The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1901-02-14
rnE y1sa-rRAr Law
au - Permit Traps IN water - Fest
Deep at Hlge Tide

Ii -
AN - Permit Traps n water - Fsst
Deep at Higs Tide
A special dispatch to tho Post Intel
ligencer from Olympia says that Chair
man Fairchild, Of the fisheries com
mittee, viii introduce In the house Z
bill to amend the present fish-trap law,
which will probably precipitate one Of
the most bitter rows In the history OF
fish trap legislation in this state. In
substance the proposed bill provides
that hereafter, high tide instead of low
tide measurement shall be used In reg.
ulating the depth Of water in which It
shall be lawful to place traps. Under
the present law traps are not allowed
In waters Of q greater depth than sixty
i've feet at low tide; II FAirchid's bill
becomes law 1t will Be legal to place
traps In water OF depth not to exceed
eighty feet ct high tide.
1.-THE real effect Of the change will be
to legalize several traps in the waters
OF WhatcOm county which the courts
have held to be outside of the axty-
five foot limit. Further than that it
will probably enable independent trap
men to make good locations In What.
com waters which would be illegal
under the existing law.
Representative Fairchild says that
he wants the present law repealed in
the interests of justice, and, further
more, because the fish commissioner
has recommended it In two of his an
nual reports, and the superior court Of
Whatcoin county, which has had be-
fore 1t cases involving fish traps, has
stated that the change would better
enable the courts to reach conclusions
In such cases.
Regardless of what justice, il any,
would be brought about by the repeal
Of the present law, the fish trap men
have fallen out over the thing, and to-
day the strongest lobby in Olympia is
that which they maintain. It Is the
firsh.trap men versus the fish-trap
men. In the past 1t has been the
CRATER versus the trap men. This time
the CRATER will be found with the side
that offers the best Inducements. The
member Of the third house who Is here
to benefit himself financially will prob
ably find lucrative employment from
now on among the trap men.
Zone faction will be composed of the
Pacific-American Fisheries Company,
composed Of the Cudahys and other
wealthy fasteners, and the Alaska
Packers Association; the other will be
the independent trap men, the most
conspicuous figure Of whom is B. A.
Seaborg. The reason for such line up
10 thic. Tho DooiG ~ 81
les Company and the Alaska Packers
ly OF the great fish trap industry In the
waters Of Whatcom county. The
Alaska company has for years been in
control of traps near the reefs off Point
Roberts. The sockeyes feed near these
reefs, and In going to or coming from
the spawning grounds on the Fraser
river great schools Of them find their
way into the Alaska company's traps.
The Pacific-American Company or
ganized almost three years ago, and
purchased from Independent trap men
and small corporations all the other
good locations in the waters Of What
com county. It is admitted by the
Pacific-American Company and the
Alaska company that they have q mo-
nopoly Of the traps, but they argue that
they paid big sums Of money for them.
In SO doing they expected, they say,
to enjoy exclusive privileges. Change
the present law and other good grounds
will be thrown open for location. The
is simple enough; the
present trap owners have traps just
within the limited depth of sixty-five
feet. The Fairchild bill will in all
increase the limit several
feet. Already the Independent trap
men have located traps just outside the
limit. At present these traps are illegal.
They will be legalized by the Falrchild