The Hawaiian gazette., 1877-08-29
WEDNESDAY. AUG UST %. 1877.
The Columbia River salmon In
dustry.

Not alone with wheat do fleets go laden from
this coast. We have other resources, rich and
rare among them is the salmon catching and
canning of the Columbia river. Our readers
have already had some details of this great ~
dustry, but at this time We are enabled to give
some little sketches which will, perhaps, Impart
q better idea to those al distance. OF the
means and method employed. IL this effort
we shall be greatly aided by an article on the
subject which lately appeared IN the west
Shore q handsome illustrated newspaper. pub
lished at Portland, Oregon. From this source
we learn that the numUer of people employed
ia the different industries Of catching and can
ming, with their attendant arts and ministries,
is fully 10000; and that the value OF the pro,
duce which will be exported this year Will
probably reach Sc 600 900. Further comment
on the Importance of such an industry is not
needed.
The first salmon canned on the Pacific coast
came from the Sacramento river, and were put
up at Washington, opposite the city OF Sacra
mento. The company engaged in it consisted
of George and William Hume and Mr.. Hapgood
Owing 10 lack of experience the enterprise
did not prove success. Old trappers and
hunters had often, within hearing of the Hnmes'.
spoken of the wonderfully large and tat fish TO
be caught in The Columbia river, and at last, IN
1863 George started for the then far off country.
On his arrival here he found \. H. Nice and
Joachim Reed engaged IN fishing extensively.
preserving their fish by sailing. George secured
q location on the river. and the name he then
gave it, Eagle Cliff it retains to this day. After
erecting suitable buildings, William Hume and
Mr.. Hapgood arrived there with the apparatus
from the Sacramento river, and the hrst can
ming of salmon on the Columbia commenced IN
1866. by the firm of Hapgood, Hume Co.
s., nd IN ar
started IA Separate cannery. After that nearly
every year saw the erection OF least one new
establishment. Besides the canneries, there are
numerous sailing establishments along the river,
which preserve and export limited number oil
salmon every season. sailed and packed 10 bar
rels. In appearance. oil canneries look nearly
alike. We show an illustration Of one at Upper
Astoria. which gives a very correct idea OF an
establishment OF that kind.
The fishing season proper usually lasts from
May to August. for period of about 10 days
The Columbia river salmon, as shown IN our en-
CRAVING when captured just as they come from
the ocean. may be supposed to be exactly ripe,
and The peculiar temperature of the water, ice
cold at all seasons. fed by the melted SHOWS OF
the mountain regions, seems especially adapted
to maintain the fish in the best condition.
The fishing boats usually leave at p. NJ, re-
turning about 4 or 6 the next morning. The
fishing is mostly done at night The salmon
knows net when he sees it, and will avoid it in
day time. The boats as shown in the engraving,
are built something like the Whitehall. only
much heavier. A boats crew consists OF two
men, one for pulling aud the other to pay out
or take 10 the net.
The nets are made of BARRIERS shoe-thread
nine to eleven threads to the strand, and the
meshes are eight and half inches, so that no
small fish can be caught. The nets are from
| 200 to 240 fathoms long f. fathom is six feet),
and foaied with corks and weighted with lead.
fall as much as 20 feet into the water.
The way the nets are set is TO throw one end
held up by means Of buoys, and 10 row in q
straight line across the river. to stretch it
at right angles with the current. The fish,
! swimming against the stream, are caught III the
! gils becoming entanged in the meshes. Just
as soon as the fish are caught, if not drowned
in the net, they are killed by a blow on the
| head. The average weight of salmon is 20
| pounds. When brought to the cannery the fish
are piled upon the wharf, and we have seen
! 800 salmon in single pile. From this pile
they are taken TO Il trough, thoroughly washed
! and placed on q long table; here, with single
blow of huge knife, the head is severed and
| with skillful single motion Of a similar knife,
| the fish is split open aud disemboweed. The
head aud entralls are thrown away at many OF
| the hsberies; at some oil them, however, they
are made INTO a very good article of oil. Alter
the fish are cleaned, they are thrown into brine
watts, where they repain for time-thls process
is known as slimi6g they are now taken and
! placed, one at a time, on small table with u
cutting attachment, and with single stroke of
the lever, the fish Is cut into exactly the proper
| size to fit into the cans.
Another set Of hands take these bits of fish,
place them deity in the cans, whence they go to
other workmen, whose duty 1t is, by means ofan
apparatus, to put in each can a small amount of
brine, for canned salmon have nothing else in it,
being cooked du jus Now, the cans filed with
the raw fish, pass to workmen who apply the lid
and solder it on. Next, the cans are placed.
hundreds together, in iron rings, or, in some of
the canneres. into iron squares, each form hold
ing about 600 cans, and by means of cranes all
are lowered into steam boilers, where they are
cooked for an hour. Now, quite nice opera
ton takes place. similar to that employed by the
| champagne manufacturers, which is called
venting hole is pricked in the top of the can.
and the air and gases generated are allowed to
escape, when the little venthole is instantly re.
! soldered. A second cooking now takes place.
when the culinary portion OF the canning is ended
The cans are again taken from the boilers, and
are showered with cold water. If the vacuum is
perfect and the package sound, ,he top of the
can caves in and assumes cOncave FORMS. f