532. REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
The salmon catch of 1899 was mostly taken by gill nets used in the 
river near its outlet. As compared with 1895, it shows quite an 
increase, the gross weight and value to the fishermen being as follows: 



Year. Lbs. | Value. 
z eects 
DEE) poeeaeie ceuon Cou od cadcotcounbesenenasortsosye sade. oorcoosep ease nsatoceeacspser 1,971,357 | $35, 135 
Tee ea teraee bo Mace mo Acn one AoC HUne Ss eSeEe Doce socoEo roa SecdhoasceobdSconnorcg ss soSe| 3, 508,376 | 57,502 


One salmon cannery packed 24,240 cases, of which 15,740 were 
silver salmon, 5,000 chinook, and 3,500 chum or dog salmon.  Ship- 
ments fresh amounted to 1,811,576 pounds as against 1,115,390 pounds 
in 1895. The persons employed were 260 fishermen and 50 shore 
employees, and the capital amounted to $64,889. Aberdeen, at the 
head of Grays Harbor, is the chief shipping-point, less fishery business 
being done at Cosmopolis and Hoquiam. 
The Indians of the Quinaiult Reservation take salmon from the river, 
most of the catch being used on the reservation. 56,257 pounds, of 
$1,297 value, were sold to the fish agents at Aberdeen in 1899. The 
Indians also captured the only fur seals taken on the coast, spearing 
from their canoes 125 seals, for which they received $1,000. 
Pacific County.—Salmon and oysters are the only species of impor- 
tance in this county at present. The capital, employees, and products 
of the fisheries in 1895, as compared with those of 1899, were as follows: 

Items. 1895. 1899. 
Capitalaimy ested oe creer ellen siete 2 siseeyare leet atr- ect ateicieteettciaretoies reir etoieterotenete | $448,020 | $484,765 
TAO eS Bye b Yet on as atl cae RO eps ee ee eee nee Ie ES re oe ee Gerace a 186, 031 214, 800 
FSG ay ALE tO POV SLOTS -torete aye eee ere ee elas eke orator = ola i= ele eiate era orate veto stares | 92,100 90, 000 
MISE RIMT CM eo a= 2 ciate Sse ieee se eee ee ales ramones poe rtee nals oles oie Se Se eieiniose 583 891 
SMOTEENMpPlOVS ESE iyai<te ciel ivinl = cteletese ele Slo oie ete ctw ote lniove elcin lite nisiele amie ere ieeeisieietaleteicterers 246 162 



The salmon product of 1899 from the Columbia River and Willapa 
Bay and its tributaries was as follows: 



. 
Species. Lbs. Value. 
past Se Fa ate TS | 
(@} nth 0Xo10) Cee aea Soe, et aan: rites pene EEE eke Sie Be Oe Pe SR SHC DAE ste Or ate 2, 728, 392 $121, 717 
SUMED Soa s Ae ae a ase ae BR ne Se ES eNO Bc are A eo eee 1, 843, 848 45, 910 
DOR se cee een eect ae See ice ne cesee SASS ade eisid Fs aoa SSE ae ee oa 723, 056 3, 616 
LBA) 6f5\ 0) Greys Shears cetera Seed ee SE 2 es OE ero yin Say totic OO OIarr Sn 424, 610 16, 045 
Steel bead) a. oh eae seis ars erence tee dase resis tars eisioens BEARER ROH ROOT o eee 5038, 469 27, 512 
TOCA eae too aye pa lesa c ra rsta tee eapata ah te svat a err er sineioe ae Se eysie te eins eet eee eles 652235375. 214, 800 


This large amount of salmon was sold at higher prices than ever 
before received. The fishermen reaped the benefit of the competition 
between the canners and cold-storage fresh-fish firms. Three can- 
neries were operated on Willapa Bay and its tributaries, and one on 
the Columbia River. The single cannery on the Columbia River packed 
15,000 cases, of $83,425 value, and the three canneries on Willapa Bay, 
