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About Tri-weekly Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1873-1874 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 29, 1873)
czi TVi- WoalrW A'Qtnria-n ith the comPletion of the railwy the 111-YV eeKiy Ja-blUlldJl fnarkct was extended, not only for pick led but also for freshSalmon. JBy packing ASTORIA, OREGON: I. C. IRETiAWD Editor. ASTORIA Not. 29, 1S73 THE COLUMBIA ItXVEIt SALMON FISHERIES. "Written for tlio Tri-Weekly Astorian, "Washington Iryixg, in his much read " Astoria," related the manner of taking the Salmon of the Columbia river by the natives, before the devices of civilization and science encroached upon the pristine method. At that time many Indians lived along the river subsisting mainly upon the fibh, taken from its clear waters, and exchanging their surplus catches with in terior tribes for hides and land game. "When the Pioneers came upon the river the3r secured and preserved the iish for their own use, but as the settlers became more numerous, and commerce began to grow, the new comers likewise' engaged in the traffic of the Salmon, until now the catch amounts to about one million dollars in coin per year. The Cu&tom-houbC records at Astoria fahow that there were shipped from the Co lumbia river during the year ending Octo ber 31st, 1873, the following amounts of Salmen: To Liverpool, 3,000 cases and 200 kits; To China, 1,500 cases and 63 barrels; To iMelbourne, Austria, 475 ca&es; To Honolulu, 20 cwt.smoked, 1,512 bar rels, 2G7 half barrels, 30 quarter barrels, 151 kits and 77 casas; To Port Townsend, 2S7 packages, and 20 kits; To San Francisco, 6S,S90 cases, 7,961 packages, 1S9 tierces, 2,79S barrels, 1,73S half barrels, 119 quarter barrels and 101 kits; Amounting in value to about 700,000. The quantity and manner of curing of the packages are unknown, but the cases are of canned, and the barrels, kits, etc., of pickled or salted Salmon. This state ment does not include all that has been carried to Kea from the river, because some of the sailing coast vessels do not report at the Custom-house. There is not inclu ded the amounts also consumed hy the States and Territories bordering on the river, so mat we uiniK me numoer laicen during the past reason can safely be esti mated at 500,000, of a value of 1,000,000. The Columbia river Salmon are said to be the best on this coast. In the waters north of here are fabulous quantities of plump fish, but they are considered less finely tiavo red, though few, perhaps, could distinguish them apart on the table. The iih here average twelve pounds each, net, but of the numbers there is no counting them. In April they enter the river, and continue to do so until August, pushing their way up stream, leaping rapids and floundering on shoals to the head waters . they of the Columbia, and its tributaries. Though many persons think the supply inexhaustible, the history of depleted riv ers on the Atlantic coast, any the present scarcity of the fish in the Sacramento, ad monish us to not rest too confidently in the opinion of the many, but to encourage the growth of the fi-h in our river. Many fish destroy themselves, trying to leap the rapids on their voTage to the spawning grounds. It has been ascertained, b' ac tual experiment, that the Salmon, after j entering and living for a season in the ocean, return to the same streams in which they began life. The greater then, the number produced in any stream, the great er will be the ' run" in the future fishing seasons. There should, wherever practi cable be placed fish ladders or other means by which the transit of the fish over the Jalln of the rivers would be facilitated. There is one place deserving of especial attention, the "Wallamet falls. Over them the lish seidoin leap, yet above them are in ice the fish can be taken by the car load from the Sacramento to New York fresh, where they being as high as one dollar per pound. It will be years before the culture of the Salmon in the Atlantic slope can limit the market there, notwithstand ing the large sums of money being expend ed in its behalf. Put