REPOET OF THE COMMISSIONEE OF FISHERIES. 143 



of some former year when the run was greatest, but this year all the old fishermen 

 acknowledged it to surpass all that they had seen or have ever heard of, and even 

 now, more than two weeks after the season has closed, the river is known to be full 

 of fish hunting around for their natural spawning grounds. The character of the 

 fish Avas equally as remarkable as its size, considering how late in the season it 

 arrived. In years gone by the June run, which came late in June or early in Jul)', 

 was considered the best fish for commercial purposes in color and richness, but this 

 run did not appear, but in its place the great run, fully four weeks later, and it was 

 in fact the "June" run, as the appearance and quality of the fish were identical. 



Salmon continued to arriv^e in a solid body until August 15, the 

 beginning of the close season. During these fifteen da3's a pack of 

 over 191,000 cases was made — over half the entire output of the river 

 for the season — and fishermen, cannery emploj^ees, and all others con- 

 nected with the fishery worked almost unceasingh^, resting only a few 

 hours at a time. At th^ close of the season there were few men either 

 directly or indirectly connected with the Columbia River fisheries who 

 were not greatlj- interested in the artificial propagation of salmon, and 

 who did not strongly urge its support. The consensus of opinion now 

 is that the future abundance of salmon in this region depends almost 

 wholly on the amount of f r}" liberated from the hatcheries. 



Heretofore the spring run of salmon of the Columbia River has. 

 always commanded a higher price than fish take»i later in the season, 

 the meat of the early fish being of a brighter color and containing 

 more oil than fish taken during the fall run. A change in the qualit\^ 

 of the fall run of fish was noticed about two years ago, when a con- 

 siderable number of fish were found to possess all the qualities of 

 spring fish. In the fall of 1902 a larger percentage of this kind of 

 fish was noticed, and from the phenomenal fall run in 1903 a large 

 portion of the pack made was composed of salmon that could be 

 classed as "spring fish." Many theories are advanced in explanation 

 of the superior qualities of this run of salmon over that of past years, 

 it being claimed b}^ many persons that it is due to the work of the 

 hatcheries, because onl}^ the best fish are selected for spawning pur- 

 poses. Others maintain that the change in the quality of the runs is 

 due to natural causes. 



Eighteen canneries and 9 cold-storage plants were operated in 

 Oregon in 1903, representing an approximate value of $650,000. The 

 output of the canneries was 306,031 cases, valued at $1,558,399. The 

 fish handled by the cold-storage plants were as follows: Chinook 

 salmon, mild cured, 6,710,200 pounds; fishermen's price, $101,412; 

 frozen fish, consisting mostly of silver salmon, dog salmon, and steel- 

 head trout, 1,021,843 pounds; value, $48,079. 



The number of men directl}' connected with canneries was 4,172. 

 The fishing apparatus consisted of 13 traps, 35 fish wheels, 40 drag 

 seines, and 876 gill nets, the combined value of which amounted to 



