The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-15

-.ur< very quickly TO avoid the yisitation
~ Asa-eating sharks. Sharks become very
hoIa and sea lions have been known TO
come within an oars length of the dories.
TIE cook on board thu schooner cleans
the FISH and places the heads II ice. as
that r.orrson begins TO spoil first
The catch this year. and especially for
.he past three weeks at the Flattery
ns-ks has become very light and the
boats ara mostly going north about 20
rysIes 10 Queen Charlotte sound, on the
coast OF Vancouver island. At this place
the halibut winter fishing for the Puget
sound feet is done. The Fla<tery banks
are from, ten 20 thfrty-fve miles out TO
sea from Cape Fattery. The best fishing
Is done in forsy-five fathorns OF water
ana the fish weigh from 20 TO 100 pounds.
One trip IN two weeks is generally made
and on returning, the catch having been
sold. one share goes 10 the boat and after
the expenses Of the trip are paid. averag-
ing from $50 10 $50, the balance is divided
equally among the crew. the captain shar-
ing equally with the others, but he usual
ly is a part owner Of the boat The price
received recently has been cents
pound and several cargoes OF from o.oo
20 3, 600 pounds have arrived.
The supply Inexhaustibie.
with a greater development OF the hall
but industry new banks will be surveyed.
and fishermen IN a position to know are
OF the opinion that there are numerous
rlsces In the North Pacific ocean where
halibut may be found in inexhaustible
quantities They are a cold water species.
never having been found further south
than the mouth OF Gray's harbor. On the
Alaska coast there are millions OF them.
The season at the Flattery banks is ar its
height in June and July. and in winter
fishing is suspended there. The rough
water makes 1t impracticable, the best
time being in quite water at slack tide.
The transportaticn from the distant Alas
ka waters requires more time than the
perfshabie catch viii allow and there is
where the fetching is so largely done
The fetching process consists of sailing
the cleaned fish in a vat, wher they re-
main between layers OF salt for eight
DAYS. when they are struck" the salt
having been absorbed sufficiently. The
fish for smoking are soaked for twelve
hours in water and then placed in a
smokeiiouse for five days, over a furnace
of burning alder wood. They are then
ready for market and in condition to keep
for an indefinite time. Smokehouses and
fetching watts are in use in this city and
an increased output is promised.
The halibut is a queer looking fish
found only in deep water. II is fiat in
shape and it's back is dark colored, and
underneath is white. Its mouth opens
perpendiculariy, and one eye is in the top
and one beneath the head, there being
little need of seeing to the side In the
search for food vision only above and
below is needed. Notwithstanding its
sluggish appearance it is a very smart
fish, ranking next TO the salmon in that
particular of the salt water species on
this Coast. according to the statements
OF fishermen.
The salmon Trade.
The fresh salmon industry of Puget
sound is conducted with less public show.
as the larger halibut boats collected
around Ainsworth & Dunn's wharf cause
more comment, but the SEEMING of salmon
goes on briskly in the smaller craft with
shorter distances to travel. Salmon is in
reality the staple fish and has a much
greater sale than any other. There are
six varieties. principal of which are sill
yer. the spearhead and the chinook sal
mon. The grounds for catching them be-
ing located at the mouths of the rivers,
no better place is known than the Seattle
harbor. The salt salmon has become such
an industry in Alaska as to require whole