The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-11-19
Demand For Salmon
On The Increase


man, will no doubt prove of interest
to most of our readers in that it gives
very clear idea of the salmon situ-
alton as it stands today. 1t seems
that in spite of the immense pack of
1909 there is likely to be marked
shortage in the supply of canned SAL
mon and packers are by no means Iy-
ing awske nights in order to figure
out how to dispose of the seasons
output. The Paclfiu Fisherman says:
"Never in the history of the SAL
mon packing industry has there been
such a spectacular clean up on a large
pack of salmon as in the few months
intervening since opening prices we're
named on the 1909 pack. The stu
alton is one almost startling in it's
revelation of the marvellous expansion
of the canned salmon markets Of the
United States and the United King
dom.
It should be considered that the
J
In Alaska, while not abnormal. the
production was that of good average
year. and about the usual amount Of
Red salmon was offered for sale as
in past years. On Puget Sound how
ever, the pack was one of the largest
in history. If not the largest, and the
matter Of million cases more on
Puget Sound than usual, was no small
item. In fact. it WAS sufficient to
cause some apprehension in market
circles earlier in the year and cause
conservatism in the maxi
ing of prices.
With an aggregate pack on the Pa
cific Coast, then. at least q million
cases larger than for four years. what
has been the effect on the market2
Has canned salmon been drug on
the market. as some people might
have supposed?
It has not.
The cleanup is nearer at this ear
ly date of being absolute than any
other year in history. Alaska Reds,
at opening prices, went like wild-fire.
1t has been impossible for some time
to buy this grade from either first or
second hands at any price, and those
jobbers who did not get their stocks
in the first rush are up against the
of doing without Alaska :
Reds between now and next Septem-
Der, when another pack becomes avail
able. And if they don't buy early
next September. they probably will
wait another year.
How about the tremendous pack of
Sockeyes which seven or eight months
ago seemed to hang over the market
ike a sword suspended by hair?
Ask the packers. They will tell You
hat they are most of them all sold
out. Those who have sny left are
1ot listening to anything short OF
s1.45, and are not anxious to sell at
hat, as they know that next year they
will probably get SLIGO. Bat the
yrade is we'll cleaned out with tie ex-
.eption of the holdings of one large
interest, and it is understood that it
ia as easy to buy gold dollars for fifty
,ents as it is to buy Sockeyes under.
heath the price that they are asking.
Moreover, they are in position to hold
Until the lean years when the Sock
,yes will be dearer by twenty cents
|, dozen-in fact. they prefer to.
All available Medium Reds and Co.
noes have teen sold out this long
lime, and while they are still busy
packing this grade, orders are booked
or more than will be produced.
In fact the readiness with which this
trade has moved at the price. and the
abundance of the fall run, has made
many packers regret that they were
10 hasty in tilling surplus cans with
2inks.
Pink salmon. on the other hand.
ire not so slow. They have been
moving ont slowly, and the last two
weeks has brought one of those unex-
oected spurts in the market that hae
.educed the surplus materially. One
arge producer reports that he is en-
;irely sold out. and others report only
small reserves. Present indications
ire that the carry over of last year
md the normal production OF this
year will be cleaned in advance of q
new pack.
Columbia Rivers of the 1909 pro-
luction have long been thing of the
past, and the few Chums that remain
ire rapidly being absorbed.
With these few points in mind, it
will be readily determined that the
has now developed to where
It is not question of how to sell
more salmon. but how to pack more. =
DR.. 9. O. Reed, of East Sound. was
! visitor In the Harbor, Wednesday.