A CAN OF 8ALMOX. folly overcome the obstacles encoun tered in their journey. Tho millions of young fry produced find their way down the streams to the ocean, whence they return, when full grown, to the place of their birth. In this wsy, the species is propagated and the annual influx from tho sea offers fishermen a certain bar. vest From time immemorial, the Indians living along tho banks of the Sacramcn to, Columbia, Fraser and other rivers flowing into the Pacific, have depended upon salmon as their chief article of food. During tho summer season they assembled along the streams in great numbers, and speared the fish or caught them in nets, and it is still customary for tho survivors of tho once powerful tribes, to thus gather a supply of food for winter us3. The spot usually chosen is some cascado or rapids, offering an advantageous position for spearing the fish as they attempt to leap over the ob stacle, A little staging is built out over the water, in favorable places, upon which an Indian perches himself and weilds a net, with a long handle, which he passes rapidly through the water, time after time, until his patience is re warded with the capture of a fish. Thou sands of salmon are thus yearly caught by the Indians, and dried in the sun for winter use. The Columbia river leads all other streams, both in tht size and quality of its fish, and in tho quantity packed. The Sacramento, in California, and tho Fra ser, in British Columbia, are also im. portant salmon streams. There are can nerics located on various other streams of Oregon, Washington, British Colam. bia and Alaska. The unusual size and quantity of salmon in the Colombia was remarked early in the present century, by traders whose vessels occasionally entered the river, and the officers of the Hudson's Day Company. Indeed, as early as 1832, more than half a century ago, an effort was made by a 1 Won firm to turn them to account Nathaniel J. Wycth came across tho continent with eleven followers, but returned again tho next spring. In 1831, ho again cntno out as the manager of tho Columbia River Fishing fc Trailing Co,, and built Fort Williams, on Sauvio's island, at tho mouth of tho Willamette. His enter prise proved a fail are, and ho sold out to tho Hudson's Bay Co. in 1830. Tho pioneers of Oregon used salmon freely, both fresh and salted, and it is still a fa vorite dish. Much salmon was salted for winter use, and mauy families still salt a quantity every year for private use. Tho first cannery was built in 18G7, by William, Oeorgo and It. 1). Hume and A. 8. Hapgood, at Faglo cliff, where they packed four thousand cases that year. Since that time, the business of canning salmon has increasl yearly on tho Columbia, until it now reaches an averago annual valuo of 1,. 000,000.00, and gives employment to moro than four thousand fishermen and a largo number of bauds in tho can. neriea. The great seat of this industry is As toria, where three-fourths of tho can neries are located, and whero nearly all the pack finds shipment to market The season begins, according lo legal restric tion, on tho first of April, and ch tin last of July, this limitation being placet by tho legislature to prevent tho corn, plcto extermination of tho fih. During that period, tho fmh which succwtl in safely pasning tho cordon of ii' U, trap, seines and fish wheels, havo guod reason to congratulate themnelre. Two thou, sand boats, each with a net threo bun dred fathoms long, tin in wait t catch them as they come in over the Ur at iln turn of the tidn. Such as safely run tho gauntlet of the nets at tho mouth of th strtaui, encounter other n U, sinm and