The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-12-08

year from the time Of commencement
There seems to have been no definite
date fixed in the stipulatlons for the
commencement OF the work It is
thought. however, that operations will
commence next spring, possibly the first
OF March. The survey has been made
and the line agreed upon. and nearly
all the right Of way secured
The contract. in addition to the con-
struction Of the railroad. contemplates
the erection of a magnificent railroad
hotel, the introduction OF manufacturing
Industries, and the creation of extern
sive docks. elevators, SAW mills. and
planning mills. The doclxage improve
ments, aside from the railroad construc-
ton, are TO be the greatest work. One
pleasant feature of the construction
consists In the fact that the money for
the purpose IS well in hand. -sealbtle
Telegraph.
Hunters wages for the sealing sea-
son Of 1895. says the Victoria Colonist.
was the subject of discussion at a wen
attended meeting of the hunters thcm-
selves yesterday afternoon. OF course
the decision OF the owners last week
to pay one-fifth lay and to pay only
ON actual realizations was thoroughly
threshed out, the hunters claiming that
with an average selling price in Lon
don of $40 a skin the vessel owners can
well afford to give the hunters-who
face the danger and do the hard
work in order to give Miss Fashion
her sealslSln sacque-at least So. A
great majority of the hunters announce
ed their minds already made up on the
one point-that they win not accept
one-ffth on the lay They have trades
ashore at which they can do better
than that they say. and as landsmen
they have hundred comforts to one
at sea. It was finally decided that a
committee Of hunters should wait upon
The owners today and present their
side of the case. The hunters. are will
ling to accept one half lay, and pay their
assistants, boat-pullers and steerers out
Of their own pockets, thus greatly re-
duclng the financial responsibility now
borne exclusively by the owners. Speak
Ing about the matter last night, one
sealer said; I'VE are willing to suffer
with the owners to any reasonable ex-
tent, but we must live. / know that
poorly cured skins seriously affect the
London sales, and were 1t not for this
many of the owners would be ahead A.
nancla1ly for last years sealing operas
tons. on at least would be at no loss,
| do not know exactly what the In
dian hunters are asking this year, but
l hear 1t is SO a canoe. The Indians will
not willingly submit to a cut in their
wages this year, and 1t will take much
persuasion to make them do SO at all.
After the absence Of three weeks the
steam schooner Thistle. Capt. Langley,
came into Victoria Wednesday morn
ing with about ton Of halibut This
is all that was left OF the big cargo she
brought down from the newly develops
ed halibut fishing grounds in an archf-
pelago about twenty miles to the south
west of the Skeena river The bulk OF
the cargo, amounting to four carloads,
was shipped from Vancouver to Boston
and Chicago via the c. p r. For ship
ment the halibut are cleaned and then
placed in boxes, limited to 500 pounds
capacity, with moderate amount Of
Ice. The number OF fish to the box can
easily be estimated when 1t is stated
that the hallbut averaged 15O pounds
each. Though three weeks on her ini-
rial trip, the Thistle was by no means
all this time securing her cargo, as It
took her eight days 10 reach the fishing
grounds and three more to return. Co
Ing north she had the old Isabel In
tow, and as the weather was extreme
ly rough her speed was greatly retard-
ed. 1t took only about four days for
the entire cargo OF halbut to be caught.
The small fishing boats-thinteen In
number--which the Thistle also took
North with her, secured as high as 100
fish In one day working In from thirty
five to fifty fathoms OF water. The
weather, fortunately, was fine. The
Thistle was all Wednesday taking Ice
and box lumber aboard prepaiiatory 70
returning North Thursday. She will
be short time away next trip, as a
cargo Is expected to be awaiting her.