286 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
the water. During the prevalence 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 San 
Francisco; those taken at Oysterville go to Portland, Oreg. 
The quantity and value of the oyster output of the bay in 1889, 1890, | 
1891, and 1892 were as follows: 
1889. | 1890. 1891. 1892. 
Location. we 
Bushels.| Value. | Bushels.| Value. | Bushels.| Value. | Bushels.| Value. 
Bay Center ..-....- 80, 490 $70, 429 100, 720 $88, 130 118, 268 $94, 614 114, 250 $91, 400 | 
Oysterville ...-.... 18, 006 11, 375 14, 250 12, 468 13, 240 10, 592 12, 224 9; Tio 
Total ssccice 93,490 | 81,804 114, 970 | 100, 598 1381, 508 105, 206 126, 474 101, 179 
CHEHALIS COUNTY. 
The fisheries of this county are located on the Chehalis River, 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 Reservation, 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 River 
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 next 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 Railroad was opened to 
Ocosta, near the entrance to Grays Harbor. The facilities for ship- 
ment thus furnished and the opening of a cannery the following year 
revived the business that for two years had been almost abandoned. 
A cold-storage company was organized which contemplated entering 
largely into the fresh-fish business and shipping 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 15th they were quite abundant; their average weight 
was 24 pounds. Silver salmon were found from the last of September 
to the first of November, averaging 12 pounds in weight. There wasa’ 
short run of dog salmon from October 10 to November 1, these fish 
