The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-01
Magnitude of the Fishing In
dustry of Washington.
SOUND PRODUCT IN THE EAST.
Million Upon Million Of Every Kind of
Food FiAh- immense Product
of CAnneriea.

The waters of the state of Washing
ton, both salt and fresh. swarm with
life, and fishing has become one of the
leading Industries, which gives employ
ment to several Thousand men. In every
stream, regardless of size. the trout and
other game fishes in hungry eagerness
await the fisherman. Wheels moved by
the current, and nets, seines, and traps
capture by tons the finny inhabitants
Of the bright waters. Puget Sound and
the Columbia river practically supply
the world with canned salmon. In fact
the present extent and future magni-
I. lie :: the fishing industry of this state
Is realized by few people outside Of
those directly interested in the business,
for the subject has a commercial
strength that will be enduring. Seattle
particularly, receives substantial bene-
fit consequent to it's being the queen
City" on the Sound whose beautiful
blue waters as well as the silent depths
Of the adjacent Pacific literally TEEN
with millions of every variety Of food
fish known Here the supplies are pur-
chased, immense packs of salmon are
canned and sent abroad, fresh fish Is
iced and sent East, and fishermen spend
their earnings.
AS the new state grows and develops
the fishing industry will assume i'm
npense proportions, for its scope is
boundless. In the water of Puget Sound
at the mouth of its fresh water tribut-
aries. and along the shores of the Paci-
nc are over ninety varieties of fish. be-
sides extensive beds OF oysters and
countless CLAIMS. Excellent transporta-
ton facilities and competing transcon-
tinental lines have had the effect in
few years of enlarging local demand
until now the fish monger Is supplying
his trade In such cities as st. Paul.
Minneapolis. Chicago. st. Louis. Pitts
burg. Omaha, Kansas City and Denver
with fresh fish from Puget Sound. These
are packed In ice and sent in refrigera-
tor cars. maintaining their freshness
and excellent flavor. Thus the superior
food fish of Washington are placed in
competition with those of the Great
Lakes and the Atlantic. In this state
the close season has been abolished. and
the open winters make 1t possible for
fishermen to operate throughout the
year.
fishing industry, exclusive of canneries.
on Puget Sound. aggregates over $500.
600 This includes the value of $50 traps.
500 gill sets and boats. 100 sail boats, .
steamers. 900 pound net boats, Is seines
and outfits. so fish wheels. 8 steam pile
drivers, so hand pile drivers. This para
phernaiia is used both In catching fresh
FISH for Eastern shipment and salmon
for canning
One OF the largest cannerieS In the
state is located at Seattle and is manag-
ed by George T. Myers. who has been
engaged in the industry for many years
past The result Of his work during 1894
is given as follows: Men employed fish
ing. 2IS: men employed in cannery. 127:
scows and skiffs for purse seines. be
longing To cannery. Is: skiffs for drag
seines. 5; hsaGs and gill nets. S: purse
seines. drag seines and gill nets. 10.
steamers chartered. 3: salmon taken.
tyees 1916. silver 1907 skowitz 64ol2-
total weight. li9i167 pounds: cases
packed: Myers label l22o1, Elliott Bay
label sl1o: kits salmon bellies. Is
There was magnificent catch of SAL
mon on Grays Harhor and Shoalwater
Bay, where 10000 cases We're packed: at
Friday Harbor the number OF cases was
5000; and az Point Roberts and Blaine.
about % 600 cases
The total value II the fish taken from
the waters Of Puget Sound during 1894
and disposed Of fresh. Is placed at sl6e,-
200. The salmon pack Of the Puget
Sound district for 1894 was as follows:
Cases
Snckeye. Observation-Disclosures. II 400
Siiverside. Observation-Disclosures. % 900
Chinook ...................'. 700