The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-04-18

April by Slab Kelly and others on the
southwest side OF Sand I~sland-a govern
lncnt reservc-wcre pulled on the I'd. day
OF April. The trap piles driven by Peoo-
yIch into the main ship channel a short
distance above Fort Setvens. were pulled
out on Sunday. April ;, FIVE days before
the fsling season was supposed to be-
gin. consequently had nothing TO do with
the strike. or price Of fish. am inform
ed that Mr., hegArdt. assistant United
States engineer is now engaged in max
ing n survey which VIII show that the
channel OF 1886. leading into Bakers bay.
has filled up almost entirely. The chan
mel Is making to the eastward. close over
TO Sand island. it's entrance being just
west OF tho Great Republic wreck Into
and across his channel Is where slab
Kelly and the other party unlewfully
drove the pillng. that the fishermen un-
law fully pulled out. the former 10 make
money by catching 1sh, and the latter
claiming that II these traps are allowed
TO remain their lives and property would
h. In constant danger. especially about
low water. or slack -tides-usually the
hest time 10 catch Ash Frequently.
both day and night, a heavy swell n
breakers come In with n southerly wind
Then the gillnetters find II impossible TO
sail out OF the bite" ard he Is often
compelled to go either ashore ON San
island, or run into Bakers bay. Here
totore, but few men have lost their lives
when driven on to SAM island, n the
damaged boats and nets In most cases
are recovered and repaired. II is claimed
by the fishermen. and | am told by
three-tourths OF h cannerymen, that
by allowing traps to be driven across the
channel into the west end OF Bakers
bay, IL Is almost sure death TO the men.
and destruction TO their property, to get
caught on the weather side of a trap
at this place, even in a moderate blow,
II the state of Washington. or Oregon.
has for u few paltry dollars licensed
three or -four men to drive piles for traps
on the frontage of n government reserve,
In the channels that are dangerous TO
life and property, It Is wrong: II n trap
mar drives piles or erects an obstruction
in the channels of the Columbia river
without permission. he does wrong.
The damage to the trapmens' piledriver
is also wrong. and that act is generally
condemned even among the fishermen
themselves. Mr., Editor. chose in au-
thority should define the hNrbor lines,
and see that they are not encroached
upon When complaints are made by the
fishermen they should not be ignored and
treated with disdaiu. but should be ex-
amined and proper steps taken to pre-
vent heterogeneous of the rights of many
for the benefit of the few. The fisher
men OF the Columbia river today are
fully three-fourths residents OF Oregon
and Washington. and have their homes
and families residing near the bank OF
the river. have their personal interests
In the welfare Of the states, n are
almost entirely a different class from
those we had eight or ten years ago.
The strife that has been heretofore with
regard to fish legislation and the kin
of gear hat may be used. / believe has
somewhat changed during the past year.
Tho large run OF "chinook" salmon last
season, l am told, has convinced the
fishermen that by propagation the river
can be sufficiently stocked with an album
dance Of salmon to permit all the scar
that is used, and plenty of fish for all.
Very truly yours,
], H. d. GRAY.