San Francisco wharves for one cent per pound. The dispute between 

 the fishermen and the canning establishments, by which the river 

 was practically open to the free run of the fish for nearly a month, 

 will have one beneficial eff"ect. It is equivalent to an increase in the 

 length of the close season during the present year. The eff'ect was 

 soon observed on the McCloud and upper Sacramento. The spawn- 

 ing grounds were early filled with fish in greater numbers than ever 

 before observed. The fish were so numerous in the McCloud before 

 the fishermen renewed work on the lower Sacramento that in the pool 

 at the United States Fishery, Mr. Livingston Stone, Deputy United 

 States Fish Commissioner, estimated that in one haul of the seine he 

 captured over two thousand salmon. From this dispute, resulting 

 in an open river during the hight of the run, thus allowing the fish 

 to reach their spawning grounds, it is safe to predict an extraordinary 

 run of salmon in the river in the season of 1883 and 1884. 



The following report, made by Mr. H. D. Dunn, whom we employed 

 to see if the law was obeyed during the close season on the Sacra- 

 mento, and also to obtain statistics of the canning establishments, 

 gives many facts of much importance. His statistics of the money 

 invested in canning establishments on the Pacific Coast, and the 

 number of cases put up during the past year, have much commer- 

 cial interest. In his report he states : 



In accordance with your directions, I visited Collinsville, Rio Vista, and Washington, on the 

 Sacramento River, to inquire if there vs'ere violations of the close season for salmon, and to 

 procure statistics of the quantities of that fish canned in 1878 and in 1879, up to the first of 

 August. I have also collected all the data available of salmon canned in other portions of the 

 State, and what amounts were jjut up in Oregon, British Columbia, and Alaska during the 

 period named. With the single exception of the cannery located at Skeena River, British 

 Columbia, I have obtained authoritative statictics, and herewith hand you statement of the 

 same. The product of this cannerj' is mostly shipped to Great Britain via Victoria, Vancou- 

 ver's Island, a small portion only of the catch of 1878 having been shipped in bond via San 

 Francisco. 



Owing to unfavorable circumstances, canning of salmon in California lias this year been 

 much less than during the same time in 1878. The spring run of salmon in the Sacramento 

 came unusually early, commencing April 1st. The fishermen along the lower part of the river 

 formed a combination, demanding forty cents per fish: the canneries offering twenty-five cents, 

 as being all they could afford. The combination fishermen (mostly Greeks and Italians), by 

 threats, and, in some instances, actual violence, prevented the delivery of any salmon from 

 other boats at Collinsville and Chipps' Island canneries. The latter, however, obtained an 

 insufficient and irregular supply of salmon b}' steamers from Rio Vista, which was subsequently 

 much interfered with through the same means used in the vicinity of the canneries. Later the 

 fishermen accejited the terms of the canners, and supplied fish; but the run ceased a few days 

 later, the canneries closing June 6th. While the canneries at Collinsville and Chipps' Island 

 were idle from want of fish, the cannery at Washington, Yolo County, procured a sufficiency at 

 a less price than was refused by the lower river fishermen. 



Being debarred supplying salmon to the Chipps' Island cannery, the fishermen (Germans), 

 between Benicia and Montezuma Slough (a distance of 13 miles), made arrangements with a 

 canning firm in San Francisco to put up and sell their catch, the total being about 6,000 cases. 

 This firm expect to can more salmon this year, should the fall run (after September 15th) be 

 sufficient, and, if the outlook is favorable, will continue in the business hereafter. The spring 

 run of salmon in 1879 is reported as averaging twelve pounds j^er fish, dressed for canning. 

 The market price for one pound salmon tins has been lower this year than before known — the 

 ruling rates being $1 05 (a) $1 10 per dozen. 



Canners complain that the season for taking salmon is too short to admit of their doing a 

 profitable business, and, that from the same cause, the fishermen cannot make a fair living and 

 respect the law, without charging a higher price for fish than canners can pay and successfully 

 compete with the put up of the Columbia River canners. They claim that, under the present 

 law, the catch of salmon for canning purposes, does not last longer than six weeks on the Sac- 

 ramento River, while it is fully four months on the Columbia River; that they have to prepare 

 a full stock of cans in advance of the season's catch, and are jiut to many expenses for an entire 

 year for not over six weeks' active work; that the spring run of salmon is irregular in times of 

 arrival, varying as much as six weeks in different years. The spring run for canning in 1878 

 commenced May 15th, while this year there was a sufficient supply on March 29th to com- 

 mence on. 



