THE COAST FISHERIES OF TEXAS. 39D 
The following table exhibits the number of men and the amount of 
capital employed in the wholesale marketing houses in 1890: 
| No. of | Men em-|} Value of | 
Cash 
Egceieesy houses. ployed. | houses. | capital. 
GAR VOSTON Se sacosters eels Sieiec eases s\a- = 5 | 5 85 | $63,500 | $30, 000 
POPP VACR st. Jatoee chs ei ctowsecass oe 2 8 1, 000 1, 500 
AV ANSASE EARN charac cea t< = Ss c2 a5 2 2 31 18, 000 5, 000 
GonpusCUMushl 78s ie ose tas Zin. = 2. 2 | 25 17, 500 12, 000 
redeviey 1 05f2) Sel Cee ober oreo RODS pEeSeee aes 1 | 2 41) Sereaoce 
LUNE ae me Rub od Dao o Agee Oo ee 12 151 100, 500 48, 500 
| 
Prior to 1891, the only permanent establishment for canning or other- 
wise preserving fishery products, was a turtle cannery at Fulton, on 
the shore of Aransas Bay. About 1879, a factory for canning shrimps 
was erected at Galveston Bay, and operated for one or two years. 
While the beef-packeries were in operation at Aransas Bay some green 
turtle were canned there; and in 1880 a small factory for canning fish 
was erected at Rockport, now called Aransas Pass, but it was in ope- 
ration only a short time. In the spring of 1891 factories for canning 
oysters were established at Galveston and Corpus Christi. 
The difficulty in disposing of an oversupply of fish, even at a reduced 
price, at present militates against the successful prosecution of the fish- 
eries of this coast. As yet, no one in the State makes a business of 
salting fish. The general opinion along the coast is that on account 
of the climate it is impracticable to salt the fish so that they will keep 
for a reasonable length of time. But for many years trout, redfish, 
sheepshead, mullet, etc., have been successfully preserved in this man- 
ner in Florida; indeed, some of the fishing communities of that State 
depend for support almost entirely on the sale of their salt fish; and 
it seems that equal care would insure success on the Texas coast. 
The drying of fish after the manner practiced in the Barataria region 
of Louisiana might be resorted to with some suecess along portions of 
this coast. 
While some of the fish markets have ice manutactories connected 
with them, by means of which the fish are kept for a few days, yet pre- 
serving fishin cold storage for many weeks, as is done particularly 
along the shores of the Great Lakes, has never been attempted in 
Texas nor in any of the other States bordering on the Gulf of Mexico. 
It is a question whether, with the present ruling prices, it will pay to 
add this feature to the marketing of the more plentiful species of fish 
occurring here, although it might be done with the higher-priced ones. 
Another drawback to the prosperity of the fisheries is the difficulty 
experienced in marketing many of the varieties of fish taken, which 
consequently are thrown away as soon as caught. Among these might 
be mentioned mullet, drum, and other good edible fish which are taken 
in large quantities, but against which local prejudices exist. 
