286 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



the water. During' the prevaleuce of cold weather rakes and shovels 

 take the place of hand-picking at low tide, and the oysters are culled, 

 as is done with those taken by means of tongs. 



The oysters gathered at Bay Center are mostly marketed at Sau 

 Francisco; tliose taken at Oysterville go to Portland, Greg. 



The quantity and value of the oyster out^mt of the bay in 1881), 1890, 

 1891, and 1892 were as follows: 



CHEHALIS COUNTY. 



The fisheries of this county are located oh the Chehalis Eiver, mostly 

 near its mouth, and in Grays Harbor. In addition to the commercial 

 fishing which is there carried on, considerable quantities of fish are also 

 taken by Indians belonging on the Quinaiult Eeservation, who fish in 

 the river of the same name for local consumption. Fishing in the 

 Chehalis River is done by means of gill nets and pound nets, the only 

 fish utilized being salmon and sturgeon. Ocean food-fish in great 

 abundance and variety are found just outside the harbor. These, 

 together with the salmon, sturgeon, trout, and other fish found in the 

 river and bay, will doubtless lead to a marked development of the 

 fisheries of this county within a short time. 



During 1889 three canneries were located on the Chehalis Eiver 

 whose aggregate pack was 31,550 cases. The very large output of 

 canned salmon in that year on the west coast resulted in such low 

 prices that many canneries were kept idle during the ne.\t two years, 

 among which were the three canneries on this river. The only fishing- 

 carried on during 1890 and 1891 was a limited amount of gill-net salmon 

 fishing in the Chehalis, and the Indian fishing already alluded to. 



In December, 1891, a branch of the Pacific Eailroad was opened to 

 Ocosta, near the entrance to Grays Harbor. The facilities for shi]D- 

 ment thus furnished and the opening of a cannery the following year 

 revived the Imsiness that lor two years had been almost abandoned. 

 A cold-storage company was organized which contemplated entering 

 largely into the fresh-fish business and shi])ping to Atlantic cities by 

 means of refrigerator cars. During the fall of 1892 the run of the 

 several varieties of salmon was very good. Chinooks, locally known as 

 black salmon, entered the river in limited numbers as early as August 

 10, and by the lotli they were quite abundant; their average weight 

 was 24 ])ounds. Silver salmon were found from the last of September 

 to the first of November, averaging 12 pounds in weight. There was a 

 short run of dog salmon from October 10 to November 1, these fish 



