The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-01-11
A SALMON WHEEL.
Continuance Which Catches
Fish at Great Speed.
| Half Million Salmon Canned
Every Year.

recently returned from a trip to that
tide of the continent, twas the Oregon
slmon fisheries. Think of 1000 men
ioing nothing for several months in the
rear but catching, clea ming and canning
simon, and you may grasp some little
dea of the stupsndous character of
these fisheries. And that army of men
d employed about the mouth of the
columbia river alone. Since the build
ing of the Northern Pacific railroad
fisheries have been established 300 miles
from the mouth of the river. Passen-
gers on that railroad in the fishing sea-
ION may see the novel wheel fisheries
operating at many places on the river.
The way those wheels take the salmon
from the water, it seems astounding
that there are any fish left to furnish
material for another seasons fishing. 1
Isited one of these wheel fisheries near
Dallas City.
"Imagine wheel 40 feet in diameter
and eight feet across the face, resem.
bling an immense water wheel. Instead
Of paddles, this wheel is fitted with
three buckets, made of coarse and
strong wire screening. The wheel is
fastened to shaft, to which is attached
machinery that lowers and raises it at
The will of the operator. The buckets
are so constructed that anything that
enters them is thrown toward the centre
Of the wheel and to one side. where
there is an opening above the water line
that leads to large tank. The buckets
open down stream. When in operation
the wheel is lowered six feet into the
river, up which the salmon are making
their way in untold numbers. The
force of the water revolves the wheel,
the average revolutions being five per
minute. As it turns the buckets scoop
up the salmon. which are forced back
|,nd out of,the opening in the side of
'he wheel into the receiving tank. Each
bucket, when the fish are running live
", will turn into the tank an average
Of five salmon at every delivery. and
each bucket will make Is deliveries a
minute. One wheel may safely be cal
|culated to run into the tank IS salmon
minute, or 225 minute for the three.
IA little calculation will show the enor-
nous quantity of salmon one of these
wheels will take out of the river in the
course of a day, providing it is kept
unning all day. and some wheels run
on pretty steady time all through the
ieason. As there are good many of
them in operation, the number of sal
mon they take out Of tho Columbia
River every year is almost incalculable.
There is very little labor or expense
connected with the running of one of
these wheels, all the labor consisting in
liking the fish from the receiving tank
md running them in a car from the
ank to the dressing tables. Once in a
While an immense sturgeon will be
dipped up by the buckets and turned
into the tanks. A picturesque sight
along the river are the Indian fishermen
who stand at the rapids and with long
handled dip nets dip the salmon from
the swift water. These Indians catch
immense numbers of salmon which are
Immediately dressed by their squaws
md delivered to the canning establish
nents or to parties who salt them or
lreeze them for shipping east. In ten
minutes after salmon comes from the
odd water of the Columbia river it is
On its bed of chopped ice ready to seek
Tie New York market. The three lead
ng varieties of Columbia river salmon
ne the chinooks, which are the largest
md best, and the blue blacks and stub
heads.
''The fisheries at the mouth of the Co.
nmbia River are gill net fisheries. The
bets are from 500 to 1900 feet long and
10 feet deep. Two men will manage
net, big or little. GIll-net fishing re-
qulres much daring and perseverance on
ne part of the fishermen, as the water
the mouth Of the Columbia is rough
md dan crnrons Tho ncts are hauled