The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-08-05
habit OF the fish has baen discovered by
repeated experiments with marked fish.
Young fry from hatcheries have had
certain fins cut off and then liberated in

repeated experiments with marked fish.
Young fry from hatcleries have had
certain fins cut off and then liberated in
the river. None of them were ever
caught inside Of three years. :
Through the courtesy of the Astoria
& Columbia River railroad. the editorial
excursi0nists were taken down tie river
to Astoria, the seat OF the canning in.
dustry Of the United States. This was
at the conclusion of.our stay in Portland
and aftera brilliant ball and banquet
given at the Portland hotel to the
association by the citizens Of that pretty
city. And l wish to quit fishing
moment to add that this particular
affair was fitting end to our delightful
sojourn there. The ballroom was one
of The NEST brilliant scenes it has eyer
been my luck to gaze upon and will long
remain in the memory of all WHO partic-
ipated directly or indirectly. But to our
story.
The history Of Astoria dates back to
1911, when it was founded by John Jacob
Astor as trading post.
Astoria is located at the mouth of the
Columbia, but the Columbia is famous
for its big mouth and it is someth ing
like ten miles by shore limo to tia ocean.
In size an! Importance it is the second
city OF Oregon. 1t stands Oh peninsula.
Back of the city are the foothills of The
Cascades, on which houses perch as
picturesQuely as Alpine chalets and so
close do the hills crowd the water front
that many OF the principal blocks
and streets in the front Of the city are
built on huge piles over the harbor, and
the tide rises and falls, and the waves
roll and splash, day and night, under
hotels, banks, stores, warehouses, news
paper offices, churches, electric cars and
residences. The town has population
Of 10000 and is as cosmopolitan in its
makeup as New York or Chicago-from
Fifth avenue dudes to Norwegian lo2gers,
Finland boatmcp, Chinese fsh-cleaners,
and Clatsop clam.diggers. The citizens
turned out enmnsse and gave lis the
glad.hand the moment we struck the
town, principally in the way of COM
plimentary salmon dinner spread in a
new warehouse just completed. In order
to impress fish upon us the more strong
ly, new salmon packing cases were given
US to 81: upon white we partook Of the
repast. This being completed, nearly
everybody lit out for some one Of the
many canning factories, which are
spread all along the water front. We
saw the fish taken cut of the boats,
Weighed, cleaned, cut UP, packed in the
little cans, labeled, and tl.p cases nailed
up and marked to their destination, the
whole shooting match from teginning
to end.
Taking him up one side and down the
other, the royal chinook sala.on is the
greatest food fish that swms. His flesh
is almost AS delicate and lalatable as
the brook trout and few Of him will
feed a regiment. Nearly all solid meat
"a forty-po@nd salmon contains no more
offal than tcn-pound pike-and no fish
bones TO annoy the repast, he makes a
meal ct for king.
( To one who has inspected different
factories where food products are putup
for market. From vegetables and fruit
to fish, the most noteworthy feature Of
these salmon canneries was the perfect
cleanliness and absence OF any smell
abont the premises anywhere. AS we
entered the particular canncry in mind
there was no indication that fish had
eyer been inside Of it. Everything was
as clean as new whistle aud in perfect
order. 1t was the noon hour and the
workmen were at dinner. Chinese labor
is employed in the canneries exclusive
ly. As we gathered in the plant they
came in one or two at time, d0nned
their OIL aprons and rubber boots and
| hegan to do business. The big door
! opening on the harbor was thrown open
and from the hole OF tug mocred there,
by the big fish were yanked out onto the
scales. weighed aud dumped on the floor
Two Cinnamon lifted the lish-some o.
them great, huge fellows. nll a mar
would care to lift-and placed them OF
table with heads facing them. abou
twenty in row az time, gave thel
big knives whct or two and fell to work
Each fin was cut off with single stroke
then the head severed-all in less tim
than it takes to write it. The next MAJ
: takes tho fish and clcaps off tho string
and ends left. under running strean
Of water, and passes it Oh to the scaleI
; His work done, tho fish goes TO tn
: Gnisher who goes at it with stiff brusl
polishing the salmon inside and on
under cold stream Of water until it
as clean as tho most particular house
wife could desire. shall never gt
; squeamish ove, warmed salmon pacl
ed in Astoria, The fish ale cnt up b
= hand, with a revolving t':4k knife OF 81
or eight disks, worked by hand, th
pieces being cut the exact thickness
: pack edgewaysin the fiat, oval boxe
= The head and tail pieces are chopped u
finer with q butcher knife and make
= second grade goods. After the SALINE
> is packed and che covers pressed on IL
boxes are washed in a rapidly revol'
y ing machine and passed on to the solde
y ere. Instead Of using soldering iro
!. the boxes are grabbed iE clamp ar
- the edges revolyed in a pot Of solde
u These expert Cinnamon receive 50 n da
= The other workmen from 81 to $l.E
= The bo&es are placed in retorts a,
" steamed about two hours. They a
= then each carefully inspected, the q
I holes soldered and then comes tho labe
ing and packing in cases. The of
- taken from the fish in ths process
= cleaning is dumped down a shoot in
= . the water under the warehouse, whe
~ IL ia jmm pdiateIy deyoIlrnd hv thu prn