The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-12-29
CALIFORNIA SAkDINES.
AoW THEY ARE CAUGHT BY THE TON
FOR THE cANNARlES.
The Spawning Fish Are Being 0seimatsd
So Rapidly That Il Will Soon be the
Story Of the Moss Bunker Over Again

With characteristic cordially, the
captain Of the sardine boat ushers
aboard his craft the stranger, who
wants to study the details of SO in-
teresting an industry as sardine fish
ing and canning. which is extensive
~ carried Oh along the California
coast.
Tumble aboard. Look out, that's
the salt bag: and mind that jug-that's
the dago red. Take a seat aft" saiu
| a master Of one Of these long, low
launches fitted with power engine
and devoted to the extermiihtion OF
the California sardine.
| The vessel was lying at a wharf IN
the long. narrow harbor OF San
Pedro near building erected on piles
which bore sign that told the world
| that sardines were canned there, not
| to speak OF Holsters (crawfish ana
| nackerel; and that there was no ad-
mission, except on business. Inc
boat had just landed cargo of sar-
dimes. and large number Of girls and
women were at work on the inside
cutting of heads and bringing the fish
down to the right size for canning.
"Au ready! Cast OFF the stern line!
One hell. and the throbbing engine be-
gins to pump; a moment later the jim
Gle bell sounds and the trim boat runs
rapidly out of the harbOr. The crew IS
made up Of half dozen herculean fell
lows-Swedes and Americans. Along
side the launch. held in place by TIVE
bOoms, IL a long whaleboat, double
ender, that holds the big net, while
dory lowed astern carries another.
This small boat, of twenty tons, ID
the discriminating factor OF the
, Southern Californian waters, and she
has taken tons Of fish to the cannery
this year. No mercy is shown, and
no consideration Of the people OF the
future. The spawning fish are taken
by the ten-ton load. and hundreds OF
tons Of fish are caught, the supply be-
.. ing decimated so rapidly that it viii
soon be the story OF the moss bunker
. over again-almost total extinction.
The boat soon cleared the harbol
and headed due south for Avalon bay
which was reached in about three
: hours-a famous spot for sardines. Al
the launch rounded to at the anchor
" age, a big Swede jumped into SINAI
u boat and pushed of to row around tn
little bay and locate the sardines.
took him exactly ten minutes to &C
! complish this, and he held his boa
over the spot until the large net boa
= was manned and had reached MIN
The men all wore rubber boots. s.
that the net would not be cut. ant
thick woven gloves. When the boa
- was near the school the net wa
dropped over. under the direction o
= the finder, the net boat then bein
rowed in circle perhaps $50 feet i
diameter. When this was accomplish
ed the men on board lay on to tn
nurse ballard, which was hauled il
closing the net below, so that froI
five to ten tons of fish We're caugh
: in a tubular net, the top portion float
ing on the surface, the bottom closed
The men now took hold Of the ne
u itself. and with their protective glove
II hauled up the heavy meshes.
1t took perhaps in this instanc
nearly half all hour to get the net I
the surface. When this was accom-
u plished. a line was passed to the larrg
d boat and she was hauled alongside.
boom was now rugged on to the mas
u and the deck Of the smack separate
by board partitions. The saltt
:! hauled out his barrel and stood D!
two men took the ballard, while al
( other fastened to it a long-handle
s scoop net that held several bushei
IL All was ready; tk9 net, like nus
: bottle. was at the surface. and Il
1 myriads of sardine!; sllvery mas
Ne were struggling below, while clor
az of silvery scales flied the water al
II went drifting away, attracting sehoo
a. of yellow tails, sq bass, seals, al
sea lions.
The captain grasped the end OF u
l. SCOOP net, a second hauled down u
20 tackle. and plunged it into the squHl
Oh ing throng; the tackle men holst'
H. away. hand over hand. and the youl
us man who directed the scoop steered
v to particular partition and dumped
to "a glittering, cleaning stream. II
nc salter now came to the front. III
Ut threw salt by the handful upon Il
Oh pattering heap. Down went the 5000
C. and ND it came again, and 80 the wo
a. went on. the air filed with fiyil
" scales. until in a remarkably she
'es time the deck partitions were fill
ce chock a block with sardines, repr
la' senting in weight several tons, al
pt generally of large size. FIVE or
ell inches in length Frequently t
x launch cannot cary all that is caugl
oh and the remainder is released; but Sc
eral tons constitute load.
iy. The anchor was now hauled up. q
w under steam and sail the fishing be
| heaGed Iof SIN Teui", ~peiO '"o
ne were handed over to the caDncry. HI
III the sardines are first washed, then
ING ing TO gangs Of workers who cut
n. the heads and tails. cutting them do
to the length required-three or f
I've inches. They are then laid on rae
ow and lowered en- masse into ealdrt
OPP IF boiling oil. california Oliver VIII
lai they remain a short time. and are I'll
VII lifted out, and are ready to pack
boxes.
The fishing industry is increasing
along the Pacific Coast. Monterey
nd is soon to have a cannery, this be
or famous place for anchoyies, and