FISHERIES OF THE PACIFIC COAST . 221 
twine that Mr. Nice spun on an old-fashioned spinning wheel, from flax 
thread purchased from the stores in the vicinity. The first season’s 
pack amounted to 600 barrels. These met with a limited demand, but 
* sold for $12 per barrel. In 1862, 800 barrels were packed ; in 1863, 
1,000 barrels, which sold for $10 per barrel ; in 1864, 1,800 barrels, at 
$11 ; and in 1865 the firm packed 2,000 barrels, but this year a number 
of other firms engaged in this business, the market was overstocked, 
and prices fell to $6 per barrel. There is no available record of the 
pack of these firms in succeeding years, and nothing definite can be 
learned concerning their continuance in the business. The presumption 
is that many of them hastily abandoned the enterprise as unprofitable. 
In these early years the fish were caught almost wholly by Indians, 
who were usually paid about $40 per month. 
The causes which led up to the establishment of salmon canning on 
the Columbia have been given at length in the discussion of the fish- 
eries of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. Mention was made 
there of the building of the first cannery on the Columbia, at Eagle 
Cliff, in 1866. Then the river literally swarmed with salmon ; the wealth 
of fish was bewildering and the supply seemingly inexhaustible. Nets 
were made as Nice had made his, and Indians were set at work fishing. 
The pack was 4,000 cases the first year, 18,000 the next, and 28,000 in 
1868. 
These were golden years for the pioneers in the trade, for fish could 
be bought for from 10 to 20 cents, and canned salmon sold at high prices, 
$14 to $16 per case (of 48 1-pound cans) often being obtained. But 
competition soon stepped in, and with an increased output new markets 
had to be sought. The great problems, therefore, which confronted the 
canners at this time were, first, how to build up a wider demand for 
their products, and second, how to improve their facilities for packing. 
Progress was rather slow, but the foundation for the business was solid 
and the superstructure gradually and surely attained important pro- 
portions. For some time, however, the crude and expensive methods 
of packing continued in use. But, after several years, “ Yankee inge- 
nuity” triumphed ; improved appliances and methods were introduced, 
including the use of steam, retorts, etc., and the business was corre- 
spondingly improved. 
In 1868 the second cannery was built (near Eagle Cliff) by one of the 
Humes. From that date the establishment of new canneries and the 
increase in boats, apparatus, etc., were constantly recurring events 
until the river was literally filled with devices for the capture of 
salmon, and it finally became apparent that the supply of fish was 
decreasing to an alarming extent. The' assistance of artificial propa- 
gation was invoked, but before the results of this could be realized 
some of the canners transferred their plants from the Columbia to 
Alaska, where new and prolific fields awaited their enterprise. Still, 
the industry on the river is of great importance, as the statistics will 
