The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-28
FROM SALMON TRAPS.
Blaine Is Becoming a Busy and
Prosperous Town.
THE RUN A FORTNIGHT EARLY.
Larger Number OF Fish Taken Up 70
History OF the Industry.

tinted States Fish Commissions A. B.
Alexander was az Paint Roberts last week.
an1 yesterday soA5 3 Pcss-TnseiEgs rcsr r.
porter % The Increasing Importance Of ne
salmon fisheries an5 IRE consequent good
times 81 Blaine.
Compared wsth two years ago. things
n general in The vicinity % Blaine have
taken on q healthy look. az1 now. insseai
% hssring complaints by the score from
merchants and laoorinz men. exeTyeosy :
discussing business from 3 lucrative stand
point said Mr.. Alexander.
This healthy condition Of affairs has
BEEN brought abouz almost wholly by the
salmon fishing. which Is extensively car
rls1 OF al Point Roberts and OF the
mouth OF Senlsahn1oo bay. Al the
present time two large canne-fss are n
operation al the localities mentioned. azi
a third one IS II the process OF corstTlc-
ton Blaine being the nearest toxn 20
this fishery. Is Is but natural that she
should receive a large share OF the bsIsi-
ness resulting from this growing Industry.
There are nearly 90 men employed al the
canneries and traps. exclusive Of thu
Chinese lahorers. and when this number %
men - let loose IN a town With from 30
70 SIS IN each mans pocket. the merchants
Of the place are benefited.
TN 10 date there has been a larger num-
her Of salmon taken than AZ any time "a
the history OF the salmon industry In this
region The run OF fish commenced about
a fortnight earlier than usual. and while
IL IS rot anticipated that salmon viii con-
tirue 10 run all through the season IN
such numbers. vet the fishermen are Of
the opinion that the run viii be sufficiently
heavy TO satisfy the most greedy.
'sAt Point Roberts trap fishing has al
ways been the chief method OF capture.
the Indians. however from time irrse-
moral have reiigioasly clung 20 the reef
net. a device OF taeir ozn Invention
Purse seine fishing has never been sue
ceSsfaiiy carried on here. vet this season a
number OF fishermen from the neighbor-
hood OF Seattle are already on the ground
with purse seines. they having been slim
uiated by the success other apparatus
has met. These fishermen no doubt will
do well. for they can dispose OF their
catch at the canneriex here az a fair
price.
The price OF salmon paid 10 fishermen
Is . cents. which 10 men who hive in a
frugal manner. as Is the custom Of this
class OF fishermen. means good wages for
the amount OF time and tabor expended
Strange TO say. there has been heavy
failing of In the Fraser river catch. and
in consequence a number Of fishermen
from thar locality have located traps on
the American side OF the nne. TSo years
ago small beginning was made in this
direction hy the Canadian fishermen. who
put down traps on the east side OF Point
Roberts. near where the traps OF the
American cannerfes were located. The
success Of this neg method of fishing has
led others 20 follow. and the present out
look Is that In a short time there will be
as many Canadian as American trap fsn-
ermen In waters adjacent 10 Point Rob
erts. So far as Is known. there has been
no question raised against the number OF
traps put down by Canadian fishermen.
across the line are prospective. and K
they prove successful Il will no doubt lead
TO the building Of other cannerieS.
The range Of the sockeye. or blue
back. salmon is very great. Il being found
in as great numbers n many % the
streams Of Alaska as al Point Roberts
ard in the Fraser river. This species ex-
tend 10 the western boundary OF Alaska
and is also found in the waters OF Kamst-
chatka- The economic value OF this FISH
is very great. and notwithstanding that a
vast amount OF capital + invested In car
neriss. much more viii In the future find
a profit IA the same industry. for the limit
Of this enterprise has not vet been reach
ed. IL Is a business that seennlngly Is
destined TO grow and expand with each
coming decade To be sure. there Is some
danger OF salmon becoming fhinned o1t
by the use OF so many modern methods Of
capture; bat long before there is any
serious danger OF the rivers becoming de-
plste1 by oyernsh!ng, science will come
10 the rescue and I'll them as they were In
The early inception OF The salmon fishery
of the Pacific coast"