The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-06

All 1nd1cat1OnS point TO nSn Iamlne
for the Northwest and unless something
unforeseen turns up planked whitefish
will only be found this year on the tables
Of millionaires. Prices are up and the
supply of Lake Superior fish is almost
exhausted. all because of the backward
ness of spring. according to Charles w.
Turner. Chicago manager of the Booth
Packing company, which controls the fish
supply at the head Of the lakes. Mr..
Turner was in the city yesterday. return
ing from a trip of inspection to the Lake
Superior fisheries of his company and he
foretells a gloomy prospect for the peo-
pie who are fond of fnny food.
There has never been such a shortage
In the fish supply In the history Of the
trade said Mr.. Turner last evening.
"The condition at the head Of the lakes
is unparalleled. Last year we started out
our boats from Duluth on April 10, and
from Bayfield, on April 6. This year it
will be May 10, at least, before the boats
can get out That means that we lose
from month to six weeks of fishing and
our supply without exaggeration is prac-
tically exhausted.
There Is three feet of ice on Lake Su-
perior and the keeper of tn Sand island
light house writes me that he cannot see
blue water for twenty miles. That is tho
condition at Bayfield, and at the head of
the lakes there is 100 miles Of Ice that
will average three feet in thickness.
John Beargrease, the Indian mail carrier
who carries the mails by means OF his
To- 10 o,,6
Portage. tells me that there is at least $50
-...-- MILES OF. THE ICE.
There is solid ice at Outer island and
Beaver bay.
.sThe fish that we get from Lake Su-
perior are largely taken. by the Twin
at the head Of the lakes are practically
supply houses for ST. Paul and Mime.
apolis. There is not a pound Of white
fish UP there now, because the sales have
been so unprecedented. All frozen fish are
gone It has been our custom to keep
100000 to 100000 pounds in the freezers at
the central house at Chicago, but we
have not enough to supply our customers
The freezer. supply is put on the market
during the summer months when the de-
mand exceeds the supply. In July, Aug
ust and September it is almost impossible
to get whitedsh.
'Our lake fisheries are at Duluth, Bay
field, Ashland, Ontonagon, the 500, Man.
istique and Grand Marais. and the re-
ports are the same from all Of them.
This is the greatest cleanup on record.
II bought fish yesterday 1,13O miles
ncrth of st. Paul, in Northern Canada,
and paid 8 cents a pound for it. The
fish will cost 10 cents pound delivered
here / have paid cents for sturgeon
that three years ago sold in Duluth for
a cent pound. The sturgeon will all &c
to New York and Chicago, because the
price is prohibitory in this market.
I'VE do not intend to advance the price
in the same proportion as the cost has
increased. Ten cents will probably be
the wholesale price on whitefish, and the
same fish will bring 1874 cents in Chicago.
When the supply is totally exhausted, as
appears to be the outlook, whitefish can
Zone factor in the scarcity has been
that the
WINTER WAS SO COLD
that our fishermen could not get out to
fish through the ice. One-third of the
winter supply had heretofore been caught
through the ice but this year I doubt
If one-tenth will be. In many places
on the north shore of Lake Superior the
weather has been 40 degrees below zero
for weeks at time.
''Whitefish are getting scarcer anyway
under normal conditions. They are be-
ing driven up to the Canadian shore of
Lake Superior by the increase In the
volume of seweage that is poured into
the lake, but more largely by the saw
mills. When a fish gets bit of saw
dust In its gills it has the same effect
as If man was to get a cinder in his
eye. The fish is bound to move on. Pretty
soon we shall have to go to Canada for
all our fish. The United States is not
severe enough in enforcing the propaga-
ton Of fish. That Is point we are try
ing to remedy by teaching our fishermen.
In the spawning season the fishermen
throw back the spawn of their catch,
and 80 per cent will hatch. We are al
ready reaping the benefit of this system
and it should be more general"