preserving the fish in cans, as meats and vegetables are pre served, opened the whole world as a mar ket. "When the canning was commenced on the Columbia river five years since, it was difficult to effect sales of fish so pre served. Purchasers had to be solicited, and consumers made acquainted, with the novelty. This 3Tear, however, orders were received from Europe before the first fish could be taken, one firm having an order ahead for 15,000 cases. All the fisheries have been able to realize, as fast as the Sal mon could be placed on board ship, and no longer will canners have to beg of the people to taste an unknown dish. Catching the fish on the upper Columbia was formerly done by half-naked savages, standing on the rocks or temporary scaf folding, over rapids and shoals, and spear ing the fish as they appeared near the surface to leap the falls, or floundered in the rocks. On the lower Columbia the fish were drawn ashore by rude seines. At Chinook point (opposite Astoria), the shore is a shelving bank of sand, three or four miles long, on which the fishermen were wont to haul the seines. The Anglo-Saxons soon availed themselves of this fine fishing grounds. The fish taken at this point were called u Chinook Salmon," in contra-distinction to those taken at the falls and stood better in market. There not being many places along the banks of the river sufficiently sloping for the drag ging of seines another net was brought in to requisition called the gill net. The meshes of this net are of such size as to ad mit the head of the fish sufficiently to en tangle and hold it fast by the gills. The nets are about two fathom wide with sinkers on one edge and small buoys on the other, which cause them to float perpendicularly when stretched in the stream. They vary in length from one hundred to three hun dred fathoms. Two men with a boat at tend each net. The net is extended across the channel and allowed to float down with the tide while the boat passes backhand forth along the line of buoys watching for fish and keeping the net aright. The fish, a-cending the river, thrusts its head through the meshes of the decending net and becoming entangled disturb the buoys over it which immediately sum mons the men in the boat, who coming to the spot lift that portion of the net, strike the fish a blow on the head, cast it into their boat and drop again the net. Thus they work till the boat is full of fish or have drifted the proper distance when they take the net into the boat and go back to the fishery. Two men will sometimes catch three hundred fish in one niirht. nio-ht so the fish cannot see the nets, but many were caught last reason during the da3T in cloudy weather. Packing at first was done by the fisher men, who would make their nets, boats and barrels through, the Autumn and has increased in profit and in magnitude the past year, and next season there will be double the facilities for preserving fish judging from present preparations. Eight canning establishments were in operation this last season. Now six more are being erected and additions made to the old ones. Last season but one steam tender was owned by the fisheries, next year there will be three, two small steam boats hav ing been recently purchased for that pur pose. These boats will be used to bring the fish from the different " drifts" to the cannery and in transporting their own freight generally. Cases of canned sal mon ready for market are estimated to cost five dollars each, while they sell at home for seven to eight dollars, and are now quoted in the Australian market at bixteen dollars per case. Three of the fisheries this season put up about fifteen thousand cases each, clearing doubtless thirty thousand dollars apiece. The out lay for fixtures is chiefly for boats nets, and machinery for manufacturing the cans Aside from what wharfing may be neces sary, the buildings are cheap. A loca tion is generally chosen where the chan nel approaches near the shore so as to ren der much wharfing unnecessary. The principal article of import used is tin which is brought in- the block and manu factured into cans at the