102 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
frequently, as the tide falls, the eggs are exposed to the sun, and the sea birds feed 
upon them. The shoals and hats at the mouth of the stream barely admit a boat at 
low water, but at high water one may go uii the stream as far as tide water extends. 
About 18S8 a saltery was established on the northern shore of the entering arm 
at Thorne Bay. The following year it was sold to the cannery at Loring, then operated 
by the Cutting Packing Company, of San Francisco. In 1892 this saltery was sold to 
Mr. Eobert Bell, who inoved it to its present site and abandoned the old station. Two 
or three Indian houses are all that now remain at that point. The saltery at present 
is located on the upper end of the northwest arm, on the western shore, at the extreme 
end of the river Hats, and is not only close to the lishing-grounds, but is on one of the 
best harbors in southeast Alaska. The saltery building is over the wharf, and back 
of it are several dwellings. The owner lives there. 
No fish were salted for the first two years after the saltery was moved; all were 
carried to Loring and sold fresh for packing. The plant, without fishing gear, is 
valued at $1,500. Eight men are employed for 2^ months during the fishing season, 
and 20 men for one month during the time of the heaviest runs. Two drag seines 
are used, 3-inch mesh, 125 fathoms long by 5 fathoms deep, valued at $1.50 per fathom. 
Four seine boats, valued at $50 each, are employed. 
The following incomplete statistics give all the obtainable record of Thorne Bay 
stream : 
Tear. 
Species. 
Number 
taken . 
Time of fishing. 
Remarks. 
1889 
TJorlfissli 
10 790 
•Tilly B Ancr 17 
385 taken on July 6. 
Species not separated; probably one-third were co- 
1890- . 
Eedfisli and colioos 
52^ 516 
July 10 to Sept. 10 
1891.. 
Redfish 
14, 456 
June 28 to Aug. 1. . .. 
hoes. Large redfish brought 10 cents, small redfish 
6 cents, cohoes 14 cents, delivered at cannery. 
3,400 taken on June 28. 
1896.. 
Colioes 
Redfisli ' 
Cohoes 
HuiBpbacl\S 
11, 698 
5, 000 
25, 000 
80, 000 
Aug. 17 to Sept. 1 
2,760 used at Loring cannery, the remainder s.alted at 
Tolstoi fishery. 
Average weight, 5 pounds ; salted, m.aking 86 barrels, 
worth $6 to $8 per barrel net. 
9.000 sold to Loring, rest salted, making 450 barrels, 
worth $6.50 per barrel on Seattle wharf. Average 
weight of fish, 8 pounds. 
25.000 sold at Loring, bellies of remainder salted, 
making 470 half-barrels, worth $4.50 per half-barrel 
net. Average weight of 'fish, 3J pounds. 
It was ascertained at Loring that 600 half-barrels of humpback bellies and ICO 
barrels of cohoes were salted in 1897. It was stated that the stream at jiresent will 
yield annually 5,000 redfish, 25,000 cohoes, and 200,000 humpbacks; that it is a very 
early redfish stream, the first arrivals, from June 1 to 10, depending upon the season, 
and that tlie run usually ends about August 5. From the scanty records, it would 
seem that it will furnish perhaps 10,000 redfish, if fished by a cannery. After the 
redfish have commenced to run many are taken that seem very much out of condition. 
They are very thin and the intestines are found closely adhering to the body Avails. 
The stream is also known as haAdng very early runs of cohoes, the first fish 
appearing about July 5, and the run continuing until September 13 to 25, but the 
fish are small; in fact, it is said that the cohoes of all the island streams are small, 
those from the streams on the mainland being much larger. Tlie humpbacks here run 
from August 1 to September 1, the fish averaging larger during a big run than during 
a small one. The dog salmon run with the humpbacks, but are not used. Steelheads 
run from November to April, though scattering ones are taken every month in the 
