PACIFIC SALMON FISHERIES 423 



consuming centers. As a result of this isolation, it was necessary 

 for many years to resort to methods of preparation which would 

 insure the preservation of the product for indefinite periods. Salting 

 naturally came first, followed by canning, while the shipping of 

 fresh salmon has been steadily growing in importance as transporta- 

 tion facilities increased. 



The Northwest Co., a large fur-trading organization, about the 

 beginning of last century first introduced the salting process and 

 this was continued by the Hudson Bay Co. Both companies carried 

 on the business primarily for the purpose of providing a winter stock 

 for the use of their employees and for local sale. As shipping de- 

 veloped on the Pacific, a considerable export trade in salted salmon 

 was developed with the Hawaiian Islands, Australia, China, and 

 Japan, and with the eastern United States. Qiiinnat, or spring, 

 and sockeye salmon were the principal species employed m the 

 earlier years. 



After the boundary line between Canada and the United States 

 had been established in 1846, and what is now the State of Wash- 

 ington was acknowledged as part of the latter, a number of small 

 traders and fish packers succeeded the Hudson Bay Co. In the early 

 sixties several men were engaged in the business at Point Roberts, 

 according to the Olympia Columbian of September 10, 1853. In 1873 

 V. T. Tull, of Olympia, established a salmon fishery at Mukilteo, 

 principally for putting up fish in barrels. The first year 500 barrels 

 were packed at Mukilteo, after which the fishery was moved tem- 

 porarily to Seattle to take the late run up the Duwamish River, 

 which is usually large. Fifteen hundred good large salmon have 

 been taken at one haul of the seine in the Puyallup. 



Bancroft's History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana contains 

 among others the following references ^- to the early fishermen of 

 the Sound: 



In 1874 Corbette & Macleay, of Portland, founded a fishery at Tacoma. Sixty 

 barrels were packed in five days, only three men being employed. — New Tacoma 

 Tribune, November 14, 1874. In 1876, John Bryggot, a Norwegian, founded 

 another fishery at Salmon Bay, 6 miles north of Olympia. In 1878 a company 

 of Puget Sound men established a fourth at Clallam Bay. They put up the 

 first season 600 casks of salmon and 700 of halibut. — Morse's Wash. Terr., 

 MS., xviii, 17-18. In the following season D. D. Hume established a fishery 

 near Steilacoom for the purpose of salting salmon. In 1880 H. Levy, of Seattle, 

 went to London with 100 barrels to introduce Puget Sound salted salmon to 

 that market. In 1882 a salmon packing establishment was opened at Old Tacoma 



by Williams. Salmon ran in great numbers this year. One boat brought 



in a thousand fish. 



The extension of the railroad to Puget Sound, thus furnishing an 

 outlet to the rapidly growing population in the Middle West, did 

 much to aid the industry. This also gave opportunity to begin the 

 shipping of fresh halibut and salmon to eastern points. Ainsworth 

 & Dunn, of Seattle, operating later under the name of the Seattle 

 Fish Co., were the first successful pioneers in this branch of the 

 industry, beginning about 1889, and cariying it on until they sold 

 out in 1901, as noted later. 



12 History of the Pacific States, Washington, Idaho, and Montana, 1845-1889, vol. 26, pp. 345-349. By 

 Hubert Howe Bancroft. 



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