The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-10-11
future FISH SUPPLY.
81. rrrH 4 PRACTICAL sAs IRON
cLoecKsrEs, MASS.
-. Opinion, Northwest Coast
..~v. Mast Furnish the Fish-
v..s as the Northeastern Coast
!. rsss peeiining.

- arrival yesterday Of the schooner
y ~ adams on her return from 70
-. - hsllbut trip. Capt. Jacobs the o1ner.
GIT wilcox. member OF the United
-. Al commission, and q PosT IsTEL-
So. ...'~yp reuorter we're among those szi10
1870 he trim craft approach the land
$3.50 ,.sterl her HaeeriBgs. The schooner
y -, aays making the passage from
-. rtsstery 10 this city owing TO eaIEs
.1.ser and brought IN $500 pounds OF
- hsllbas As the result Of 70 dass
=. wf,nox. who has fIled the position
.s.yer Of the American feb bureau al
2 :. $500 Mass, for several years, and
- ~ - occupied similar position In
ss.sa Tor six year,, II very IA
pss Impressed with the outlook % the
s $3.50 rstssrn coast. II Is bis mature
.s.gs,rson--s,ascd on toe experience Of oyer
z ~esrs. intimacy with al kinds Of mar
s,,slse 6sh inhabftiDg the salt waters Of
Z. xartheasfern coast, in which the hal
at naigraiions and total disnPpeafance
49, certain haunis baYe been noted
- The general Esh industry 81 tslis coast
III become one Of the faost important IT,
srs.s,es. "As the Western country be.
s,.nes mere thiekly populated" said Mr.
ufeax. ~the demand fgr lsb 81 all kinds
Iii be large, and as this Is the only great
s.hsrv fe.d 20 furnish the supply. there
III M he lacking the necessary energy
"a fapifal 10 develop lie resources 10 the
rs,ng.s. have had seattle. very rromi-
ssgtly before my mind fer the last f.Te o.
~ years. asd this question OF hsh suppiy
- ea,sed nle sgain and again to reflect
&, The fishery Geld out here, as oar own
ssssged constant signs OF giving out.
tsrs kept myself wen informed GA mat
tse.. not only relating To fish.
~ 10 the general development
Al the territory, aud have been
! eousant reader of the P0sr isrELLisEx.
ern. Captain Ayres, the we'll known
lighthouse keeper, has been regular cor
sssrandeni and Is an old friend 81 lnines
aud he has supplemented newspaper In
fargation with valuable hintE.
m has always seemed strange 10 me that
40 efforts have been made TO foster the cod
industry here. There is quite consump-
iieu Of this fish In the territory, which IL
suuriisd from the Eastern market. There
a Il, abundance present In RE waters az
Aiaxks, and this department Of the fish In
drssry VIII 10 time be largely developed
tits very apparent 10 me that the smoked
ssh supply Of the future will depend
largely On this market. aud Seattle Is eyi.
IDENTIFY destined 90 be tlfe chief eeuter Of
ofraiiuss Fresh and smoked haiibut
viii be supplied from this point. and a
more general canning business viii be
Gcne Ths canning - as present
confined 10 salmon. and even that
has been scarcely opened mp. Capital VIII
naturally flow into these channels as the
public want for the articles Is felt. aud
;rst as some ~ you people now pas for
roi sent out fnen the East, residents III
he Eastern and Middle states wili IL future
ssv for cod. halibut and salmon forwarded
s.1ss sss seH ate aware ri eor--- 49,
var supplies on the New England and
bore n1fnern coasts are waniug Take
naekerel For the ~ years preceding last.
be catch per annilm was ze,0 pouutis
4 salt and 10000 frrsh--ihe latter con
nmed BY canueries LAST year the flgufes
lwindled down To - ,ooo barrels, while this
eats catch, up % the resent time,
mouutz 70 only se,eJ3. aud the total for
be gear viii not exceed 1900 berrels, or
alf The produce u last gear.
.what Is the earse7"
at is very diiheuit 20 say. and although
nRny researches have been made. the
ueAiinn has not been satisfactorily ex.
iained. The fishermen use seiues from
~ 20 1909 feet bong aud from 10 10 10 feet
rep, aud u they happen TO strike school
befe viii Of course be a large bait. OF late
has been extremely difficult 60 niaee
fese schools, ~ from safae nukaDwa
ause they seem 10 have changed not only
eFiner haants, but habits as we'll Now
Dis iArge deficit Ia the InaskpFel supply
must be met with Il corresponding Increase
IA that OF some other Kind Of marketable
ish. II the yearly consumption of fish
Is 10 remain constant. Where ~ Il
% come from, the Northwestern
ashing Held must answer. Next iake hall.
but The Gloucester catch, which Is ytrtu,
Ally the catch 81 the United states, nas
averaged from 100000 to t2.vA.0O1 lbs.
fresh, per year, during previous years, and
lhe totals for the last few years siiow q RI
decline on these figures fish
ermen are now obiised To fish In waters 90
ihr utaud Banks as deep as 100 feet, Ia
onlnr to reach the schools, aad earh sue.
ceeding year brings greater difficulties.
The Gloucester vessels 20 10 the shores 81
lcrland Tor hailhnt, saiting their catch,
which Is afterwards smoked. The catch OF
Goldfish has becu lighter this year than
usual, while the herring supply on the New
England coast has been declining gradu
ally f1r some time. IN the face at all these
figures the ewes o, the fishermen and ali
ennceFned in the Rasiern fishing Industry
sfs turned to this stet4nn, aud
- the demand exceeds ths
supply furnished by Eastern efforts
The public attention VIII isstea or
The new field here with is Brighter pTus
pects. srh0oaers, trusting TO the caprice
OF the Winds, must be replaced by steam
vessels, as IN shipping fresh hali1nt the
question u time Is Of first Importance
Nj. Wilcox stated that bis rfeseAt yisii
Is cnufvly az personal interest aud not u
any way connected with the Uuited Staie'
hsh commission. lie will leave for SAT
4ieatifeo. Friday, and expects 10 pay $
a'lle Ena'her Visit tn fortnight on bis
way tnek Hast, II Rmezeeeaingiy Isieasea
with Seattle. said Mr.. Wilcox, "Hnd eat
nniY speak IA high pra se II its business
AruNiiyl push and srUwih. hare aireRa,
handled considerable literature ceaneetet
with Seattle, In the East, and shall n
Pleased q add my personal observations :,
the published statements Of the city
wonderful growth and prospects,,
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