432 



V. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



needles for knitting salmon nets. He next invented a can-filling 

 machine, which is in common use to-day. He also invented the first 

 topping machine, which was a marked success. The patent rights of 

 both these machines were sold to the Alaska Packers Association. 

 The machines were all made at the plant of the Astoria Iron Works, at 

 Astoria, of which Mr. John Fox was the founder. 



The first fish trap or pound on the river was constructed by Mr. 

 Graham, in Baker Bay, on the Washington shore, in 1879. Inl881 

 Mr. P. J. McGowan built some traps just below the bay. The traps 

 were very successful at times. 



The first purse seine on the river was operated by William Graham 

 & Co. in 1906. 



Below appears a list of the canneries operated on the Columbia 

 River in 1881, together with the pack of each during the year in 

 cpiestion : 



J. Williams (Oregon side) 9, 000 



Astoria Packing Co 30, 000 



Elmore Packing Co 7, 890 



Astoria Fishery (M. J. Kin- 



nev) 26,000 



Wm.'Humc 20, 000 



Geo. W. Hume 18,000 



Devlin & Co 20, 000 



Occident Packing Co 15, 000 



West Coast 15,000 



Badollet & Co 25, 000 



Booth & Co 23^000 



Eagle Cannery 17, 300 



Timmins & Co 8,000 



Fishermen's Packing Co 19, 000 



S. D. Adair & Co 10,000 



Anglo-American Packing Co__ 10, 300 



Hanthorn & Co 19, 000 



Scandinavian Co 20, 000 



J. W. & V. Cook 30,000 



F. M. Warren 12,000 



J. West 12,000 



Jackson & Myers (2 canneries). 13, 000 

 Aberdeen Packing Co. (Wash- 

 ington Territory side) 17, 000 



Jos. Hume, Knappton 20, 225 



Pillar Rock Co 15, 000 



J. G. Megler & Co 25,000 



Columbia Canning Co 8, 000 



R. D. Hume & Co 8,300 



Cathlamet Cannery 8, 000 



Jas. Quinn 5, 000 



Cutting & Co 20,000 



Eureka Packing Co 20, 000 



Hapgood & Co 13,000 



Eagle Cliff Cannery .__ 10, 000 



Total 549,115 



An interesting compilation prepared by the Portland Board of 

 Trade '^ shows the total product in cases, the price per case of 48 

 pounds, and the price for each fish paid by the canneries to the 

 fishermen from 1866 to 1881: 



Year 



1866 

 1867 

 1868 

 1869 

 1870 

 1871 

 1872 

 1873 



Total 

 product 



4,000 

 18, 000 

 28,000 

 100. 000 

 150, OCO 

 200, 000 

 250, 000 

 250,000 



$16.00 

 13.00 

 12.00 

 10.00 

 9.00 

 9.50 

 8.00 

 7.00 



Cost of 

 fish 



Cents 

 15 

 15 

 20 

 20 

 20 

 22^ 

 25 

 25 



1874. 

 1875, 

 1876 

 1877 

 1878 

 1879 

 1880 

 1881 



Total 

 product 



350, 000 

 375, 000 

 4.'-)0. 000 

 460, 000 

 460, 000 

 480, 000 

 .530, 000 

 550, 000 



Price 



$6.50 

 5.60 

 4.50 

 .5.20 

 .5.00 

 4.60 

 4.80 

 5.00 



Cost of 

 fish 



Cents 



The banner year in the canning industry was 1884, when 620,000 

 cases of chinook salmon were marketed. At this time the runs were 

 so enormous that tons and tons of salmon were thrown overboard 

 by the fishermen because the canneries were unable to handle them. 



As in other sections, there came a time when the market began to 

 be glutted by the packs of the numerous canneries, and it was found 



u The Commerce and Industries of the Pacific Coast of North America, pp. 372, 373. By John S. Hitteil. 

 San Francisco, 1882. 



