The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-29
OLD CHANNEL BEING sTAKED
Reported That an Unknown Syndicate
Is Attempting to Secure Control OF
Sand Island for the Purpose Of oriv-
ina Traps Injurious to Fishing.

A movement Is on foot which, If
carried out, win result in the corner
ing OF the fishing industry at the mouth
of the Columbia by a syndicate, and
the fishermen on the Washington side
who have carried on the industry for
all these years win be driven from the
field. and the towns of Ilwaco and Chi
nook will be practically wiped from the
map.
Two steps have been taken. If both
are successful the old methods will be
changed here and the industry will
pass into the hands of few. If either
plan gets foothOld the old-timers VIII
be driven practically from the field,
II is not certain that the same per-
sons are behind both schemes, but
many of the fishermen believe it to be
the case. and think certain government
officials are in league with the schem-
ers.
The first scheme. and the one that
will prove the most disastrous II car
ried out. is to extend the fishing
grounds for pound net on the north
and west sides OF Sand island. The
channel has been gradually filled at
this point for number OF years until
it has narrowed down in width. with
depth only sufficient for the smallest
sea going craft, anTtnrough this chan
mel the only salmon that enter Bakers
bay from the ocean come The plan
is to extend the grounds at the mouth
of tnis channel ana establish traps
which will cut off the hundreds of traps
farther up the bay and which nave
been established there for many years
The lines have been accepted by COM
mon consent for many years, and. in
fact, the government has established
certain lines defining the boundary for
fish traps.
But the agents have gone quietly into
the field. made surveys and driven To-
cation stakes, covering every inch OF
the territory at the mouth Of the chan
mel and cutting off the old-established
traps as completely as IL they were
placed on dry land Every salmon
that comes up from the ocean viii
either be caught in the new traps or
be driven on the other side OF the is
land.
After quietly driving their stakes and
securing their locations the agents of
the reputed syndicate made application
to the war department to have the
grounds extended. covering the terri
tory which they had taken. It is
claimed by them that the channel is
no longer suitable for navigation
which is a fact, So far as large vessels
are concerned, and that the fishing
grounds should be utilized, and they
are ready to take them.
The owners of the hundreds of traps
up the bay are simply frantic over the
matter. Should the government grant
the application of the syndicate it will
completely throw them out Of business
and practically kill the towns Of Il
waco and Chinook. These towns are
populated by men who have been en-
gagged in fishing here all of their lives.
They have built homes and expended
large sums of money in building traps
and buying apparatus. and these will
Immediately become useless should
the industry be cornered at one fell
swoop at the mouth Of the channel,
without giving an equal chance at divi-
sion among the traps up the line. The
business men Of the towns are much
alarmed. as are the fishermen. They
see their finish at once should the new
grounds be thrown open.
Three sets of petitions have been
forwarded to the representatives from
Washington in congress, one by the
fishermen, one by the business men
anu one DN NHe CltlZeIs on the ptHlllbu-
la generally. In fact, every person on
the Washington side Of the river has
signed the petition opposing the open
ing of the new grounds.
The other scheme is to lease Sand
island. For all past years the island
has been used as camping place by
the fishermen in the fishing season
and as place for landing their gill;
nets with their catch. BY a sort OF
common consent they had divided the
island. and. each recognized the others
rights, and there have been but few
disputes. They have paid the state
of Washington a license for the privil-
ege of fishing, and have also gone tc
great expense in building scows and
barns on the island to aid them ir
carrying on their trade. They hayt
also expended large sums Of money ir
clearing away snags and driftwood al
the entrances to the island, and have
come to look upon the island as t.