<P> Chinese workers originally performed many jobs inside the canneries . They would make tins, butcher fish, and pack them . The Chinese were seen as well suited to these more feminine tasks because many people viewed them as a feminine race . These workers were a source of cheap labour prior to the introduction of the head tax in 1903m . Afterwards, many workers were replaced or reallocated with the invention of the' Iron Chink', a butchering machine said to replace up to 30 Chinese workers . The name of this machine demonstrates the inherent racisms present at the time of its creation, and it has since been renamed as the' Iron Butcher' . While European workers were generally hired on an individual basis, it was common for Chinese men to be hired through contractors . These contractors, often called the' China - Boss' would agree on a set price with the cannery operators, and would then hire workers with that figure in mind . Individual Chinese labourers were then paid by the contractor who hired them, though the contractor generally kept a large portion of the money . </P> <P> Japanese workers were prized for their ability to repair boats, as well as their skills as fishermen . These skills places them in direct competition with European and First Nations fishers . Due to the nature of the jobs they performed, Japanese men were not seen as' feminine', as the Chinese tended to be viewed . Although they were still segregated from other workers, they would have been paid more, and they were higher on the social scale . The Japanese played an important role in canneries right up until World War II, when many Japanese men were interned for the duration of the war . At this time, many of their fishing vessels were also confiscated, making it difficult for these fishermen to return after the war . Despite this treatment, many Japanese men did return to cannery life in the aftermath of the war, though the return was slow, and was not welcomed by all . </P> <P> As mentioned above, many First nations women came to the canneries with their husbands, fathers, or other male relatives . They were not idle during the canning season, but performed a number of important tasks within the cannery, similar to the tasks performed by the Chinese . Women cleaned fish, packed them into tins, mended nets, and acted as nursemaids to the many children on site . They tended not to act as fishers, though some Native women may have accompanied their fathers on their boats, especially at a young age . Although women were paid for the work that they performed, their wages were among the lowest in the cannery . Within the canneries themselves, as many as 50% of the workers could be women, which suggest that the female labour force was necessary to the operation of many canneries . </P> <P> Although women of other nationalities were sometimes present at canneries, Native women were the most prolific . There are reports of Japanese women working on the canning with their babies strapped to their backs, and records suggest that white women sometimes worked as cooks or assistant shopkeepers . Aside from actively participating in the canning process, women helped to make the canneries into more than just work sites . With the presence of women and children, canneries would become homes away from home for all of the workers on site . </P>

Where was the first fish cannery on puget sound located