The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-04-22

Oregon City, where he went 10 secure
information relative 10 hshing on the
Willamette river, and he reports a
complete obstruction OF nets and
hundreds OF fishermen operating them
both below aud above the falls. A
number OF Astoria fishermen are
there, and nearly every boat makes
good catches. There are tons Of the
finest Chinook salmon tha, ever as,
lcended the river lying ON the wharv-
es awaiting shipment, The bulk Of
the FISH are shipped TO Seattle and
other Puget Sound points, and sew
eral tons were shipped to s, Schmidt
\ Co, Astoria, The fish are the
Royal Chinook of fine quality, weigh.
ing from Is to 90 pounds,
While Master Fish Warden Me
Allister has several deputies watching
the fishing, no attempt 10 stop the
fishermen are being made, The fish
that succeed in getting up the fish
ladder TO above the falls are caught
by fishermen, who drift down 10
what is known as the dead line
point 600 Get above the falls A fish
that escapes the network and reaches
the natural spawning beds, is a
rarity.
While II was the intention OF the
legislature to protect the royal
Chinook, the FISH that has made
Oregon famous, inadvertance, a mild
word, has resulted in a ruthless
slaughter OF thousands of tons Of
salmon, intended for propagation,
thereby doing thousands OF dollars in
damages, that can never be replaced.
More FISH have been destroyed during
the past few days than all the hatch
cries on the coast will replenlsh In
the next two years, and the state OF.
hcials, those to whom has been in.
trusted the protection of the indus
try, are powerless to stay the devas.
tation and ultimate ruin OF the Sec
ond largest industry in the state OF
Oregon The result is a loss OF at
least 5000 per day to Astoria and
the lower Columbia, and is the pri.
mary cause Of the present dull times.
This years experience ought to be an
object lesson to the voters, and il is
hoped men will be elected to the next
legislature competent to make laws
for the perfection OF the industries OF
the state in preference to the propo-
cation Of useless commissions and
the avaricious greed OF men who are
elected to pilfer the state treasury in
behalf OF selfish interests"
When asked about this report |
Warden McAllister replied, in sub
stance. that he knew the party allud-
ed to; that he was up there with him,
and went over the route with him;
that the man from the lower river |
was not on the ground long enough I
to have acquired any such line OF par. |
ticulars, because he went there, and |
left there, with him and he knows. to .
a fraction, all he could possibly have /
ascertaincd. and none OF the things |
alleged were capable OF ascertain |
ment or even OF deduction, in the
time devoted to the trip. The fisher
men do not FISH up there in the day
time; all their work is done after
night, because Of the clearness of the
waters in daylight; and the visitor
could not have seen anything save
some fishermen angling with hook
and line, from their boats.
Warden McAllister and Superin-
tendent O'Malley left up on the 6;l0
A. & c, express last evening, and will
be in attendance upon Judge Ganten-
bein's court today, when il is hoped
there will be a radical and final solu-
ton Of the troublous mess now pre-
vailing. /