The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-04

Seattle mar who did not want 30 be
quoted. but who evidently kn9ws whereof
he speakss says the proposed IegLs alive
enactment against fish traps wos.G en-
tail N lis passage a ilst OF conSeQ uencss
Of the utmost Importance ID Puget sound.
IL would practically mean the shutting
down of the Sound canner.es. which now
depend on the traps for a supply Of Gsh.
and would throw out % employment al
most a score % steamers with their full
compliments Of men. dependent on the
canning industry for support, making an
actual Joss OF 500 90 or more. besides
Gripping q developing industry that prom
Lses 20 assume large proportions n the
near future.
The BIN has aroused great interest. not
only among those directly engaged IA the
fishing or canning business but. among al
people who are interested In the develop
naent 81 Puget sound and have an under
standing OF the situation.
1T Is at n time compare lively recent"
he said. THAT the prospects OF the fishing
industry on the Sound began 10 attract
capital Last year four or FIVE new Cars
neries we're established a. cost Of sew
eral hundred thousands % dollars Trap
nets have been set in the lower Sound 20
capture fish on the way from the Pacific
ocean through the Islands 20 the Frasier
river Other means OF capturing the FISH
have been Intellectually tried and trap nets
have been finally adopted as the only
practicable means OF supplying the can
neries. There are A few gil net fisher
men, whose combined catch IS not more
than sufficient 70 supply one canneFy. and
they all Notwithstanding oppose the traps.
The trap nets stood for the wealthy class.
they represented corporate power. While
the sin nets were for the poor, the down
trodden. the oppressed.
Feeling rose 20 high against traps that
our company. attempting TO put one
across the mouth Of the Skagit river. was
driven out by the gill net men. Meetings
were held! Popuitst politicians in thar sec
ton Of the country were interested. and
many went 70 the legislature pledged 20
the sentiment: Down with the trap men
they stand for the wealthy class: huTTaH
for the poor gill net fisherman" The pres
ent bill pending in the legislature Vas the
outgrowth OF this sentiment.
The fact that the traps were entrench-
ing upon the demand for MS FISH seemed
apparent TO The gili-ne1 fisher. As a mat
ter Of fact the destruction Of traps would
mean the death OF the canning Industry.
the very source which now affords mar
ket 70 the gill-net fisher. Puget sound has
TO compete in the salmon markets OF the
Fraser rivers. To DO this needs eDcogr-
agement OF every kind. rather than bitter
Encouragement The canning Industry IS
an infant, anxious 10 grow, Ike lis elder
brothers. The output from Sound can
neries for 1895 was 10000 cases Alaska
put out over 2.co00oo cases. Columbia river.
900 Fraser river, 40 90.
Local canneries employ seine fisher
men and buy from the gin-net men. The
distinction between the two kinds OF fish,
ing is this. The seine net covers large
area About ten men are required 20 set Il
out and its strings are drawn up. like the
strings OF a purse the fish being caught
Ike so many shining coins.
Every cannery man in British Column
bia is naturally interested in the downfall
OF the trap system for the traps take fish
from the Fraser river Several representa-
tives OF British Columbia interests in the
matter are said to he al Olympia. working
hard 70 influence the action OF the legis-
lafure in favor Of the bill. They are natur-
ally interested in crushing opposition on
the Sound. They have seen the last year
or two three new canneTies al Anac3rtes
two OF which put in plants worth about
sle0,eo. and the third one worth slightly
less They have seen another cdnnery az
Friday Harbor. expendlnZ s50eoo in its
traps and machinery: another al Lumml
island. costing s25@a. and one az Port
Angeles. costing s25000 They have seen
these things and realized that they meant
tho growth % a powerful rival in salmon
canning. which would encroach heavily on
their business.
Trap nets are largely experimental,
and often but one OF four will prove profit
able. A good net costs between 8. co and
Si,09o All the canneries have 70 employ
steamers. Eight Of the larger establish
merts have an average Or two steamers
each. employing fun crews 81 men. There
Is an immense expense attached also 10 cha
outfits and supplies he driving 81 plies
AMI running expenses. Altogether. the
amount az capital Interested Is estimated
a. over a half million dollars. II - the
consideration Of THIS which IS aro1sIng
strong opposftion 20 the proposed bin
abolishirg esh traps. and Il ia felt among
those interested that a true understanding
o. the situation viii influence the Iegisla-
ture 20 protect Puget sound rather than
British Columbia"