The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-13

cording TO the official reports. These are
almost altogether Chinese and Indians
The hshermen-who are paid by the fish
| causht-number in their ranks English.
Scocch crof.ers. Irish, French, Canada
ans. Scandinavians, Italians, japanese
and Indians. In spite Of the small pay,
t is possible in year Ike the present
to make big money.
The incorporated fisheries posses miles
Of docks, fleets of boats and canoes, and
vast sheds for canning. In process OF
time have no doubt that enterprising
Americans viii make the Alaskan rivers
rival those OF British Columbia"
DR.. Bean declined TO discuss the pre-
valent runlor that big English syndi-
cate is about 10 purchase the entirecan~
ming and packing plant OF the Fraser
river fisheries.
known landscape painter, spent many
years on his namesake river. while pre-
pairing series Of views at the instance
of the Canadian government. Asked
concerning the fisheries, he said:
ITO begin with. boat fishing does not
exist for more than few miles above
the delta OF the Fraser. Beyond that
point all fishing is done from the shore
by men, and sometimes. in exceptional
years. with the aid of horses.
Tine net used differs largely from the
seines used in Alaska. 1 can compare
it 20 nothing better than a huge ham
mock slung by both ends 10 pole. Night
is the time for fishing operations. The
men arrange among themselves for GER
tain stretches Of river. Below the delta
line they cast their nets from boats with
high, plattormed sterns. Further up,
the river being impossible on account OF
its fierce current and sUnken rocks, they
cast from the bank. A good man can
eaten hundreds daily. Two hundred FISH
at cents fish means s12 a day: and
that Is no unusual wage IN the season.
Below the delta L have heard Of 800
being earned by two men in a single day
or. TO be exact, in a single night.
That 1897 is TO be a banner year
nave heard from various friends at New
Westminster. Strange as it may seem,
the canning people are not always elated
by banner years. So much salmon drugs
the market and even hurts the canning
industry.
Nobody who has been in the north
west can have any notion OF the awful
thrush OF salmon during very big year.
like the present. A single Illustration
from my personal knowledgemay suffice.
On one occasion / crossed a tributary OF
the Fraser river literally over a bridge
made of salmon. The fish were dead and
had begun 10 putrefy. Forced from the
main stream into the tributary by the
terrific legions OF upgong fish behind,
they were driven into a long reach.
where the water grew shallow and the
rocky banks are narrow. Here they be-
came an absolute wedge-a Jam, like the
human jam that occurred or the Brook
iyn bridge years ago. No: a fish could
move forward, and thus imprisoned, as
in a wise, and without water. they died
by hundreds, under the screening sun
1T was quite easy for my Indian driv-
er to take the horse and buggy across
this extraordinary bridge. while l follow
ed on foot. Judging by the height Of the
river banks and the extent OF The fish
dam. 1 should say that there was an ac-
tual waste Of fully $500 or 5000 fish in
that jam. Subsequently I was informed
that such jams are by no means uncom-
mon.