The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-03

up. 50 that IN fSs2 three-fourths OF the
catch was made with purse seinss and
one-fourth win all nets.
"A fleet OF smaI-sized schooners. built
for the fisheries during the years 1891 and
1892. az once inaug Uratei the haNbut asn-
cry. and their catch met with a ready sale
at Seattle.
Fresh Fish Shipments.
The business of shipping fish fresh IN
refrigerator cars is growing in Importance.
Shipments are as yet confined 10 fresh
salmon and halibut consigned mostly 10
points east OF the Missouri river. Each
car carries from y 10 Is tons OF fish IN
1880 six carloads. comprising 1850 pounds
az fresh fish were sent East from Seattle;
the following year nineteen carloads. ag-
gregating go. 30 pounds. were sent East.
ITp to December l. 1892 five carloads
equivalent to 1850 pounds, had been
sent, and IL Is probable that the shipments
during the remainder OF the year would
make the aggregate for the season fully
equal to that Of 1891
The Puget Sound & Alaska Commercial
Company. OF Seattle. was the pioneer Of
the cod-fishinE business OF that city. The
firm began operations IN February. 1872
and on March 5 OF that year sent the
schooner Moonlight, Of IS tons, with a
crew OF II men, on the first eOd-fshing
trip from Seattle. The vessel fished In
Bering sea and returned 90 Seattle on Au-
gust 20 with 49, zoo pounds Of salt cod.
Soon after being landed the fish were pre-
pared In the usual manner as homeless cod
and placed on the market The success
attending this first trip and the favorable
reception accorded the prepared catch IN
dictate that the future may see this bust
ness largely increased
The Cod Fisheries.
Under the head OF Skagit county the
following account OF the inception OF cod
fishing is given:
This county is favorably located with
reference to the fishing grounds OF the
Strait OF Fuca and Strait Of Georgia. and
viii 10 doubt come into prominence with
the further settlement Of the section. but
at the present time II maintains no local
fisheries, and the only feature which en-
titles it TO mention is the offshore cod
fishery carried on from Anacortes. In this
county. During 1892 direct rail communi-
cation was established between Seattle
and this county with the water terminal
at Anacortes. This town was one OF many
communities that the opening OF the rail-
road brought into existence. Up 10 the
date OF the visit OF the agent OF the fish
commission no attention had been given
to the fisheries with the exception OF the
cod fishery noted.
IN 1891 Capt. J. a. Mattesen, OF Prov
incetown, Mass brought to Anacortes the
schooner Lizzie Colby, which had for
number of years been engaged in the
Grand Banks cod fishery out OF Province
town. on the arrival OF the vessel she
was at once sent 10 the fishing banks In
Bering sea. Although the season was late
when fishing began and the operations
were continued only twenty days, $500
pounds of cod fish were taken and brought
TO Anacortes. On March H. 1892, this pio-
neer vessel in the cod fishery OF Washing
ton sailed from Anacortes on her second
trip 10 Bristol bay. Alaska, returning Au-
gust % with 1000 pounds OF Goldfish,
which were caught IN three months fish
ing On the return Of the vessel the cargo
was stored under pickle IN tanks until
needed. As occasion requires, the fish are
dried on outdoor fakes. and prepared for
market as boneiess Goldfish. The FISH are
sold in Seattle. Portland and other cities
OF the West coast. and one carload was
sent TO Boston Mass.
The oyster Business
Native oyster beds are abundant IN Ma
son and Thurston counties. the beds n
Mason county being IN Oakland bay. Case
Inlet Totem inlet or Oyster bay, and
Hood canal, and those Of Thurston county
In Mud bay near Olympia; ali CT these
bodies Of water are tributary 20 Puget
sound. During the past few years more
attention has been given 70 the native
beds OF this region. The small seed oys-
planted and starfsa found on the beds
have been destroyed. In all cases In
which some care has been Bestowed On
the beds a gain IN the output has result
cd while localities where the beds have
received no attention have generally
shown a decrease. some beds worked as
tate as 1888 now being abandoned IN past
years starfsh have been very destructive
10 the native beds % Puget sound: of
late the efforts 20 rid the beds o. this
Injurious animal have been Increased.
ard 6epredauons have been almost en-
tlrely prevented. The beds are exposed
at low tide. az which time the stsrrsa
are gathered BY hand and with forks, and
used on he land for fertilizer
IN taking oysters IN the Puget sound
region tongs are but lttls Used-ln some
instances not at ALL the oysters Being
picked by hand al low tide. and carried
20 floats. where ;hsy gro cu!ied. small
seed oysters and shells being returned 10
the beds.
Tacoma. Seattle and other points IN sacks
containing i15 pounds equivalent 70 two
nfshs.s. Prices in lss9 were s. per sack.
and in 1891 and 1852 $40 per sack The
oyster season is from September 20 Nay
/ Two sacks per day are considered fair
quantity 70 be taken by one nsn
Planting Eastern Oysters.
fsCTausfH era bic 81 tcrsSf - aeEaS tffs1 III
the question as n W2eiheT Eastern oys-
ters vgHl propa gate or thrive 10 the waters
~ Puget sound. Il = reported tnAt tire
erperirnent VII soon be given trsal ~
slantgug a cons. gnment q oysters from
The East
..Tn sssts small beds OF a b.ya4To mollu2<
ao7fnarorusa ruac~oschis7a1 % 10 eco-
-o-~s- value were found between Tacoma
- seattle. Considerable attentson was
Eyer % cnis discovery. because % the
s-,.s~.tvs notices sn ths press. ~ tie
-.vrarsmars tMa shelIHsn we're almost n
,,s~sah3v ssesiEn2tesd as valuable beds %
tr.atsrn oysters. Their sae4s were about
80 sfze - q raAsztErn Eastern oyster. The
- ra~. OF Taest o. them vas q bright
-ess co,ey. reee11plin- Eresa meat rather
ttar srsIiEsn. TIE 3n34ans OK the Sound
save long been familiar with thess moi
Tasks. and report them a. good for food
a. certain seasons ard as poisonous al
nthe< times. 80 experiments IS 20 fnetT
,-ssase fer food we're gla1@ ~ ths Whites.
ard tbs beds remain unGizsAroe,i-'
Rainfall. That DO Not Reach Earth.