Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-05-11
when The DOCTORS DISAGREE,
Who SHALL DECIDE?
Do or Do Not the Clans Require Pro-
teCtiOn! This Question is Now of
General Interest Because of the
Trick Played on the Legislature
by Clam George.

Since the enactment of the four months
close season for clans by the late un.
lamented legislature. the wisdom or
otherwise Of the measure has been pretty
generally discussed, and so far we have
not heard from disinterested person of
experience that protection is at all re-
CURED; on the contrary. those with sutti-
cent experience in the matter to war.
rant an intelligent opinion, say either
that no protection is necessary, or that
it would require expert study to deter
mine.
The following letter. published in Mon
days Washingtonian, is in direct line
with all the information the writer has
been able to obtain from what are con.
sidered the best authorities in the state !:
Editor Washingtonian:- May l add a
word to the discussion Of the clam? l
am in no way interested in the clam
business. What l know by experience
I will say, and invite criticism. The
habit of the razor clam i, very little
known. The clam cleanses himself
every month regularly. Sometimes
oftener. To prove this We would call
your attention to the yellow spurm you
see at times ON the ocean crest, and
wherever you see it you can lest assured
that a clam bed is IN that vicinity. The
clam digger knows this is true.
The clam migrates up and down the
beach to better feeding ground, hence
people think because they do not find
them in the same place they are dug
out Having witnessed this migration
| will describe it as saw it. The clans
go in schools, at the least noise of your
boat they sink to the bottom. The same
power they use to get out OF sight in the
sand they use in migration to propel
them through the water, but their pros.
ress is slow.
he clam seems to bree in June or
July, and you will find the young, but
one eighth of an inch long, about the
first OF September. The clam seeks
protection from the digger, if he is pur-
sued much, by Keeping more in deep
water. Nature protected the clam more
than any law can. At low tide you can
dig them, at heap tides you cannot dig
them, as there is too much water on the
beach to locate them.
The Portland market has been sup.
piled from Clatsop beach for the last 30
years. There are 5000 or 5000 people
living there during the summer. Every.
body, male and female, dig the clam, for
it is their best enjoyment. Though they
have no protecting law yet the clam is
as plentiful as ever. Before the Colum
bia jetty was built the fresh water
backed up on Clatsop beach and no
clans could be found within six or seven
miles OF the mouth Of the river. After
the jetty was built on the Oregon side,
it threw the fresh water on to Long
beach, hence the clam moved out. But
two years ago the clam came back again
to the old beach, not in large numbers,
but very sweet little fellows to eat. l
can assign no reason for this only the
fresh water from the Columbia river
changed its course or the sea neutralized
it. The six or seven miles spoken OF be-
ing invaded by fresh water ON or near
the jetty is now the most prolific clam
producing part of the Clatsop beach.
They are putting up more clans where
Mr.. HaIferty left at Warrington than
ever he put up. This is not written in
anybody's interest.
PAT. O'HARA.