362 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION 



127.— SALMON CAIVIVIIVG I IV OREGON. 



By EMMA H. ADAMS. 



[Abstract.] 



I have just made an inspection of the salmon-canning establishment 

 of Mr. William Hume, the pioneer of tbat industry on the Pacific coast. 

 He has spent bis life among tbe salmon, having fished for them with 

 his father in the Kennebec Eiver in Maine, when but a lad seven years 

 old. He introduced the business of canning on both the Sacramento 

 and tbe Columbia Rivers. 



In 1853 he exchanged the banks of the Kennebec for the borders of 

 the Sacramento. In 1864 he began the new business of canning ; him- 

 self; his brother, Mr. George W. Hume, now resident in Oakland, Cal.; 

 and a Mr. A. S. Hapgood, also a New Englander, and acquainted with 

 tbe process of canning lobsters and oysters on the Atlantic coast, form- 

 ing a partnership for the purpose in the city of Sacramento. 



At first the firm had to urge its goods on the market amidst dis- 

 couragements. Canned salmon was a new article of food, and the Pa- 

 cific coast families were afraid of it. "To introduce our goods," said 

 Mr. Hume, "I used to fill a basket with cans, take it on my arm, and 

 starting out among families of my acquaintance, give to each a can, 

 explaining how the fish was put up, insisting that it was a valuable 

 article of food, and inviting tbem to try it. That was twenty years ago. 

 Now, canned salmon can be obtained in every market of the world. But 

 that was the beginning of it." 



Previously the shipping of fresh salmon to the gold mines in express 

 wagons had been an important branch of Mr. Hume's trade. The miners 

 were a class of men who would not be denied any article of food they 

 desired, however extravagant the price. And for the tempting deni- 

 zens of the Sacramento, round sums in gold were freely laid down. San 

 Francisco also furnished a lively market for the fresh salmon. 



In 18G5, leaving his partners totally in the dark as to bis inten- 

 tions, Mr. Hume went to Oregon. Tbe sight of the beautiful fish crowd- 

 ing Chinook Bay convinced him that the Columbia was the prince of 

 salmon streams. In other words, he saw "millions in it," both of fish 

 and dollars, and discovered that in flavor and quality tbe former ex- 

 celled those of the American frontiers. He had formed acquaintance 

 with men from every salmon fishery of the world, and from tbem bad 

 obtained a general idea of the value and extent of each; and 1868 found 

 tbe brothers actively canning salmon on Oregon's splendid waterway. 

 Mr. William Hume established himself at Eagle Cliff, on tbe Wash- 

 ington Territory side, several hours' sail above Astoria. There he has 

 ever since resided. 



