PACIFIC COAST FISHERIES. 285 



dog salmon. During 1892 no arrangements had been made for salting 

 the catch of salmon, and i>reparations for canning were based on the 

 expectation of only a light run, as in the two previous years. At the 

 date of closing, thousands of salmon were taken from the pound nets 

 only to be refused at the cannery and then thrown away from want of 

 salt and barrels in which to care or tins in which to pack them; the 

 fishing was consequently discontinued. 



During December, 1892, the railroad reached Willapa Bay, its ter- 

 minal being at South Bend on the Willai^a Eiver. The first house in 

 South Bend is reported to have been built in 1881) ; in 1892 the town had 

 a population of 2,000. With the advent of the railroad a cold-storage 

 company was organized to engage extensively in the fresh-fish trade. 

 Should the plans of the company be realized it would be of great 

 advantage to the fishermen and would provide an outlet for any such 

 abundance of salmon as was witnessed in 1892. 



The growth of the salmon fishery of Willapa Bay from 1890 to 1892 

 was phenomenal. In 1890 the only salmon taken were for local use. 

 In 1891 30,000 pounds of silver salmon were shipped fresh, in addition 

 to the local consumption. In 1892 10,800 cases of silver salmon and 

 2,900 cases of dog salmon were canned, and 75,000 pounds of fresh 

 Chinook salmon were sent to market, the total catch of the 45 salmon 

 fishermen being 1,031,000 pounds, valued at $10,075. 



The oyster industry of Willapa Bay has its principal headquarters at 

 Bay Center, though the business is important at Oysterville. In 1892 

 365 persons were employed, including 143 Indians; $47,735 was invested, 

 and the value of the output was $101,179. Next to San Francisco Bay, 

 the oyster industry of Willapa Bay is more important than elsewhere 

 on the Pacific Coast. 



Since the oyster beds in Willapa Bay were visited by the writer in 

 1889 they had suffered severe loss from numerous storms; at times 

 the shoal waters of the bay would sweep the oysters from the beds, 

 leaving them in rows, buried in the mud and grass of the bottom. 

 Thousands of bushels of oysters were thus killed. With the increased 

 care of the beds, the replanting of the small oysters and of shells, the 

 great losses by storms have been overcome, and the quantity of oysters 

 taken for market has been kept up to the average of late years. For 

 years the business was carried on with little or no regard to the future 

 interest of the beds, the chief and only aim of the fishermen seemingly 

 being to take all the oysters possible during the time jiermitted, without 

 cultivating or caring for tbe beds in any way. The decline in the native 

 beds called attention to the necessity for preserving them from complete 

 depletion, and measures were taken by the State with that end in view. 



During the open season before cold weather the native oysters are 

 gathered by hand at low tide, the beds being entirely exposed, and 

 only the market oysters being taken. With the return of the tide the 

 oystermeu work from boats with tongs, and the catch under such cir- 

 cumstances is culled, all small oysters and old shells being returned to 