fishery. The cases are bought read5, made of our Ore gon box manufactories by all the fisheries we beleive, except "Westport. In connec tion with that one is a saw mill which furnishes the lumber and it makes its own boxes and barrels. The heads and trim- in ga of the fish were thrown away by all till the lastseason, when J. "West of "West port utilized the heads by extracting the oil from them which proved to be a profit able experiment. It is to be hoped that more will do likewise hereafter. Labor is generally performed by white men.though troubles incident to that kind of labor have caused one or two establish ments to employ chinamen to do the in door work. The fisheries are in isolated places where new hands cannot be secured in a moment. During the fishing season not a moment should be lost, as the fish should be preserved on the same day they are brought in. Looses have occurred by the laborers getting liquor and disqualify ing themselves for labor for several days and suspending the work. Isolated loca tions are chosen with an eye to being re moved frflfn temptation. All the princi pal fisheries on the lower Columbia are within forty miles of Astoria. Au Inspector of Salmon was formerly appointed by the State but as he could not visit the different fisheries when needed he was obliged to trust much to the honesty of the packers, and the office was soon abolished. Now each firm puts its indi vidual brand upon the packages sent out and stand.-, or falls by its reputation. A few fi.-h are caught in traps formed of stakes driven in the bottom near shore. The principal danger encountred with the drift nets is the Seal which pursues and preys upon the Salmon. They get into the nets sometimes and beiiiff strong do though when NE"W ADVERTISEMENTS. AlCTIONEERS. GO0DS FOR THE SEASON Great REDUCTION in Prices ! i Selling Less tkanCost A. B. KiqHARDSON S. I.. OlE3M3r. A. B. Richardson, AUCTIONEER Corner of Front and Onk steu Portland, Oregon. Auction Sales of Keal E?t:ito, Groceries, General Merchandise aid Horsos. Sales Wednesday and Saturday. THE MTIRE -STOCK! OP GOODS AT THE STORE OF THE LATE GEORGE SUMMERS deceased, Astoria Oregon. HAS TO BE SOLD; And in order to settle up the affairs of the es tate, the undesigned, administrator, is now offering the entire line, embracing a very de sirable quality of goods at prices below actual cost. 'WST Call and Examine for Yoursclves.1H 5rLnnjo assortment of Grooerios, Liquors, etc., at Frivato Salo. Liberal advances mado on consignments. A. B. 1UCH ARDSON Charles S- Wright, AUCTIONEER Cor of Main a$id Chenaimw Street5, Astoria. Goods received on consign ment and sold to-the highest bidder. Oscar Kilbourn, AUCTIONEER Offico 40 First st., Portland. MISCELLANEOUS. JT5TA11 persons having bill? against the es tate will pleaso present the same, with proper vouchers for payment. And all persons owing the estate will please come forward and settle, or make arrangements to settle the same, and save costs. C. S. WRIGHT, n2fltf Administrator. Fancy Poultry I Sale, THE UXDERSrCrXED, ABOUT TO RE movc from Astoria, offers his stock of fan cy Poultry for sale, at the following reduced prices: Silver Spangled Hamburgs S7 50 per pair Buff Cochins 5 00 " Light Brahmas 5 00 " Duck-Wing Game 3 00 " ndAll Chickens are warranted to bo Pure blooded. A. J. MEGLER, n2itf Astoria, Oregon. FARM FOR SALE. THE DONATION LAND CLAIM of ALVA COND1T, on Clatsop Plains, One of the Einet Situated places in Clat sop County, Consisting of Six Hundred and Forty Acros, nearly all under fence, with a nice Orchard, together with Stock, Plows, and other Agri cultural Implements, including a new Wagon, team of Horses, harness, etc., is now offered for salo on very favorable terms, For particu lars, address, ALVA COND1T, n'2( 2m Skipanon, Clatsop Co., Ogn. Paul ScJioen, REPAIRER TUNER & REGULATOR. Prom the LTouse of Matthias Gray, 023 and 025 Clay street, San Francisco, Cal., and Odd Fellow's Temple, Portland. mWR DXTT.V TTTNTF-T? AVTTTT OXE "RYfTRP- ! JL tion, to whom Mr. Gray has over given a rittcn recommendation. J. WM. WELCH. FRANK HOBSOX, JAMES W. WELCH & Co. TEAMSTERS. Office