The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-06-29
The Canneries Are Doing Com
paratiyely Nothing.
HARD TO FILL THE ORDERS
1t Is Expected the Shortage Will Be
Considerably More Than Has
Yet Been Estimated.

Astoria, Or, 10 p. M, 2S June, 1sS5.-The
features of the week here have been the
totally unprecedented falling off in the
run of salmon, and the very noticeable
stiffening in prices for all grades Of
goods, consequent on the fast growing
knowledge in Eastern centers that the
pack is going to be great deal short
of expectations. Demands for goods are
as lively as ever, but on account of slack
returns, none Of the canneries have been
able to keep up with orders though
stocks are moving out as fast as carloads
can be got together. From about an
even pack with 1894 to the end of last
week, on the lower river, the ratio has
dropped during the past seven days con-
siderably, and in this locality cannerymen
are beginning to run behind A lack OF
business amounting almost to stagnation
exists on the upper river and not more
that 1900 cases have been packed at the
Cascades and The Dalles from all
sources since our last report, bringing
the total up-river pack to about 10000
CASES, a loss in comparison with last
year in that vicinity Of rs per cent. Blue
backs, while showing up\a little better
than before, are still a month behind time
and give no signs of catching up to any
extent before the season closes. A suffi-
cient quantity of them have been mixed
with the Chinook catch in the past few
days to bring the average weight Of all
varieties down to Is pounds. A promi-
nent canneryman today talking of the
slackness stated that sixty boats came
in yesterday to one of the middle river
establishments with 600 lbs Of fish between
them-an average of half fish to the
boat, when two weeks ago boats were
averaging Is and 16 fish each. Steel
heads are beginning to appear in the
river, and are of excellent quality. TAX
ing all the contrivances, traps, seines and
gill nets together, the traps are at pres
ent doing the best work, though best
is misnomer when applied to such
poor returns as are being sent in from
them. Altogether present conditions tend
still further than ever to verify our con-
stantly repeated prediction of a shortage
on the Columbia from $4,000 to ,OOC
cases. With 6O,0O0 more cases going for
eign than last year and pack so short
as this seasons is certain to be, the do
mestic market will, without doubt, be
a very long way behind. Even with a
run from now on as good as last years s
(an improbability to say the leasD this
fishing is so poor that large number OF
men engaged in gill netting are beginning
to leave here and travel to San Fran
cisco to get to the Sacramento river
in time for the fall fishing in that stream,
which begins next month. A pleasing
feature of the work of 1896 so far has
been the remarkable absence Of serious
casualties among fishermen, and in this
respect the year has a decided advantage
over any previous seasons operations.
Work on the Fraser River is well under
way and the season will undoubtedly be
a poor one. Our Victoria correspondent
says that fully 100000 cases of the pack
have been already sold to foreign markets
with all sales not yet closed 1t is not
believed, however that the total Fraser
river pack will come to more than 200 0OO
cases, and we cannot see how Eastern
Canadian markets are going to fare with
the small balance that will be left them
Some of the larger canneries will make
a determined effort to hold prices for
Eastern delivery higher than they have
been for some years. Fraser River stand
ard brands hav been selling in Toronto
and Montreal at $40 to $3.50 per case,
and 1t is believed that $500 will be OBJ
tained later on. If report speaks truly,
the Alaska Packers Association has sold
every can of Red Alaska salmon 1t can
pack this year at prices that, under pres
ent low freight rates through the 18TH
mus, or by railroad via the Gulf, mean
from 971ac to $1.O0 from this coast. We
quote today as follows: Readers will no.
tice q few marked changes in some
prices-spring catch straight Chinooks,
S.30 to $1.42lh for tails, and $3.50 to s1.571l
for fats. Two-pound regular tails with
key, $210; Bluebacks, lib tails $l.S215,
lib. flats $3.50; Chinook ovals, for export
market closed; for home consumption,
N.S71a to $1.95 for small lots already sold.
Buyers have been here during the past
week, and though advantageous offers
have been made for ovals, 1t has been i'm
possible to purchase. Packers who put
out this class of goods to any extent
have got all they can do to fill orders
already received.