The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1883-07-18
THE SALMON SEASON OF 1883
An Unsatisfactory year for the Can
neriea.


Gamers exists any desire to fish be-
yond the limit prescribed. Indeed, il
Is a question what the inducement is
to can now, except it be the sudden
influx and correspondingly low price.
Many Of the canneries contemplate
closing, and it would seem as though
nothing but the force Of habit kept
them running this week. 1t Is proba-
bic that the close of the present week
win see the end of the season as far
as canning IS concerned.
The present season has been most
singular IN every respect. Starting
with an unprecedented amount of
gear, with a most unfavorable market,
an inability TO effect satisfactory
sales, and a general belief in G short
catch, the canneries have throughout
been IN most unsatisfactory posi-
ton. The price of fish was set at the
start at figure considerably in sd-
vance Of the price paid last season.
This had the effect of bringing up suf-
ficient fishermen from the Sacramento
to catch during May and June all
that came INTO the river; during these
months an attempt was made more
than once TO lower the prices, those
who had their all in the business being
unable to see how the high price of
the raw material and the low price of
the marketable article left any margin
for profit. From seyenty-tive cents
to one dollar Was paid for fish, and all
that has been packed up to recent
ly, cost, on an average, ninety cents a
fish.
Up to June 10Th it was believed by
many that the pack would not exceed
400,O cases: probably it would be
just as well, taking everything into
consideration, had events made good
the prophecy. But the increased
number of canneries and the extraor-
dinary diligence manifested in catch
ing the fish ran the figures up rapidly,
SD that on the lst of this month, there
was $40, 800 cases reckoned as being
put MP; the pack for the season of '82,
to same date being reckoued at 292,-
912. From the way the salmon have
been coming IN since the LIST inst. +,
more especially during the last week,
it is evident that the pack will be fully
up to last seasons figures; should the
canneries all run TO their full capacity
TO the lst of August, this seasons pack
will exceed that of 'S2.
1t is not their intention. The gem
eral idea seems to be to Gil all the cans
on hand, or at least to use up all the
tin plate in stock. Several Of tie
Gamers have refused fish this week
except to a certain limit. 0ther.,
who are short of cans, take a specified
number, and when they are disposed
of spend the remainder of the day in
making cans.
The extraordinary run of this
month has not been equaled in size
and numbers since 1879. 1t has been
no uncommon thing for fishermen to
bring in a hundred to the boat, and
of course, the price at once fell. Since
Monday, fish have been selling at
figures far below what would have
been looked upon as a fair price
twenty days ago. Thirty cents, and
from that TO fifty, has been the figure,
and Oh yesterdays steamerwent alarge
crowd of fishermen who refused to
catch at those prices.
The state of affairs is very unsatis-
factory. A man who has invested a
large amount of capital, and who has
been filling his cans with ninety cent
fish all the season, can not feel very
complacent over matters when they
come swarming in now in such num-
bers as to exceed the capacity of the
canneries to dispose of them, and at
the same time the question in his mind
whether it is best to keep on even ON
thirty cent fish, or to knock of alto
gether, and quit for the season. We
do not wholly agree in the opinion
that the knowledge that there Is an
unusual pack on the Columbia river
this season is going to keep the price
of fish down. The market for salmon
both in this country and in England,
depends, of course, primarily, on the
price at which it leaves the house of
the retailer, but 1t depends in a
greater degree, upon the demand. In
this particular, fortunately for Our
staple, the demand is a growing one.
A good many exaggerated report:
have been made concerning the large
stocks now on hand in England
These stocks are not as large as repre-
sented, and 1t will be the Ist of No
vember before this seasons pacl
reaches England. The large percent
age which, this season, goes on con
signment, renders this an important
item in its final disposition. D
course to those who have made sales
the matter Is fual.
The present result of the seasOl
that is now closing will have great in
fuence on future business. Itdemon
strates the fact that the salmon ar
not "giving out, for no bigger o
better salmon have ever been caugh
| i'm the Columbia than ara nou haadin