The prospects are that the Columbia River Packers' Association, which was formed in Portland last spring, is to be followed by a stronger concern -- a single corporation which shall be so firmly entrenched as to command a vast influence in the salmon industry, and which will dictate and not be dictated to. It will be modeled after the Alaska Packing Company, and it will absorb all the big and little fishing interests, consolidating them into one enormous plant and do business on an unprecedented scale.

The salmon-packing combine is not an undreamed-of possibility by any means. The fact is, the scheme is ripening for consummation. One of the wealthiest canners on the Columbia declares that the strike has hastened this end. The cannerymen are being driven into consolidation for protection of their interests not only from the fishermen, but from the mischievous state legislature, and by next autumn it is confidently believed -- no matter what becomes of this year's fishing -- that the combine will be organized and the consolidation effected. The plan has been on foot for some time. If organized in time, as it is sure to be, the combine's lobby will be a factor in the state legislature this winter, and endeavor to influence the solons to legislate in the interests of the fishing industry.

Therefore, the fishing season of 1897 may be inaugurated under totally different circumstances from those under which this season began. The formation of such a trust is a utmost consequence to the fishing industry and there is no doubt that this consolitated company will exercise a good deal of influence in the salmon markets of the world. It is known that the leading cannerymen favor the consolidation, and it goes without saying that any co-operative, independent, middle-of-the-road or river, anti-concern that manifests a disposition to buck against this company, will be forzen out in the regulation way and forced to come in or cease its existence."


Source:    "The Dalles times-mountaineer", Dalles, Oregon, Saturday, June 20, 1896, courtesy of "Historic Oregon Newspapers" website, 2013.

The Astoria Herald denounces the trust, and says that no one knows its power nor the baneful influence that will be exercised by it in the future. The Herald adds:

"It is a well-known fact that nearly all of the canneries went into a combine one year ago. Some of the cannerymen received part cash and part stock. Mr. Elmore took $350,000 in stock in the combine, and he and Mr. Hammond virtually own the entire salmon business of the Columbia river. What will be the result? In less than two years, every salmon packing company on the Columbia river will be driven out of business, and Hammond and Elmore will do the salmon business of the Columbia river. By the organization of the combine, B.A. Seaborg, M.J. Kinney, J.W. Cook, George & Barker, J.O. Hanthorn and the Scandinavian cannery have been driven off the river, their canneries closed, and they are making arrangements to start canneries on the Sound. Over $1,000,000 will be taken out of Astoria this year and invested on the Sound. B.A. Seaborg was driven out of the city, M.J. Kinney was driven out of the city, J.O. Hanthorn was driven out of the city and George & Barker have been driven out of the city for the reason that they went into the combine, and are now sorry that they did so."

The trust, or combine, as it is called by Astorians, is known as the Columbia River Packers' Association. It was organized in January, 1899, with $2,000,000 capital. Shortly after its organization, it absorbed the canneries of the following persons and firms: J.W. and V. Cook, B.A. Seaborg, J.O. Hanthron & Co., Fishermen's Packing Company, Elmore & Co., M.J. Kinney and George & Barker. Some of the canners received money, and all of them took stock. In the process of absorption about $1,700,000 of the stock was issued, and the remainder is being held in the hope of getting hold of the independent canneries on the upper and lower, particularly the latter. The canneries which did not join the trust are the Cutting Packing Company, A. Booth & Co., Fishermen's Co-operative Packing Company, P.J. McGowan & Sons, F.M. Warren, Pillar Rock Packing Company, J.G. Megler and Seufert Bros.

The principal objects of the trust are to reduce expenses and control the output and prices. Whether the trust succeeded in cuttind down expenses last year is known only to its officers, but it signally failed in the effort to control the output and prices. It packed 102,000 cases of the spring pack of 278,800, and 17,500 cases of the fall pack of 41,350 cases. Its total pack was 119,500 cases of a total pack of 320,150 cases, or 37 per cent. The price of raw fish was forced very high last year by the competition of the cold-storage men. This competition reduced the pack by 35,000 or 36,000 cases.

The annual meeting of the stockholders of the combine will be held at Astoria next Thursday. Little in addition to the usual routine business will be done, but it is expected that the directors to be elected will keep four of the combine's seven canneries closed this year. Two will be run at Astoria and either the Cook cannery, at Clifton, or the George & Barker plant, at Eagle Cliff. Cannerymen who understand the situation say this policy will save money to the combine, as it will enable it to dispense with a number of superintendents and clerks and reduce the number of employes in the canneries and of fishermen on the river.

The combine affects Portland's interests to a large extent. In old times, when the canneries were independent, Portland's banks did a business with the canneries about equal to the value of the salmon pack. One effect of combination has been to make New York the financial headquarters of the Columbia river salmon industry, instead of Portland and Astoria. A.B. Hammond, the promoter of the Astoria railroad, is the great magnate of this trust, and his financial connections are with the East and not with Oregon. It is intimated that when the trust gets things arranged to suit itself, it will establish company stores and require its employes to patronize them. If it should do this, a severe blow would be given to Astoria's trade. However, there is no confirmation of the report, and it is referred to here only because the plan has been suggested as one within the power of the trust.

The trust may do with its canneries as it pleases, as it has a lead-pipe cinch on them, but it cannot keep their former owners out of the packing business. George & Barker, J.O. Hanthrn, B.A. Seaborg and M.J. Kinney are looking for locations on Puget sound. It is reported that they have found good ones not far from Port Townsend. J.W. Cook is looking over the Sound country, but his plans have not been revealed.

C.W. Fulton, of Astoria, who was in town yesterday, said the closing of several of the canneries would not seriously affect the salmon industry on the Lower Columbia. "Three canneries can handle the pack of the Lower Columbia and do the work much cheaper than seven can." said Mr. Fulton. "The pack would be the same, the price paid for raw fish the same and the number of fishermen and boats the same. the only difference would be that the number of superintendents and clerks would be reduced. Not more than 20 men would be affected."

Senator Fulton took no stock in the report that the combine is contemplating the establishment of company stores."


Source:    "The Morning Oregonian", Portland, Oregon, Tuesday, January 23, 1900, courtesy of "Historic Oregon Newspapers" website, 2013.