There were two labor forces in the early Alaskan fishing industry — the fishermen and the cannery workers. Unfortunately, cannery work offered few opportunities for the local labor force as the Alaska Packers Association and the Alaska Syndicate had a pool of cheap immigrant labor in the ports of Seattle and San Francisco. Shipped off to Alaskan canneries, the workers, upon disembarking would learn that the price of their passage and their room and board would be deducted from their wages. Clothing and equipment could be purchased at the company store on credit along with other necessary items.
This crew worked at Northern Lights Packing Company which was located on Eyak River. Today’s photo came from the archives and collections of the Cordova Historical Society – preserving the past for Cordova’s future!
Photo Courtesy of the Cordova Historical Society – preserving Cordova’s past for the future.
