The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-25

ing 70 the usual rae Of supply and de-
mand.
The hssibu. inaustry Is practically
rev. having attained It's present standing
daring the PAST fwo yearx. Formerly
YORK vas done With few small s.oops.
which wonid bring in from 500 20 Loo
pounds. and often found IL difficult 20 dis
pose Of that amount B1s lasserly Ne
nase succeeded in introducing the fash 10
interior MARKETS. and larger saocps and
scnosners have gene into the business.
O7s OF the more recently built boats for
thss business II the schooner Sc Lawrence.
mcceicd after the Gloucester schooners
and manned entirely by fishermen from
that eeiebrated fishing port The snccsss
81 tbs departure may be indicated by say
ing that on ore of this schooneris recent
trips she brought In 20. GO pounds Of hall
put. These boats are fitted out as Seattle,
and their usuai trips are from seven TO
twelve days. The haiibrs are csught on
travis. herring being used as bait. The
smaller food fsh are caught in seines in
the same way ~ the salmon, tat with
snailer mesheu nets.
do not wish you to conclude from
what l have said about large catches Of
nsh on Puget sound that all that 10
neces-ary TO establish a profitable bush
ness IN this line - TO secure seincs, lines
and boats and TO proceed 10 catch the
nshs for We have found that catching the
nsh Is much easier than selling them In
the frst place, the local demand has been
incTeastng only with the population Of the
country. and at frs. se encountered q Sc
we're pretudice against Pacific coast fish IN
the interior markets. To overcome this
prejudice and secure foothold in the in
terror markets has been q slow, tedious
work, requiring persistent and painstak-
Ing care. OF course the results Of this care
r. AZ Il
IN time the prejudice will PROBABLY be en-
tireiy removed. Then. again, the railroad
rates on fresh fish are exorbitant and al
most prohtbltorr, which must also be
rectified before the Puget sound fisheries
obtain the position In commerce to which
their inherent value entities them. The
principal market for fish, as of ali other
products on Puget sound, 10 at Seattle.
From here the fresh fish are shipped to
the Eastern markets by freight, in refres-
orator cars and by express, packed with
Ice in smsiier cases. The business of can
ming salmon has been carried on for o
number of years on Puget sound. There
are ~ present in operation cxnneries at
Seattle and st Point Roberts.
"The future Of the Puget Sound fisheries
would make a theme for an imaginary
sketch OF beautiful hues. but TO me, an .
practical fisherman. it seems that the de-
velopment aud the utilizing of this mag
nificent fishing ground is work of years
OF waiting and patient, careful work. The
rapid ipcreaee OF our population - the
present rates in the Pacific Northwest 10
giving a healthy increase 10 the demand
for our fresh fish. and slowly but surely
our dealers and shippers ara overcoming
the obstacles encountered in the eastern
markets. We can probably comprehend
very little OF the advantages we can reap
from this great exposition. Here We become
acquainted with the fish products Of al
the world, and here the fish consumers of
the world will learn to great extent
about the products of the various localities,
and of course this knowledge will tend
TO break down the injurious prejudices and
produce for our fishermen the greatest ea-
sential for his success-a ready and profit
able market"