The smell of salmon permanently on the wet, wooden floors.

This cannery was built in what they call a traditional L shape. The end closest to the ships is where salmon were taken in and butchered. After cutting them, filling and sealing cans, the product was cooked for about 90 minutes.

After cooling, the cans went into the other side of the building to be labelled and packed.

The whole process is run by a series of belts from one power source. There is also some equipment used before automation when everything was done by hand.

This place must have smelled of fresh and not-so-fresh salmon at all times. They used to simply toss the heads, fins, tail and entrails through an opening in the floor onto the shoreline below.

The cannery only operated from June to September and had a work force of over 1,000. They all lived on-site for that time. European, Chinese, Japanese and first-nations workers all lived in separate sections of the living quarters along the shore. They were all fed from one eating building and they got all their supplies from one store. At the end of the season, the items taken from the store were deducted from their earnings and the differencce was paid out.

Chinese workers were not hired individually. A worker manager, called the China Boss, was contracted to supply workers and was paid on a per case of salmon basis. The China Boss paid the workers and provided housing and supplies.