The Mineral argus. [volume] (Maiden, Mont.) 1883-1886, 1885-04-23


sALM0N.CAMxIN0
chs Outlook for ~ PrsssaG Season Ies L.
eourag1ng tAaA asFstNfsss.
The fishing season Of 1885 does not
give any promise Of activity. The bust
ness Of canning salmon on the COlum-
bia has been carried on at great dis
advantage during the last two years.
and several cannerymen are now un-
decided whether they will or will not
run their establishments next summer.
The last season was 30 disastrous to
nearly everyone connected with the
business that q probability of similar
conditions in 1855 causes many to hes
itate.
Lack of common purpose or settled
unity of interests among the Gamers
is not the least among the causes that
operate to unsettle tho business.
There are about - many different
ways of looking at the matter as there
are canneries on the river. One man
is now paying 22} cents . fathom to
white men for knitting nets; another Is
employing Cinnamon to do the same
work for s cents; another firm il try
ing 10 set the price Of salmon for the
coming season at 60 cents, while q
fourth insists that combined action
will bring the fish to the price that he
proposes to pay. IS cents.
There seems to be . sort Of division
of interests this season that will result
in separating those interested IN the
business into three classes, those who
furnish money and take almost absO-
lutte control Of the manufactured
goods; those who get money advanced
to them and work on the cooperative
plan, and those who are what may be
termed independent cannerymen. To
the last-named belong such establish
ments as that of Mr.. John A. Devlin,
J. 0. HanthOrn.J. G. Megler. A. Booth;
to the second belong such establish
ments as the Columbia Canning COM
pany. West Coast, Union. White Star,
Fishermen's, Scandinavian, etc.;
among the first mentioned may be
enumerated w. T. Coleman & Co., ID.
L. Beck & Sons, Allen & Lewis.
Among these last-named firms there
scenes to be q mutual objection this
year to advance money to purchase
supplies, and among the companies
who usually obtain advances there also
seems o mutual desire to get money
elsewhere and in . different way from
heretofore. There was 30 much litiga-
ton and Misunderstanding between
agencies and Astoria factories in 1884
that whatever is done this year will be
greatly restricted. Each side has its
own story, and IL confident that the
other side Is in the wrong. Viewing
the matter with an intent to be inn
partial. it would appear that on the
part of the agencies there has been an
effort to improve ON good thing and
impose q little more than the business
would bear, desire t. get two fingers
In the pie; and on the other hand dis
trust against capital thus employed
that makes men ready 10 believe that
transaction that they cannot exactly
understand involves . swindle.
The present situation seems to sug-
gest that the season of 1885 will Be
characterized by several features differ
ing from some former years. There
will be fewer boats by five hundred
on the river; there will be fewer can
nerles In operation; there will be q
lower price paid for fish; there will be
fewer outside boats; fishing will
not begin much before May Is, and not
until June l will there be anything
like the old time activity; effort will
be made to induce unanimity of senti-
ment among all interested in the bust
ness, and the struggle for supremacy
on the part of rival ''agencies" will
not be characterized by such liberal
concession as in the past.
The business must sooner or later
settle down to legitimate basis. 1t
has been butchered and overdone, and
can not for some years assume the
proportions it did in 1882, 1888, and
1884. Sooner or later the buyers of
raw material will tire Of paying high
prices to the swarm of men who swOOp
down hero every summer, stay for
twelve or thirteen weeks. and then
away with the earnings. In This con-
nectiOn it may be said that the CO.
operative companies have the best
chance for survival, II they can only
realize that where their interests as
catchers of fish and sellers of canned
salmon clash. the greater profit lies in
getting less price for the raw material.
that they may make more on the goods
in the Washington Territory As
tOrian.
Queer Specimens Of Wood.