The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-06-20
Cdnneries Prepare
FOR Big Run

Joining with cannerymen Of the
entire Puget Sound region, Friday
Harbor packers are preparing to
handle the largest run of sockeyes
registered since the record break
ing quadrenial season of 1909. All
the local canneries have increased
their facilities for handling the fin
ned victims, and all is in readiness
to receive the increased fish cargoes
which come in every fourth year.
The run usually starts early in Ju-
ly, although in a desultory fashion.
The biggest catches on Puget Sound
are, sa a rule, between July 20 and
25, and it is then that the facilities
for the pack will be pressed to their
capacity.
Tne aggregate estimate of the
sockeye run this season predicts
that the mack i'll reach 100000
cases. The Pacific American Fish
cries has announced that the big
plant at Anacortes, with daily ca
capacity Of 1000 cases, will be op-
Grated this year. Nearly all the
BelIingham canneries have enlarged
their warehouses ard made other
improvements to handle the increas-
ed demands of the heavy run antici-
pate. The Carlisle Packing COM
pany, on Lummi island, will have
six lines of 4.800 daily capacity; the
Lummi Bay Packing company with
four lines will work with 5000
daily capacity; the Astoria & Puget
Sound Packing company has added
third line, making its daily capa-
city 2,400 cases, while the Belling-
ham Bay cannery will operate five
instead of two lines, making it's ca
| pacity 5000 cases per day. In ad-
dition to these. several new Gamer
les are being constructed on the
Sound, and will be ready when the
run comes.
One feature which will make it's
first appearance in the sockeye pack
this year is the crimped sanitary
salmon n, replacing the soldered
can heretofore used. The Friday
Harbor Packing Co. will use the
new crimped or rolled can exclu-
sively, and the change necessarily
makes important difference in the
handling of the fish after it has
made it's revolution over the Iron
Chink wheel. which disembowels
and trims it preparatory to the
washing and cutting process. The
tops and O toms of the new cans
are rolled onto the bodies and
crimped tight, obviating the cap
ping and soldering and sealing of
the steam hole in the lid.
Only the chums or dog salmon,
which come in with the sockeyes
this season will be packed by the
Puget Sound canneries or the rea-
son, it is said, that the bottom has
fallen out of the market and prices
are so low that they are packed at a
loss, At the present time the re-
tail market on chums is two pounds
for Is cents.
A reduction in the packs of pinks
and medium reds is expected in AL
aska this year, and this will offset
the larger Puget Sound pack.
One million two hundred thous-
and cases of reds were packed in
Bristol bay alone last season, and
packers hardly expect the run this
year to approximate that record.
Five years ago count was made
of the fish which went to spawn up
the rivers that emtpy into Bristol
bay. and an. unusually large pack
was recorded. Four years ago only
medium pack went up the rivers,
and consequently the packers say
that there will be only moderate
run of mature salmon this year.
On account of low prices prevail
ing on canned salmon, Alaska pack
ers are curtailing preparation this
season. In contrast to last year.
when twenty or more new cOmpan-
| les were established in Alaska, the
majority Of the Alaska packers have
made preparations to operate to
aho1t the same extent as last year,