The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-04-11
Opening Of the
Fishing Season.

IL o'clock Sunday night.
There were a good number of boats
from nearly all the canneries and a
good catch of fine fish was reported
yesterday.
Last year in April the weather was
bad bad and fishing was very poor.
Notices were posted up at the fol-
lowing %canneries, that the price for
fish would be four and one-half cents
per pound.
Columbia River Packing Company
(C%utting), Astoria Packing Company
Kinney, A. Booth Packing Company,
George & Barker, ]. o. HAWTHORN, Fish
ermen's, Samuel Gilmore, Aberdeen
Packing Company, p. J. MCGOWAN &
Sons, North Shore Packing Company,
and the Knappton Packing Company,
which will deliver to the North Shore,
]. G. Megler & Company. Eureka Pack
ing Company.
The cannery men claim that the rate
of four and one half cents per pound is
about same as $1.15 per fish, and that
it will cause an increase in their ex-
pense Of packing, Of about II cents per
dozen 1-pound tins or As cents per
case.
The cannerymen insist that paying
for the fish by the pound is the fair
est for all, because they pay for ex-
actly what they get, while, when buy
ing at so much per fish, some fisher
men take advantage of the opportunity
to dispose of their large fish on the out
side leaving the small fish to be paid
for at a price which could only be al
forded for average fish, big and little.
1t is not claimed that this practice Is
general among the fishermen. but that
instances of this kind are known, and
that paying for fish by weight would
put a stop to the practice entirely.
If the present catch is sustained, and
they can induce the fishermen to de-
liver the fish, all the canneries will be
in operation this week.
So far, prices offered for this seasons
fish show no material advance over
last years prices, when the best fish
was bought for $1.35 per dozen. This
season sales are reported at the same
price, with n or two instances Of an
vance to $1.37 1-2.
The Alaska Packers Association
have set their pack at 6OO,O cases for
this season as against AGO. 1000 for last
1ency to keep down the price of other
fish.
Cannerymen on the river generally
feel somewhat blue over the outlook,
with the advance in price demanded,
declare they cannot see any profit
sight for them.
There will probably not be any trap
fishing to speak of this month, as the
has been so bad that it has
been impossible to repair them for this
work.
An Astorian reporter called upon one
If the members of the union last even {
ng to learn the result of yesterday af-
%ernoon's meeting. He was informed
hat the men were unanimously in fa-
'or Of holding to their demand for $1.15
'er fish. 1--WE can dispose, at that
of all the fish we can CATCH"
aid the fisherman, and we are con-
dent that all of the canneries will
come to our terms. At the (
time we have five of the can
Iers on our side, namely, Mr.. j. V. r
,ook, who will pay us 5 cents per
ound; MI. Weatherford, who agrees to
ay $1.15 per fish; and F. M. Warren, |
Morgan, and the Pillar Rock can
cry owner, who agree to do likewise.
'es," the fisherman concluded, this
we'll get our price" .
Mr.. M. ]. Kinney, on being spoken to
egarding the intentions of the down :
Iver canneries, stated that as far as /
e knew 4 1-2 cents per pound would
e the price paid. 1T is all the same"
e said, what a majority of the can
ers do. If they gave 5 cents, 6 cents,
r eve Z cents a pound, there would :
e some packers who, at the outset, Z
'ould give one half cent more" :
Fishermen who have been out state j
lat salmon are plentiful, but hat the
lumber in the river now is no criterion
I what the supply will be in the D
purse of a week or two. Alex. Sutton, =,
hen asked how he accounted for the Fl
that fish are plentiful, said: 1T is
wing to two causes in my opinion. In
lie first place, salmon have been COM
Ig in for a month past, and as the fe-
Iale fish are in no hurry to reach the
grounds, it is to be expected u
lat for a few days, at least, the catch :
Ill be good. But the salmon now in :
river will 500 get cleared out,
I'd then the average will be
materially decreased. Then again, II
freshets have made the water mud
=, and salmon are almost invariably y
entiful when such Is the case at the
Of the season."
1t Is stated that in addition to the Of =
r of the Chicago fish dealers to take
Iirty o Of salmon weekly, a New
ork house has made a bid for twelve ;.
weekly during the season. n
Members Of the union say that they
'nsider four and one-half cents per
'und equivalent to $1.OS IL per fish.
other words. that the average weight c
salmon on the basis of last years
Itch is tw~enty-three pounds.