The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1882-06-17
SALMON HATCHING.
What to Do and How tc Do It


Returning from the launch OF the
Gen. Miles, last Thursday afternoon,
We met two Of the leading cannery-
men ON the coast, and the converse
ton turning on the meagre figures
that this years pack represents, one
of them said: "Well, what else can
be expected: We fish right along, year
after year; We constantly drain the
river and put nothing III: what is the
result; look at Maine: forty years ago
the rivers were full Of salmon: it used
be clause that the apprentices put in
their indentures when they were bound
to trade, that the bosses shouldn't
put salmon Or the table more than
twice week: now they'd be glad to
get it twice a year. What should be
done is to breed the fish,. Bat"
said the other gentleman, chat has
been tried on the Clackamas, and it
failed" "No, said the first party,
''it has not failed, it is simply inert
for want of funds: Jim Cooke dId all
a man could do for the enterprise, but
you can't suit everybody; and some Of
the very men that ought to come up
handsomely say they don't care, that
they'll fish rs long as there is salmon
III the river and then quit The mat
ter is right here i'll q nut shell. Look
at this bay; here is vast industry
concentrated here at Astoria. Sup
pose 1t cost Sl0,0D0 year hD keep n
salmon hatchery going. Is there
spot OF ground in the world where
such Il comparatively small sum conld
bc made to yield greater results. Ten
thousand dollars year, placed in
competent hands means the annual
breeding of 3,001,000 salmon. Now
salmon will come back full grown the
third year to their spawning ground.
Take last wears figures; there were
$40, 900 cases packed; it took ON an
average three salmon tp-a case: there
is, say, l,500,000 salmon; the pack
was worth two and three-quartor
millions of dollars. Can not
the state of Oregon well afford
to spend 4 few thousand dollars
every year to foster an industry that
in little spot Of water will produce
nearly three million dollars annually.
State aid is what is wanted, that is
state control; every eannery man on
the river wonld willingly pay Il tax
which would be light because it would
be uniform to keep up sach an estab-
lisMment, and by pnttin@ ii into the
hands Of an experienced pisoicnltmist
the thing would be bound to be Il suc-
cess. ''no you think" We asked,
"thc salmon would come back to the
parent steami' Il am positive of it,
WAS the reply. Upon what do you
base your belief in reference to the
great good resulting froi. fish hatch
eryF "Upon the beneficial results
manifested in other localities. Take
the McCloud river for example. In
1870 the river WAS fshe@ out, compe-
tent men were placed in charge, fish
We're stripped, the headwaters were
stocked, and the third season after It
was no uncommon thing foF the beat
mon 10 pull IN two nundEed fish in Il
single night. The state should take
hold, for among private enterprises
you cannot insure the concert of action
that Is necessary IL success. Then
such a man us Seth Green, or Prof.
Bard, or Livingston Stone, should be
given full charge, and De vel! paid for
his trouble, and such thing as fail
ure i'll the saln,Gn pack on the Qolum-
bia would be an inposslbiiity, As it
is, yon SOC for yourself; last year there
} were oyer half million cases packed
this year, but little over half thai
number Will leave the river: in that
ratio, it will rot be lung before CHI
} nook salnon, the finest favored isl
r that swims, will, as far as the Gamer
! les are concerned, have gone glimmer
3 through the dreams Of things tha
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