded upon the di
gest of logs from 900 fishing voy
ages. These logs were voluntarily
placed at the disposal of the British
Columbia government.”
Compiles Halibut Data.
During the four years Dr. Thomp
son was detailed to the study of
halibut, he prepared three papers,
which, it is stated, are the only pa
I-—
pers which have ever been written
on the subject. During Dr. Thomp
son’s investigations, during which
time he was often accompanied by
Mrs. Thompson, he practically lived
on halibut boats for two years. On
the logs of the vessels, nine months
were spent in their study. Splen
did cooperation was received from
the halibut fishermen, and, it is said,
during the end of the long- study,
masters of the hundreds of boats,
were vying with one another in an
effort to have the honor of the in
vestigator’s company on trips. So
enthused were the crews of the hal
ibut boats that they rendered much
valuable assistance to Dr. Thompson
in preparing specimens, spending
hours at a time, disectiug, per in
structions, the small bones in heads
of thousands of halibut, then extra
hours in polishing them down to a
point when they would be turned
over to Dr. Thompson for final analy
sis. It appears certain rings around
these small bones, about as long as
they are thick, are brought to light
with this polishing, and the age of
the halibut is thus determined.
Gateway To Publish Papers.
Mr. Babcock has promised to mail
the Seward Gateway, upon his return
to his Victoria, B. C., headquarters,
copies of the halibut papers prepar
ed by Dr. Thompson. They will be
published in detail upon their re
ceipt.
Praises Dr. C. H. Gilbert.
Mr. Babcock attributes what suc
cess he has had in the study of fish
eries to Dr. C. H. Gilbert, and, agrees
with the statement of Dr. Bigelow of
Harvard University, in which he said
“never has such practical work and
study been accomplished than that
which Dr. Gilbert has been and is
conducting.” Dr. Gilbert was retain
ed for years by the Canadian gov
ernment in coducting fishery inves
tigations. Mr. Babcock added that
Dr. Gilberts ten papers of the life
history of sokeye salmon are un
surpassed. For many years past he
has been a faculty member of the
Stanford Univresity, also a special
investigator for the United States Bu
reau of Fisheries. There is no oth
er college or university in the world
which has turned out so many prac
tica fish investigators as has Dr.
Gilbert’s class at Stanford. This is
due entirely to Dr. Gilbert, Mr. Bab
cock stated.
iLittle detail with reference to Mr.
Babcock, himself, could be extract
ed from the gentleman, with the ex
ception he had been engaged in the
California fisheries for years, prior
to his arrival in British Columbia
where he has been in the service
of the Provincial government for 24
years, to be exact. He has been hon
ored on three different occasions, with
Royal Commissions in the fishery
service, and has at various times dur
ing his career, written several pa
pers on fisheries.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Schringer, well
known residents of Seward, have ac
cepted positions with the Seims &
Carlson road contracting firm, and
have moved out of the J. L. Graef
cottage to the main camp at Mile
41-2. Mr. Schringer was formerly
chef at the Seward Grill. Supt. Wood
is fortunate in securing the services
of this capable cook and his wife.
Gateway want-ads bring results.
Take
THE FUR FARMER
MAGAZINE
and know the fur business. It
deals with every phase of fur
fanning. Learn how others made
a success of farming fur bearing
animals.
Address
21 COLMAN DOCK
Seattle, Wash.
Gas Launch
KENAI
FISHING AND HUNTING
PARTIES CARRIED DOWN
LAKE KENAI FOR THE
DAY OR TRIP. TELE
PHONE ARRANGEMENTS
TO MILE TWENTY
Louis Bell, owner
OLD CLOTHES MADE
NEW
By Dry Cleaning Them,
and for quick service
, this machine
Presses your Clothes in
from 15 to 20 minutes
Sanitary Hoffman Presser Does It
Jordan’s Valet Service
PHONE MADISON 103
SEWARD, ALASKA
A Good Thing - DON’T MISS IT
Send your name and address plainly
written, together with 10 cents, stamps or
coin (and this slip) to Chamberlain
Medicine Co., Des Moines, Iowa, and re
ceive in return a trial package containing
CHAMBERLAIN’S TABLETS forstomach
troubles, indigestion, gassy pains that
crowd the heart, biliousness and constipa
tion; CHAMBERLAIN’S COLIC AND
DIARRHOEA REMEDY for pain in sto
mach and bowels, intestinal cramp, colic
anddiarrhoea;CHAMBERLAIN’S SALVE,
needed in every family for burns, scalds,
wounds, piles and skin affections. Try
these valued family medicines for only
10 cents. Den’t miss it.
