, 1881-08-14

How Salmon Arc ScooPed-Up on the
Columbia 1siver-Great Destruction of
Small Fish.

HOW Salmon Are ScooPed-Up ON the
| Columbia Isiver-Great Destruction of
| Small Fish.
| San Fr"neisco fCal.) Bulletin. -l,.a I.
/ From an English gentleman who has
lately travelled overland from British Column
| bin to this city we learn that new device,
| which has been patented, is now in opera
tion taking salmon OIL the Columbia River.
| The device or machine is known rs sWilf-
iams' Patent Fishing-Whcel," and is located
on the Oregon side Of tile Columbia River,
about a mile and Il half below the Cascades.
This device consists of a jetty Of rocks built
| outside Of which is Il piankcd sluiceway, iii
which an tlnderslot wheel with large tank
buckets rcvolyes- The suiceway was built
when the river was at its lowest stage IF water.
and the wheel " hung SO that it can be raised or
lowered, according to the stage of water. The
atngt OF - fhg 4b sll9n IS to run up tue river
~ this the fish can take advantage OF the ctldcs
below juttlng points OF land, On these project
using dip-ncts. The jetty built out from th,
nolnt above named nakes larger and longer
rounding the point rush Into tha suiec-
way TO get up tho river. In. the sEuceway, tho
so as to sweep within foot of The bottom, and
tho salmon are scooped-up in tho tanks or buck-
els, which let out tho water as they ascend. On
into trough or gutter lending to Il pen below,
where. they remain until taken AWAY to be
canned. The arrangement of the sluicc, wheel,
etc, Is IL most successful one the catch Of adult
snllnon, which are the only ones canned. rum
mig from 1,500 to 1909 per day There is vir-
tnally no expense III taking the fish save attend
As the fishermen who take salmon in boats in
the Lower Columbia River demand and receive
from 80 to TO cents per fish FROM the canueries,
one eau reutly see what a vast nront rho use Of
the wheel makes to the cannery connected with
# II fact, Il the use Of this wheel increases OH
the Upper Columbia River, the cannerics To-
cHtetl near Astoria, and utl other who depend on
boat-tshing. will either have to givo up busi-
of ss or f IT os whn 6Gn ba IN prize
rich. There are about 3,000 men employed i'll
the boats anu making nets for salmon on tho
wheel will throw out of work, and at tho same |
time the permanent plant OF the c,uueries,
It oa ors s'Fs Than and % SSansi M ct st.
come worthless. These two items, lilo
unemployment of boatuen, etc, aud |
least Of the evils which will come from the use
OF Williams patent fish-wheel.
Our informant states that the wheel scoops up
ward: thnt u fish below six pounds weight IRE
not used IN canning, but are thrown back into
Il the river dead and ttoat away. lie sta1es that
messed several hundreds OF the young salmon
we're thrown away his above stated, and that, ns
this occurs three times. daily, many thousands
Of Immature fish are destroyed weekly which
would In succeeding seasons grow to size for
canning. IL TACT, it is simply question OF Il
fc" years. say Hive, with this fishing -whecl gen.
erillv III use when salmon scanning on the CO.
iuub!h River, which averages frot1 =, irO.U0 to
san,kD. w annually, will have to cease tor want
Uf ,tlult fish to can.
The use Of this fishing wheel means the rapid
destruction I OF salnon-e'tnn Ing in all rivers that
have Il quick current and rocky shores. 1t Is
patent which should be revoked on the ground
If being "atycrsc to public policy" and its use
nr kindred devices by which the immature fish
ire destroyed. should be prevented under heavy
penalties within the limits Of the United Stntes. |
It is time that the interests OF those who are to |
,o1Dc after the present generation should he I
protected from wastcful devices, and especially |
II oil matters rclating to natural sources Of fish
Ind ga,lc food. which the cupfdity Of individual
nun would destroy with view solely to hi;
resent gain. The taking nf fish In public wa
crs Is subject to regulation by law, and the
legislatures Of both Oregon and Washington
'erritory should tAke prompt action by forbid
Ing the Use of this fishing wheel If they desire l
hat the industry OF canning salmon shall con- $
'nue on their rivers in future. :