5382 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
The salmon catch of 1899 was mostly taken by gill nets used in the 
river near its outlet. As compared with 1895, it shows quite an 
increase, the gross weight and value to the fishermen being as follows: 
Year. Lbs. Value. 
} 
ROD tage ote Pee ee erate eee SC Ope Sarat cee UA Oe ee ere ee re ee ee ee 1,971,357 | $35, 135 
TSO see gaa eel ae Sie a a SOUL eee ON os ee ee 3,508,376 | 57,502 
One salmon cannery packed 24,240 cases, of which 15,740 were 
silver salmon, 5,000 chinook, and 3,500 chum or dog salmon.  Ship- 
ments fresh amounted to 1,811,576 pounds as against 1,115,390 pounds 
in 1895. The persons employed were 260 fishermen and 50 shore 
employees, and the capital amounted to $64,889. Aberdeen, at the 
head of Grays Harbor, is the chief shipping-point, less fishery business 
being done at Cosmopolis and Hoquiam. 
The Indians of the Quinaiult Reservation take salmon from the river, 
most of the catch being used on the reservation. 56,257 pounds, of 
$1,297 value, were sold to the fish agents at Aberdeen in 1899. The 
Indians also captured the only fur seals taken on the coast, spearing 
from their canoes 125 seals, for which they received $1,000. 
Pacific County.—Salmon and oysters are the only species of impor- 
tance in this county at present. The capital, employees, and products 
of the fisheries in 1895, as compared with those of 1899, were as follows: 
Items. 1895. 1899. 
RPI TE SUTE KOS COUR oo ote = cars crave tiers stars harass ete ee es eared eae Re eye 32 $448, 020 $484, 765 
PInstivealue Orfisht 2,-2.2. cho bcc cic es oie sich aces cise/s ee perc el aw ce oe Sats tibaisiseisieeeiee 186, 031 214, 800 
Hirst, ValueiOL OVSters \- (2050... 54 dctabn tescccesneseeasoeneuee ee gees seeeeneeeees | 92, 100 90, 000 
RUSH erie M pte eae oe cent Berns ays acre aaah ED ct nth cine ae ee Sa See eee 583 891 
SHOre ONI PLOY. SOS sx sie o4s fa sid ays sped areyhieeshac evercyetsrele oars re Srene a yee eres OS ayc/aeensraverateiasisinsie eres 246 162 
The salmon product of 1899 from the Columbia River and Willapa 
Bay and its tributaries was as follows: 
Species. |} Lbs. | Value. 
(Och) cYol0) qatar eer ens 8 ee ee een ti ene Baas Aa er Dae Ree on ee 2,728,392 | $121,717 
ROLLY Crete Se Sees separ ays pos 6 wc aie love ars Pe RI Rie Nive SN ier ee 1, 8438, 848 45, 910 
DD are perenne eae ape ean ve She oi Sts a 1 what te ars eee oe Se a a ee 723, 056 3, 616 
BIW CDE Che sets = yeeia nthe eis. s cia einicic,-ys iad gies oe een ee eee ee eee 424,610 | 16, 045 
Steelhead. cass seme cesen seas 3 lscemose sd aeees ses etads bene se se nos ose eeeeeeene 508, 469 27, 512 
4 00) 6 lL ene Poet ae, Aree oC ee Pa a, re ENR PT feed Da Sen A 6, 223,375 | 214, 800 
This large amount of salmon was sold at higher prices than ever 
before received. The fishermen reaped the benefit of the competition 
between the canners and cold-storage fresh-fish firms. Three can- 
neries were operated on Willapa Bay and its tributaries, and one on 
the Columbia River. The single cannery on the Columbia River packed 
15,000 cases, of $83,425 value, and the three canneries on Willapa Bay, 
