The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-03-03
CHICAGVS FISH SUPPLY.
How e 3 Affected by tho 1lnan-
oial 6tringency.
Hard 1lmes Have Caused the People 70
8Dooomiso an Their Meat Blus-
Wheve the Fish Are Prln-
oanally Ob&al0od.

The report of shortage OF 19,0oo, 900
bushels in the oyster crop OF Chesa-
pealsc bay does not disturb the equa-
nimity of the Chicago dealers.
..Our business is mostly in fish this
winter" one of them declares. ''Hard
times have caused people to econo-
mize on high-priced oysters and meats
and turn to fish as the staple food.
Fish are very cheap and plentiful.
Chicago eats 10000, 900 pounds Of lake
fish and 5000, 600 pounds of ocean fish
annually. The lake fish were caught
and frozen last fall, and SO long as
they remain in ice continue as fresh as
when taken from tie water. How
ever, II anyone demands newly
caught fish, the Mackinaw fishermen
are sending down choice trout daily
taken from the straits.
''As to oysters, the crop of Balti-
more and New York might totally fail
without embarrassing the public in
the least or raising the price Of the
bivalve.
"Thc Gulf of Mexico produces fully
Is fine favored oysters as are taken
anywhere. Many people like the gulf
oyster best. New Orleans could easily
supply the world with oysters, IS its
coast environment is enormously pro-
life in oysters, delicious crustaceans,
and fishes. These gulf edibles are
sent north in refriger ator cars which
have conveyed dressed beef south.
They also come by express. The fail
- 10 2eH nd a
be . great boon to the gulf coast
trade"
The fishmonger mentioned that the
Pacific Goldfish had invaded the Chi
cago market to the detriment Of the
Maine-Massachusett namesakc. There
is no. difference in the appearance OF
the rivals, but epicures think the Pa
cific cod the choicer. The Pacific cod
10 now shipped to Massachusetts,, salted
and sent out as Atlantic cod. No one
can tell the difference. Js
A. popular fish in Chicago is the red
snapper taken in the Gulf Of Mexico,
and called by many the gulf cod. It is
q handsomer fish than the cod and OF
much finer flavor. Large fleets engage
in the catch Of this fish and it is fore
ing its way into all the markets Of the
world iG.
Brook trout weighing from two to
five pounds are plentiful In the local
markets. They come from private fish
ponds where they were taken out and
frozen last fall.
The finest yellow perch are taken In
the Detroit river At the St. Clair Flats.
Muscallonge reach the market from
the interior lakes of Wisconsin.
The lake trout varies in color, both
of skin and flesh. The flesh is yellow
from the southern to the northern
waters of Lake Superior. In the
northwest corner of Lake Superior the
flesh becomes red and the skin a fac
simile of the brook trout. This latter
variety, which is the finest of trout, IL
believed by some to be brook trout
from the Nipigon river, which in times
past left the stream and bred deep
water variety of itself. 1t Is scarce In
the local market. There Is suspicion
that the local dealer sells It - . large
brook trout.
Eels mostly come from Fulton, N. T..
where, on the Oswego river, 10 the
largest eel industry In the world.
Ocean fish are not popular in the
west, nor are lake fish popular In the
cast. The condition is natural.
Crawfish come from New Orleans,
where they are the staple food OF the
French people. The crawflsh makes
the most delicious bisque known to the
euicure. 4ts