The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-07-13
THN SALMON SITUATION
The Seasons Pack Much Short
of Last Year.
BLuEsAcKs ARE A FAILURE
Reports From All Centres Show an
Increase in Orders and Better
Conditions Prevailing.
RLuEsAcKs ARE a FAILuRE

Astoria, Or, 10 p. M, July II, 1S95.-We
are glad to be able to report today that
the semi-stagnation that has existed In
salmon circles at this end of the conti-
nent during the past three weeks has
since our last report, been broken by
fairly good run of fish. On Monday very
little change was noticed but when the
boats reported on the following day pros
poets looked better and since then they
have continued to improve slowly. All
the cannerymen looked for a very large
squirt, as the weather was excessively
hot and conditions were favorable, but
they had to be content with normal re-
turns, though several Of them still be-
lieve that before the month Is over there
will be big increase for some days
The gill METERS have not shared in the
decreased catch to any considerable ex-
tent, traps being responsible for the
greater part of the returns, and next to
them the seines. The trap returns show
20 per cent OF Chlnooks, and 80 per cent
of steelheads, while these two varieties
are about evenly divided in seine catches
The boats are catching nothing but Chi
nooks, averaging about 100 pounds each
per day. Bluebacks have practically dis
appeared for the season, and the run Of
this grade can be characterized as moth
ing short of a failure. The upper river
is short fully 10000 cases OF bluebacks
alone, while at this end Of the Columbia,
all the Gamers are short on their supply
and cannot fill blueback orders. This
shortage is bound to strengthen prices of
other grades as soon as buyers see that
they cannot get supplied with the style
of goods originally ordered. The salmon
season closes on the 10th of August, and
1t seems certain that after the end of
the present month very little work will
be done. The canneries will keep open,
but only ito take care OF whatever small
lots of fish may be brought In. Every
day the lower river is running behind
the record OF last year, and what will
probably PUN the season OF 1896 still low
er is the fact that from this time on gill
nets will be unable to do any more day
fishing. The water Is too clear, and as
a result all operations have to be con-
fined to night work, keeping the fisher
men inside the river, and preventing
them from drifting their nets into dam
gerous places close to the ocean where
the biggest hauls are invariably made.
Giving fairly good and continuous run
from this time to the close of operations
we must place the complete pack Of the
Columbia River at from $4,000 to 100000
cases, as against 4S5, 100000 cases in 1894.
All Indications point to the fact that
Eastern markets are in healthy and
gradually improving condition. New tel
egraph orders are being received by sew
eral Gamers daily for carload shipments
and brisk inquiry comes from most OF
the trade centers. Conditions In this
respect are undoubtedly on the mend.
The truth is that buyers are beginning to
realize that the general reports Of the
condition of affairs at the center of the
industry have been accurate and correct
and not made with a view Of affecting
the markets in any way. The closer the
end OF the season approaches and the
more the fact of q slack pack becomes
apparent this feeling will continue to
strengthen deals. At the beginning of
the season when the exceptionally large
May pack was being put up some of the
Gamers, scared of carry over stocks,
began to crowd sales and the weakened
market resulting from this is only now
beginning to recover itself. The packers
who have oversold are easy, and those
few who have undersold are feeling just
as comfortable, knowing that they VIII
get the benefit of any unsupphed de-
mand from other sources, and probably
at increased prices We quote today:
spring caucn StralBnt CnlnOOkS, $l.3U TO
$1.43lA for tails, and $1.50 to $1.57h for
fats. Two-pound regular tails with key,
$210; Bluebacl1s, lib. tails, $1321a, lib. |
fats $150; Chinook ovals, for export
market closed; for home consumption,
$1.S71a to N.95.
Reports from British Columbia show |
a strong market. The destruction by fire |
Of three OF the largest British Columbia |
canneries which we spoke Of last week,
has naturally helped to strengthen mat
ters. A New Westminster packer writes
us: 'fWe hope to get s. from Eastern
markets before the season closes, that is
II some OF our Gamers have the sand
to hold together for living prices. The
fish have been exceptionally good since
the season started. We all feel happy
up here over the action of the Dominion
government In refusing to saddle on us
this year the cost of an expensive sys-
TEN of removing offal, which would SER
oausly interfere with operations. 1 be-
lieve that they win compel us to begin
removing 1t, however, next season, and
during the winter most of us will prob