The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-10-17
A NEW INDUSTRY
AT OUR DOORS
The Curing and Packing of Goldfish
to Be Established Ia
Astoria,
BETTER PAY FOR FISHERMEN
The Details VI the business Described
by an EXpert--The Cod ~ the Pa
cifc Equal to the Rest Georgia
Cod-Groat Opportunity
BETTER PAY FOR FISHERMEN

needs the brains Ot a h0rd-puShlnG
Eastern man and a small amount OF
capital 10 develop which would leave
more money In this city In three sea.
sons than the entire grain fleet would
In nine,
A few days ago Mr. Frank stokes
returned rrum an extended visit on
the Sound. and spoke " the great sue
cess OF u single small Goldfish packing
institution at Anacortcs, which under
the management ~ an old Massachu-
sets fisherman. is rapidly building ny
a good business and making money tor
its projectors. Believing that Astoria
possesses all ~ the requirements neces-
sary for packing goldfish which shall be
equal in quality To the best now pro
duced in the world. the Astorian has
had the subject somewhat investigated.
\ reporter called upon Mr. Stokes, and
was by him introduced 10 u gentleman
who FOR the present prefers 10 keep his
name silent. but who has had many
years experience In the Goldfish indus
try in Gloucester Mass, That gentle
man stated that In his opinion all As
toria needed TO make II lively COM
petitor OF the Atlantic coast in this
particular branch OF trade, was East
ern brains and push.
The establishment ot such an in
dustry In Astoria would give employ
ment TO hundreds OF men and boats,
and would soon become one NJ your
most valuable branches OF business.
could now get you a man here on few
days notice who thoroughly under
stands the curing and packing Of cod
fish. The packers In Gloucester secure
their fish on Newfoundland or on the
Grand Banks, about the same dis
tance away as are the Alaskan waters
from Astoria The best Goldfish known
in the world is the Georgia Banks fish.
Now the Goldfish which are caught In
the vicinity OF the Schunagan Islands.
Alaska, are equal in thickness and
flavor TO the Georgia fish
Were We to go into the business here
We would send our Gshing schooners out
in March and they would return about
the 18th OF August. just In time for the
fine drying and curing weather Of the
summer and fall months in Astoria. As
the fishermen catch the fish they are
salted down In bulk in the vessel as
soon as caught, and when the season is
over and the vessel returns home the
fish are taken out and resaltcd In large
or watts. where they are
picked until needed When II il desired
to fill orders for shipment the fish are
taken out Of the pickle. and cured by
sundrying on frames similar to our net
racks. which are covered with lath i've
Inches apart, and are called flakes.
The select fish are used for the different
brands Of boneless Goldfish, which are
put up in thirty pound boxes, the choic-
sr grades being made into two-pound
bricks by moulding under hydraulic
pressure. and are then packed in boxes
ready for market. After the larger ish
are cured they are usually packed
whole in lOO-pound boxes.
The fishermen engaged with one OF
these schooners upon the fishing banks
are paid by the thousand fish. and upon
a vessel which has obtained full
catch during the season. the men Will
average one-third more money for their
labor than will the average Columbia
river salmon fishermen. Two weeks
ago at Seattle. when a Goldfish schooner
was discharging cargo the low line
mans share in wages was $40, and the
high liner received 1915. Recollect that
these men have no outside expenses
for board, boats tackle, or
nets. which are frequently lost. Their
profits are clear gain. In the packing
houses tine men who do the curing part
1f the work are usually paid by the
month. The drying men are paid by
he month or piece, sometimes by the
week. A few such establishments here
would give steady employment to many
young men and boys through almost |
he entire winter season.
Astoria with her railroad and fleets |
If sailing vessels, could put this FISH |
IN the market ten days before 1t can |
De put on the market from the Sound, |
and two to three sooner than San
francisco could market It. Astoria is |
ust as good a place as Gloucester for |
climate for curing than the Sound cities
md II the little institution at Anacortes
AN make money hand over fist for its |
manufacturer, Astoria could
lot fail to make hundreds Of thousands |
Il dollars every year. A fleet Of ten |
.odfsh schooners Of say 125 tons each,
would leave more money with the AS
oria merchant in a single season than
would our entire grain fleet in three
One Of the beauties Of this iii
lustry is that the curing and packing
almon season closes. Many men would
hus be given work during the entire
rear. The man who starts such an in
Iustry here will make the hit Of his
lfe. Careful investigation has shown
hat there are fish In the Alaskan wa
ers peculiar to those waters which are
quail to the finest food fishes ever test
d. The mackerel, hallbut, Goldfish and
thers are different from their Atlantic
ouslns, but If anything superior to
hem in quality. The business Of pack
hg Goldfish can be conducted in AS
Dria cheaper and with a larger profit
han in San Francisco.
There is another thing in this con-
ectlon almost as profitable as the cod
sh business and that IA the smoking
( halibut, OF which fish tons can be
ad off the Flattery banks. II an East.