The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-03-04
Gamers Combine
Is All Right.

The recently formed Columbia river
salmon Gamers combine has practi-
cally ceased to exist, says the Ore
gonian. It's life was abruptly brought
to an end yesterday by James W. Cook.
wealthy canneryman of this city,
who presented to the board Of direct
ors a written statement to the effect
that he will not lease his cannery to
the combine during the coming season,
and that he will not pay any assess
ments made by it. The history Of the
troubles among the Columbia river can
nerymen dates back to the establish
ment of the industry on the river 1t
has been a continued fight between the
up-river and down-river cannerymen-
between Portland and Astoria. During
the past twelve years attempts to COM
bine have been made again and again,
but the feeling of distrust and jealousy
has always come in, and all efforts
have been without avail. The scarcity
of fish is becoming more and more ap-
every Year. 1hOAO oAN AAcW
more than enough canneries to take
care of the fish, so that 1t has become
customary for some Gamers to send out
and buy each others fish; for instance,
when salmon are selling for 81 each,
the pirates will go from boat to boat
and Offer perhaps $1.25 for the big fish.
To make this mode of transacting busi-
ness easier, some have gone so far as
to send out bumboats well stocked with
liquors that are likely to have soothing
influence upon weak-minded fishermen.
Thus a natural distrust has sprung up
among the cannerymen. When they
held their five days session at The
Portland last December, a great deal of
time was spent in smoothing over this
feeling of distrust. 1t Is said that first
one and then another of the contract
ing parties would become offended and
make motion as if to leave the as
sembly, and then his fellows would all
turn in to pat him on the back and
coax him to stay. But finally the COM
bine was formed, an agreement signed
by seventeen canneries, and officers
were elected.
The election of officers was the cause,
of the new trouble. OF the seventeen
canneries in the combine, seven were
classed as up-river canneries, and the
remaining ten as down-river; but when
the board of nine directors was elected
Astoria got eight of them and Portland
one. This precipitated the old feeling
of distrust. Besides Mr.. Cooks with
drawal, which is certain, it is rumored
that Mr.. Winter has also decided to
withdraw.
When seen at his residence, Mr., Cook
said:
II have withdrawn from the combine
and sent a written notice to that eff
feet to the board of directors. l have
withdrawn because l do not wish to
have anything in common with the AS
toria ring, which has broken faith with
the up-river cannerymen. At our meet
ing here last December the Astoria
gang promised to give as four directors,
but when the election. came off at AS
toria, we only got one. We were per-
fectly willing that they should have
the majority of the directors, for they
are ten to our seven, but we wanted
some show, and particularly when they
agreed to give us four. consider their
Endorsement of me as their representa-
tive on the Oregon Worlds Fair COM
mission as little better than an insult.
1 have always been classed as kicker
and they simply want to get rid of me.
1 have been trying for sixteen years to
form combination that will be for the
best interests of all concerned, but 1t
won't work. The election of directors
was put-up job; they broke faith with
them. AS to the legality of my with
drawal, I'm willing that they should
test it,
j. O. Hanthorn, one of the executive
committee Of the combine, expressed
himself as follows: II think the pres
ent trouble grows out Of slight feel
ing of jealousy on the part of Portland
packers, because they didn't get more
directors. / think the election was a
fair expression Of opiMon of the ma
jority of those interested. 1t was stock
and not individuals that formed the
basis for votes, and the first ballot
was decisive for the whole nine direct
ors. 1t is my personal opinion that
no one of the Gamers can now legally
withdraw, but we don't expect to go
to law about the matter. sincerely
hope that the trouble can be patched