Fr. Lafortune on King Island
From the Journal of Fr. Lafortune while he was working at the church on King Island."We inaugurate the year by the start of a new industry. A young man by the name of Hugh Ibbetson of California had given us 120 glass jars. Our idea was to start the "Crab industry" in 1931, but, as I was called away and nobody was to replace me, the project laid dormant for over a year. Now we begin to put the crab meat in jars. We steamed them for 3 hours without pressure. Hugh Ibbetson had given us a beautiful cooker, but Frances Ross, not knowing how to use it, wrecked it completely. It is a providence that she was not seriously hurt. She happened to be out of the house when the explosion took place. It must have been terrific. The top of the stove was blown off, the cooker was on the floor on top of the tea kettle, and the ashes of the stove, the beans etc, etc, were scattered all over the room, even to the ceiling. The bed, the table oilcloth were covered with pieces of burning coals."
Fr. Lafortune was able to can 120 jars of crab meat but the industry never became successful.
Catholic Bishop of Northern Alaska
David Schienle
Sacramental Clerk
1316 Peger Rd
Fairbanks, AK 99709-5199
907-374-9555 907-374-9580 (Fax)
library@cbna.org