14 



PACIFIC FISHERMAN 



Salmon Industry and the Salmon Canners Association 



By IV. J. CRAWFORD 



Secretary Puget Sound Salmon Canners' Association. 



Oaalal CunplMl], Treasurer Fn^et Sound Salmon 

 Canner*' Asioclation. 



THE Salmon Canners' Association was formed 

 specifically for the purpose of gathering, com- 

 piling, classifying and disseminating reliable 

 data and Information regarding the canned salmon 

 business; to encourage ariilicial propagation of 

 «<•ln1/^n If, promotc a higher education among can- 

 . respect to both scientific and practi- 

 "B of the industry; to prevent waste of 

 the raw product and to use any honorable means 

 to advance the interests of the industry. 



t'nforutnately, in the past it has been almost 

 impossible to secure reliable data, the State and 

 Federal Government reijorts, trade papers and 

 packers' reports showing a great difference in the 

 same season or year. 



A review of the salmon business for the past 

 fifteen years shows that a majority of the people 

 who entered tlie business failed, and the men now 

 in the business have often faced failure, the busi- 

 ness requiring such a large cash working capital, 

 tbe uncertainty as to run of fish, market fluctua- 

 tions, trouble with fishermen and competition hav- 

 ing all played a part in the game. However, today 

 tbe salmon packers are men of known experience, 

 whose credit is good for the millions of dollars 

 necessary for operating puriioses. 



The canners' association believes the people 

 should be informed — they should know more about 

 this great industry, not only the commercial side 

 of it, but the industrial features as well. 



Tbe canneries in the State of Washington alone 

 employ more than 12,000 people, and indirectly 

 doable that number. It is estimated that the can- 

 neries of the North Pacific Coast furnish employ- 

 ment for 60,000 people, while the can factories 

 and box factories furnish a livelihood for thou- 

 sands more of men, women and children. 

 Money Expended Locally. 



The Salmon Canners" Association is now com- 

 piling statistics for the past five years, covering 

 employes, wages paid, boats used, lines of machin- 

 ery used, boau cliartered, taxes and license fees, 

 supplies purdiased, additions and renewals, insur- 

 ance, interest, accidents, etc. 



By averaging the reports already filed, according 

 to cannery pack, payroll and lines used, some In- 

 teresting facu are revealed. Millions of dollars 

 are paid out to labor, trades people, manufacturers 

 and others before a single dollar comes back to 

 the packer. 



The salmon packer pays tribute to the State and 

 to the Federal Government; he pays a tax on 

 pvery !!••» taken, on every case of salmon packed, 

 or on every pound of salmon cured, salted or 



T. J. aorman, Prcsiaent Pusret Sound Salmon 

 Canners' Association. 



pickled; he pays the State for the privilege to op- 

 erate his cannery ; he pays for the right to run his 

 boats; he pays a license fee for every fish buyer, 

 fisherman, etc. 



The fact that the canned salmon industry pays 

 directly and indirectly to the people more money 

 than any other business of like character is too 

 often overlooked and not well enough known to 

 the people at large. 



The Puget Sound pack for 1911 had a cash value 

 of $7,012,133, the Alaska pack a value of $13,736,- 

 656, making a grand total of $21,748,789. 



Of the Puget Sound pack, Blaine produced 

 297,113 cases: Bellinghara, 377,504; Anacortes, 

 420,398; Port Townsend, 125,470; Lummi Island, 

 119,448; Friday Harbor, 76,415; Point Roberts, 

 72,472; Port Angeles, 44,322, and Seattle, 23,407 

 cases. 



The people of Blaine, Bellingham. Anacortes and 

 other places received from this vast business hun- 

 dreds of thousands of dollars, the fishermen from 

 Tacoma, Seattle, Ballard, Everett and the islands 

 received hundreds of thousands more, and through 

 these millions of cash was put into circulation 

 right here at home. (And that before a dollar 

 came back to the packer.) 



Here is a business that brings untold millions of 

 money into this Northwest country from all parts 

 of the world. 



The relation the association bears to the Indus- 

 try itself is evident when it is realized that its pol- 

 icy is to carefully compile all valuable information 

 on the foregoing subjects, segregate it, and put In 

 shape for ready reference and compadison matters 

 of vital interest. 



The association maintains a complete catalog 

 department, having on file catalogs, price lists, let- 

 ters and bulletins of the leading manufacturers, 

 dealers and agents, architects, boat builders and 

 supply bouses of the world, together with every 

 facility for estimating, etc. 



Bulletins are also sent out covering press re- 

 ports, foreign and domestic, about new canneries, 

 proposed companies, new boats building, names 

 and locations of companies and people necessary 

 to the business. 



To illustrate the value of this service I cite the 

 following: In the Sunday Oregonian of .January 

 28, 1912, under the heading "Correspondents An- 

 swered," by Lillian Tingle, was the following: 



"Portland, Ore., January 17.— Will you kindly tell 

 me the meaning of two solder points on the ends 

 of cans of salmon, clams, condensed milk, etc.? I 

 have read that it meant second grade goods, be- 



W. I. Crawford, Secretary Pug-et Sound Salmon 

 Canners' Association. 



cause the cans had been opened for some reason 

 and reheated. No groceryraan ever seems to have 

 heard of such a thing, however. I have refused to 

 take such goods, but do not want to be so fussy if 

 they are all right. I always read with interest 

 your answers to troubled people's questions, and I 

 thank you for the help I know you will give me on I 

 this point. — ^Mrs. V. F." 



Mrs. Tingley answered this troubled heart as 

 follows : 



"I am sorry not to be able to give you a very 

 definite answer on this point. T have always under- 

 stood that two solder holes might mean that the 

 contents had begun to ferment and form gas, caus- 

 ing a swelling of the can, and that the can had 

 been reopened to let the gas out and then reheated 

 and soldered as you suggest, but I have no definite 

 authority for this belief, though it certainly sounds 

 plausible. Perhaps some one in the canning busi- 

 ness can tell you whether this is true or whether 

 it is simply one of those 'domestic legends' that 

 have no real foundation in fact. (Now, listen to 

 this:) In the meantime, I think I should continue 

 to reject such cans, so as to be on the safe side." 



The secretary of the association, as soon as his 

 attention was called to this, immediately advised 

 Lillian Tingley and the Oregonian of their error, 

 and trust they will see that the troubled people 

 and others are advised what "two soldered points 

 on the ends of cans of salmon" signify. The publi- 

 cation of the above article was inexcusable. The 

 telephone would have enabled Lillian to interview 

 some salmon or fruit canner right at her home, 

 and it may be that the article wi'l prejudice many 

 who read it against the safest and best of canned 

 foods. 



Finally, I would say that while the Salmon Can- 

 ners' Association is not formed for the purpose of 

 fixing prices, for buying or selling, or for exploiting 

 the commercial side of the industry, but practically 

 for purposes emphasized above, any person can 

 easily understand that it bears an important rela- 

 tion to the industry and to the people at large. 



The public press, the daily papers, the trade pa- 

 pers, State and Government officials, business men, 

 banks, etc., recognize the utility and advantage of 

 the work being done in securing and disseminating 

 reliable data concerning this great Industry. 



I could not close this article without reference to 

 the Pacific Fisherman, recognized as the official 

 trade organ of the Pacific Coast fisheries interests, 

 and to express my appreciation of the many cour- 

 tesies extended this association by its manage- 

 ment. 



