The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-26
THE CANNING TRADE.
Six Weeks Before the Sound
Salmon Run.
THE INDUSTRY ON THE COAST.
Preparing to Open Up New Establish
ment in seattle-Prospects of the
Season ON the Pacific.

The new cannery Just built by George T.
Myers on the Oregon Improvement Compsny's
old dock il now ready for operation and mum.
Der OF men are at work making cans and repair
ing and making seines. Posr-ISTELLIGEScEB
reporter called on Mr. Myers yesterday for some
Information regarding the salmon canning bust
ness on the Coast, and In response to questions
learned that the total number of canneries in
Alaska is about 80; in British Columbia there
are Il; on Puget sound, 2: along the coast from
the sound to the Columbia river, there are 20;
on the Columbia river, q; and in Cslifornia l3.
ms makes total of 81 canneries on the coast,
out OF this number there are perhaps 10 that are
NOT at present in operation. 1t Is difficult to es-
Innate the number OF men employed, as the can
neries vary in size. great many of the
employees, chiefly Chinese, move from one local
lily TO the other according as the salmon begin
10 run For instance, large number OF those
now employed On the Columbia river and in
California win come north when the season
opens up hero and in British Columbia. Then
they will return south again to begin operations
there next year. But aside from the number OF
men employed in the canneries, large number
OF fishermen find employment by reason OF the
existence OF the canneries. In all perhaps about
5000 men are employed during the canning sea.
son. The total output of all the cauneries on
the Coast is from 100000 to 1850 900 cases.
Referring to the industry on the Sound Mr..
myers saiu: ''Inere nave been quite nunoer
of cannsries started on the Sound at various
points, but they have not been successful, with
the exception of the one at Blaine and those
that have run. have run quite number on
the Sound now and have always made thsm pay.
The trouble is that the men who engaged in the
industry here lacked executive ability. They
seemed to possess experience, but they could
not handle the business. / will pack aoout 200
cases day this year. / still have little Of last
years pack on hand, but the market generally 10
quite free from old stock. 1t was reported
that the catch would be short on the Columbia
river. II IL short yet, but there is ample time to
catch up with and even beat last years pack.
However, the reported shortage has stimulated
the packers, and they have prepared to run the
canneriss to their full capacity. The market
does not respond to the report OF shortage, and
there 10 danger Of oyercrowding it The fact
that old stock is very limited 10 one good thing
in the packers favor. But buyers are timid,
and packers are not Is jubilant a. they were
short time ago.
SCI have had a talk with q gentleman from
Alaska who 10 engaged in the business there,
and he informed me that Thomas McCauley, an
old packer on the Sound, who has been in
Alaska the past three years, is doing well. He
has already sailed 1900 barrels Of salmon this
season, and is still packing, and expects to fill
the 5000 empty barrels he took up from San
Francisco with him. He is located at Salmon
bay in Southwest Alaska. Reports from Eastern
Alaska are rather discouraging, he says, but, ~
on the Columbia river, there is ample time yet
to catch up"
Mr. Myers said that 1t would probably be
about six weeks yet before the salmon begin to