! PACIFIC COAST FISHERIES. 285 
dog salmon. During 1892 no arrangements had been made for salting 
ithe catch of salmon, and preparations 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 cure 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 Willapa River. The first house in 
‘South Bend is reported to have been built in 188); 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 
jabundance 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 
12,900 cases of dog salmon were canned, and 75,000 pounds of fresh 
‘ehinook salmon were sent to market, the total catch of the 45 salmon 
fishermen being 1,054,000 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 fvaters 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 permitted, without 
cultivating or caring for the bedsin 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 
oystermen work from boats with tongs, and the catch under such cir- 
cumstances is culled, all small oysters and old shells being returned to 
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