LOOK UP
Cameron’s Cafe
WHEN YOU ARE IN
ANCHORAGE
Good Coffee, Good Food
Good Service
CHAS. CAMERON
PROPRIETOR
PIONEER CLUB
John Nash, propr.
SOFT DRINKS, CANDY
CIGARS AND FRUITS
Marathon
CAFE
JOSIE EMSWILER, Prop.
THE HOME OF WELL
COOKED FOOD
SEWARD, ALASKA
lllllllllllllllllllllliM^
Ice Cream
MADE DAILY
HIGH GRADE
Candies
FRAMED PICTURES, CURIOS
AND PHOTOGRAPHS
SYLVIA'S
Phone Adams 128
Attorney Harrison
Goes To Juneau
Coast Guard Unalga
Fred Harrison, United States Dis
trict Attorney of Nome, who arrived
in Seward two days ago on the coast
guard Lnalga, and who had intended
going to Valdez on the Admiral Ev
ans, changed his mind and boarded
the l nalga again, Juneau bound. He
will return to Seward shortly return
ing to Nome via the Alaska Railroad
and down the river.
Steamer Alaska Left
Valdez for the South
Yesterday About Noon
The steamer Alaska, which sailed
south out of Seward Sunday evening
at 9 o’clock, left Valdez yesterday at
noon southbound. The vessel has been
delayed in picking up canned salmon
at the many canneries between Sew
ard and the port of Valdez.
G. Johnson, contractor, began work
this morning plastering the new ad
dition to the John Rosness residence.
STEAMSHIP STARR
NEXT SAILING WEST FROM SEWARD AUG. 10
San Juan Fishing and Packing Co.
G. C. HENDERSON. Agent
PHONE MADISON 13*. 8EWARD, ALASKA
S. S. ADMIRAL EVANS
Sails from Arrives South from
Seattle Seward Seward
June 30 July 7 July 14,9 p.m.
S. S. ADMIRAL WATSON
July 15 July 21 July 28, 9 p. m.
Calling at all regular Southeastern and South
western Alaska ports including Seldovia and
Kodiak.
WAYNE BLUE, Agent
Telephone Main 81 Res.. Madison 40
Pacific Coastwise Jerviee
^ADMIRAL LINE
jjgiiMil' i ii i Mma i M.F. ALEXANDER. PRESIDENTfeMtfsaasaa
41
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ALASKA STEAMSHIP
COMPANY
Vessel—
Yukon
Northwestern
Alaska
Yukon
Northwestern
Alacka
Southwestern Alaska Route Schedule
Schedule'! Scheduled Scheduled Sail S
Ar. Seward “
July 18.
July 25.
Aug. 1.
Aug. 8.
Aug. 15
August 22
Lv. Seattle
July 11.
July 18.
July 25.
Aug. 1.
Aug. 8
August 15
from Seward
July 19.
July 26.
Aug. 2.
Aug. 9.
Aug. 16.
August 23
E Steamers in the above schedule will make all regular ports of call E
EE y1 Southeastern and Southwestern Alaska. =jj
E Steamers in above schedule will not leave Seward earlier than FOUR —
E 0 CLOCK Sunday afternoon, sailing date.
E Steamer Redondo, carrying freight and passengers, connects with E
5 above steamers at Seward, weekly, for Cook Inlet and Kodiak Is- =
s laud points, subject to change without notice. E
E punMc J- H FLICKINGER, Agent I >
E PHONE MAIN 125 SEWARD, ALASKA =
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See the Interior
“The Golden Belt’* §
To the end that the countless places of scenic and other inter- E
ests in the Territory may be thoroughly enjoyed and understand, and S
to enable them to acquire first hand and accurate information con- =
cerning all Alaskan activities and development; travelers to the 5
Northland are urged to visit
ALASKA’S “GOLDEN HEART”
Interior Alaska and places en route—including Kenai Lake, the 2
“Loop District,” Spencer and Bartlett Glaciers, Turnagain Arm,’ An- 2
chorage, the Matanuska Valley, Curry, Nenana River Canyon, Mt. Me- E
Kinley National Park, Nenana, the Tanana Valley ad Fairbanks, hold E
much of interest to everyone, whether on business or pleasure bent; E
and a tour through these regions creates a true conception of the =
good things that Alaska has to offer.
For train and automobile schedules, passenger rates and other in- S
formation, confer with any steamship agent, or
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
The Alaska Railroad I
(McKinley Park Route)
Seward Anchorage Curry Nenana Fairbanks i
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