, 1876-07-22
Columbia River Eisherias

IA ''s course Of late trip 70 the mouth of the
Coiumoia River. we had an opportunity a. learn
ins much IN relation TO the Columbia River fish,
branch Of industry that has sprunS into exis-
'hee within very brief period wehad notice, esp-
ned salmon for sale in many Of our stores and oc.
sionailY had read of shipments OF salrnon m Fn-o,
but certainly nothing that we had heard nv rs.5
served to give US faint idea of the irnrn-nse tai
mus devoted to this branch Of industry that
nave so recently sprung into existence.
Descending the river. say to within for.y miles of
Astoria, there is scarcely cove or place Of shelter
That Is not occupied by what in local parl.nce -
termed a " canary" In some instances thee ss,l
hshInen's are small but very many are large ard
occas onaliy one cJmes % cslnuarv tbs il oon-
structet On an imIneuSe scale In the managemsn,
OF these fisheries ator Is divided so as 70 make !,
most etletive. The work Of cutting up and cleaning
the salmon Is mainly confined 20 Chipamen- who
al pear TO be specially psofaient in that line. The
repairs OF lets, manning the boats, and catching the
hsh, gives employment 20 large numbers of white
men and boys. Literally it may be said that ,be
Cinnamon do the dirty work, whilst the more ple1s
AM parts oi the business reserved for white men,
In the eanIiaIies - proper nearly all the work Is
PeTioime! by Cinnamon, and in one large establish
Inent We visited the Ceesiias were making the TN
cans, and handled the soldering irons with all the
dfNterIty that might be expected from professional
tinker.
In tins establishment witnessed the whole oper-
alton Of preparing salmon Tor market At the main
entrance score of Cinnamon employed in cut
ting of the heads and tails Of the fish. In this con-
dition the salmon were passed TO other Cinnamon
WHO slit tie belly and removed the ntestines at the
same time washing the fish inside and out by means
OF small jets Of water. They were then passed TO
another Chinaman who by means of revolving ma
chine cuts the salmon into pieces of size exactly
suited ior packing IN tin eases The next stage the
packing in tin CANS, and here We found at least Il
hundred Cinnamon, each provided with knife which
usel trimming and placing the pieces of fish
in the cans. Next tie lids were fitted on the cans
and by means Of the soldering irons the eals made air
tight.
Following up the process, We now come 20 an i'm
IneEse steam bo:l=r where water is heated and then
drawn into open tauks IN which the tin sub
merged. In these tanks the fish are about half
cooked, exp renee having shown that this eondi-
ton they VIII bear shipment and keep sweet for any
length Of time. Leaving tie boiler room, the cans
are next dipped i'll vanish to make them perfectly
air tight, and lhen after being drained are ready to
be labelled.
HE /. ocess Is now complete and all that remains
Is 10 pack the cans in wooden boxes when the pro
duet Of the fishery is ready for the markets of the
world In all these varied processes employment is
given to an immense number OF men, and some OF the
larger Establishments have on their pay-rolls hun
DIRE Of hands
The makIu, Of the wooden boxes IN which th5 cans
are packed las = own into large trade. These
boxes ma IL ui uniform SZ- and delivered at
the esnLar Is " at c'st o; Is cent each Co sier-
iu, that tigs= boxes are used by the OF thOus-
auds. their vast m0.ey value at unce bec.mes ap
pIreut.
It was the remlrk of Victor Hugo that the har
vet OK the i lr.tter tnan the harvest OF the
land. The truth OF tins OtS-rvat VIII at once lie
apparent on visiting the Columbia River fisheries
~ cont mT ltug the immrTI-ity Of their operations.
hs A,iermin rua.s his harvest without either SOW
iu- o. cultyatiUg and i'll tins respect enjoys many
q .van;ases over The tier OF the sol.
w close our bsi,f notice with the remark that
these fsieTies-ysst as they nt-are sui III their
infancy and ,itt When fully developed they viii
bling uujoli wealth 10 a people ami district OF
country which are joined by the ties Oi com
mon interest