The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-26
THE NEW FISH LAW.
Alien Fishermen Find Their
Occupation Gone.
BIG RUSH FOR FIRST PAPERS.
Foreigners who Never Before Appre-
ciated Citizenship Now Anxious to
Take the Oath OF Allegiance.

Tbs state law prohibiting the taking OF
salmon and other food hsh in the waters of
this state by foreigners or non residents which
went into effect on the lat of this MONTH has
created something OF stir among the alien
fishermen In and about Seattle, and they ars
making haste to get outside of the scope of its
provisions The law was passed on March 6,
1891, and Is entitled: IAN act to regulate
salmon and sturgeon fishing on the rivers and
waters OF this state and over which it has con-
current jurisdiction
The first two sections OF the act read 40
follows:
SECTION I. That from and after the LIST iay of
January, 1892, IL shall be unlawful for any per-
son to fish for or take for sale or proht any
salmon, sturgeon or other food fish In any of the
rivers or waters OF this state, or over which it
has concurrent jurisdiction in civil and Grim
inal cases, unless such person be a citizen OF
the United States or has declared his intention
10 become such one year prior thereto aud Is
and has been for six months Immediately prior
10 the time he engages in such business an
actual resident of the state.
sec. Any person desiring to fish for salmon,
sturgeon or other food fish in any such rivers or
waters may go before any county clerk OF any
county OF this state and furnish satisfactory
evidence OF his citizenship, or or the fact that he
has declared his intentions to become such one
year prior thereto, and file his own affidavit and
the athdayits OF two other persons 10 the effect
that he is and has been for six months prior
thereto an actual bona nde resident of this
state, and thereupon such recorder or clerk
shall issue 10 him certificate briefly reciting
these facts, and thereafter in any pFosecu ton
against such person for violation OF the pro-
visions of this act such certificate or duly
authenticated copies of the record in the Office
OF the clerk or recorder relative thereto shall be-
prima facie evidence of his citizenship and resi-
dence as in this act required. But in all prose-
cutions under this act the burden of proof shall
be on the defendant to establish the facts OF his
citizenship and residence.
There Is further provision in the act that upon
conviction before justice OF the peace any one
violating the law shall be fined not less than IS
or more than 500. Tho act does not apply to
Indians nor TO the citizens OF states having con-
current jurisdiction with this state, over upon
any rivers or waters.
The foreigners who make their living by fish
Ing are just commencing to learn of the new
act, and are beginning to make their appearance
in considerable numbers at the county clerks
office to take out naturalization papers. John
Ross, NJ. Bokoti, Luca Ross, Vincenzo Covacio-
yich and J. W. Goodrich took out their second
papers yesterday, and eleven others filed dec
larations of intention to become citizens.
There are about 100 foreign fishermen in Seat.
tie, most of whom are Greeks, Italians or A us-
TRANS. At times there are a few Cinnamon en-
ployed at Myers cannery, but IL is not at work
now. There is comparatively little fishing be-
ing done at present A good part of this 10
being done in the Duwamish river. There are
but seven men fishing there aud all of them
citizens. Ii usually requires eight men to
handle large fishing net, aud the work 10 done
on shares. The proportion of division of the re-
turns Is two-and-a-half shares to the owner of
the net to one share for each of the other men.
Frederick G. White. of Tacoma, deputy fish
commissioner, is keeping an active lookout for
fishermen who are not observing the Law, and
intends to prosecute all who are found taking
fish Illegally.