at J. "V. Gearliart'b Store, Astoria. ,RDERS LEFT WITH MR. GEARIIART for any kind of learning, will be promptly attended to. ood of all kinds constantly on hand. Orders solicited. oc4tf" To Let. THE HOMESTEAD PROPERTY, belong ing to the estate of A. Crosby deceased, is fur rent. 1 or particulars apply to 11. S. AIKEN, Administrator Astoria, Nov. 20th, lhT.Mf of said Estate. George A. Pease, Pacific Boot and Shoo Storev Is now prepared to wait on his cusKTfcgycy At The Old Stand Again I S. W. Corner First and Morrison Si&ete, Portland, Oregon. OREGON ROOT AND SHOE stere: S. M. BARR, BAJtJl J. Cv KEJOSMJY. KINGSLEY, PRINCIPAL RETAILERS OF THE STA plo brands of Eastern, California and Oro gon Roots and Shoos, No. 135 First street cor ner Yamhill, Portland Oregon. R3F With our long oxporionco and small ex pense wo are enabled to sell choapor than any othor house in tho city of Portland. Ab tho proverb goes SI 00 saved is $2 UO made-: Call and see and givo U3 your trade. i3in & ivi-LitrouXii. S. G-. Skidmore, Druggist and Apothecary, Has Removed to his NEW AND ELEGANT STORE, 111 First st., next to L. C. Henrichson's, Portland, Oregon. au7 AST Mr. Schoen will soon visit Astoria, and orders left at tho Astoriax Office will bo promptly attended to. n28tf B .-.... n. !-.... rlnmorrn thrilKrh W inn Pfm it -r .-a: n ,1 i uiyn; ui b umuugb. w.vi... ........ w.. --.uniting" is geiimny "" M tured compensate somewhat in oil for the harm done. It might be well to mention another species ol fish called the fall Salmon which enter the small creeks near the ocean in October and are much better for leing dried and smoked than the spring Salmon as they have less fat. Large quantities are taken from the creek, at the Seaside Winter, ana mn aurmg uicmuui oiu- . , fl t f thc 0Cean. them in large tanks till the SfivGrnl nerons are there now engaged in saltinsr and smoking them. With a When the first canning establishment miles and miles of pebbly streams favoia- ble for the preservation and hatching of for three hundred dollars, or the .pavn o. these fish. Besides increas- skarcs, is all the outht needed. ing the quantity of fish, enabling them to ! a-cend the Wallamet would aftbrd the people of the valley the opportunity of getting the fish fresh from the water. Sal mon taken near the sea are the "best, but for immediate consumption, transporta tion in the .water is better than any other, and the fi.-h taken from the river t Eugene would be preferable to those car rivd trom Chinook by boat and rail to the same place. The catch next year, if the "run" should be us gooc? as the last, will reach uear one million fish, and the business increasing one hundred percent. Immense, indeed, 5 the supply tfct cannot bo exhausted at that rate. If there Aould be fish enough thcbiMne of- prerving-thom will con tinue to increao jo h .iui THn TnrL-t for mon, salting them in rush was over when they would transfer thair catch to barrels. With the preser vation of the fish in hermetically sealed cans began a great improvement in the ! business. Thc canneries also prepare out side of the fish season, for packing, but their consumption oi nsii :s so sreiiL anu t rapid that they in addition to paying tfom twentjMive to unity cents i that the DreParations are so far com- per fish. This furnishes an opportunity plefr.d that the first lecture of the for fishermen (strictly speaking) to ply series may be expected on the even- . their avocation. A boat and net, bought in? ot canesaay, Jjecemuer lum, Mnall seine two men drag out one and two hundred tine fish at each haul. Q. Rev. Thomas Condon State Ge ologist, has been requested to prepare a series of lectures, beginning with y purchase fresh fish largely 1 the most simple truths of science and , 4. n t l covenner the whole range oi geologi- what their own men take, , cal n(iry. and we rc informed BEATS MUSIC STORE ! "k. I H1H w . C3 fei c B 1B1H MiW rj ,o kj I1PI B.AJB WfflT&iU' & k mrm gsmim r h x I liriSli ; - M msMim - l rented on in Portland. Xkw ScnooL Books. I have just re ceived all the different kinds of New School horran rmfirntinor nn tho rivfti thft maimer of nKrvinfl. th flh Ws said to be a se- i Books required to be used in this State, that G. JL. DePRANS, Maiiagcr, Odd Fellows' Temple, Portland, siotf G.e. 'ificac cret of great depth, and marvellous stories were circulated to the effect that the man who possessed the mysterious knowledge, plied his art within the closed brick walls I of a boiling room, so full ot heat and steam that few could live within. J3y some means however others became fa miliar with the mystery, or supposed thejT were, and another cannery started, but something was lacking, the charm did not work, fish spoiled and several thousand dollars were lost. But in time others auc Cficded and now there seems to be but lit tle secresy about it, no more than in can- ! ning peaches or tomatoes. The fish are g ft" thfl mirkt cut into pieces corresponding to the size of ac .-picWi Salmon thc can, and packed in raw, with a little to TTiRAXK FAPRE, at tho Contral Market, T Portland, has enlarged his UUtfPEE stall, and added sueh improvements as will enable him to provide Epicures with the best in tho Market. 1'arties furnished with Mot Coffee on can now be found in San Francisco. Also, j stand a trial oeltf j Slate pencils, Blotting pads, a good as sortment of Stationery, Drawing paper, H. Trenkmann, LACKSMITII AND TOOL MAKEE and manufacturer of of all kinds of Plaining, Moulding, and Turning Tools, Saws of all kinds Straightonod and Ropaired, and nil kinds of daw Teeth made and repaired and saws tuined and straightened. Orders at tended to promptly. II. TKEN KMAjStN, aulfctf 40 Front st, Portland, THE ONLY ManufacturingHouse TS OREGON. Fishel & Koberts, Corner First and "Washington Streets, PORTLAND, OREGON. FASHMABLI CLOTHIERS, AO MANUFACTURERS. THE BEST VALUE FOR THE LEAST MONEY. CARD BOARD, Perforated board, Ink, (Carmine, Purple and Black). Likewise a new stock of Crockery, Clocks and a large assortment of Lamp Chimneys, all of which will be sold cheap for cash. I. V. CASE. hefom tho continent! rail- Pkrsoxal. Tho undersigned htindor many obligations to the man who broke into his farm house, and took the locks from all the doors, and carried away othor articles from the prem isesthat ho did not take tho windows and doors alo, and burn the balance of the house. 1 like to be neighborly, and if it would be an accommodation to the person havinj? the lock have the keys alo, he can cull on mo Vnd A. Burchard, Doalor in New and Second-hand Furniture Spring, Hair, Feather, Aloss, "Wool, and Pulu Beds, Blankets, Spreads, Sheets, Pillows, Pillow Cases, etc. Price Paid for FURNITURE! (Skidmore's Building,) Corner of Piret and Taylor Streets, Portland, Oregon. 10 brine, hen the can is partly sealed and b accommodated; and if he decree to take ennnpd. trn. .chU-fly. te Honolulu and howe de- J pk.ced into a cau'.dion of boiling water till the windows and doors, and will let me norr mm. Th'.fi would not tr Jtfpnont i the frh i. cooked. " ' I Stt .taiSl" 5" thiouli ike tropics oa loa j Tftyaj, but Tb buiuea, particularly tho canning, :it T.I.Powjm. FRANK J. TAYLOB, ATTORNEY-A T-LATV, ASTORIA, OREGON. Office Brown' Buildhiir. Spiml;aiUifc riven to the iamiuati6tf'f titled awLtkt ee t.ctiju of debt. Hf Willamet Iron Works Incorporated Sept. 14, 18G5. Cor. North Front and E sts., Portland. P. FITTBOUEN, I PETER TAYLOR, Secretary. I President. IROH AND BRASS FQIHS, BOILER MUERS, General Machinists, and ENGINE BUILDERS, MANUFACTURE and HAVE FOR SALE Iligh and Lovr Procure Marina acd Sta tionofc Engines nnd Boiler; Saw Milla, Grit Mills, Quartz. Mining, and Agricultural Ma chinery, UATEK V HEELS of several pat terns, equal to any imported, on hand and made to order, of any me. REPAIRING of Machinery and Boilers promptly attended to, and executed with neatness and dispatck. The largest and BE8T STOCK OF PATTERN north of San Franci'co. No ehar for tka uw of them. Agent? for KNOWLEiJ' PATENT STEAM PI'MlNthebertinuie. Als$, AienJ for the AMMON1ACAL PKKPARATJON for tke romoval of Boiler Feato, DttGantT's Oa KAMVfT.u. tKo.t FkV'K. a raiiety f batHkl patterus'for Cemeteries, te. Ileus Castiafi. te.. ?tc; J AMKiJ LOTAN. stf 8prMrtiPi