Jeff’s Blog

“THE ALBICORE (sic – aka. ALBACORE – ed.) – A FOOD FISH THAT IS RAPIDLY COMING INTO FAVOR – One-hundred and twenty-eight barrels, or 12,800 pounds (12.4 tons, 100 lbs. each barrel – ed.) of fish were shipped on the Pacific Steamship Company steamer ‘Santa Rosa’ Thursday night, bound for the HONOLULU market.

While this is only one of the many shipments made by the PORTUGUESE COLONY at LA PLAYA, it marks the rapid increase in the demand for a variety of food fish which a year ago was not handled. This new candidate for popular flavor is the *ALBACORE*. Last fall (i.e. 1891 – ed.) Mr. GEORGE MAGLEY, who worked up the Honolulu market for the Portuguese colony, sent (as an experiment) a few hundred pounds of San Diego fish to that market, and in reply received a standing order for ALL the men could catch. These albacore fish run about ten miles from the coast here, during the months of JULY, AUGUST, and SEPTEMBER, and are at present running in vast schools; and every boat which goes out returns laden to the guards. The fish average in weight from 40 to 80 pounds and are very gamey. A number of pleasure parties have lately gone out and reported a highly exciting time. The albacore is a member of the mackerel family.”

(*Source: San Diego UNION newspaper – Thursday, August 18, 1892 – Pg. 2)

*Editorial Note: A “new” food fish “coming into favor” begins shipping from San Diego – ALBACORE TUNA, caught seasonally, offered in barrels (pickled and/or salted) via local PA Mr. MANUEL F. CABRAL & Wholesaler Mr. M. T. FREITAS’ outlets in San Francisco. – *PLEASE NOTE: Mr. George Magley is pivotal in getting local Portuguese-caught fish aboard the Pacific Coast Steamship shipping lines and offered to that much, much larger Asian market via Hawaii.

“U.S. PREPARES TO RETURN TUNABOATS USED BY NAVY – Lt. Erskine Wood, designated by the War Shipping Administration to negotiate with owners of tunaboats taken over by the U.S. Navy early in the war, will arrive here tomorrow to confer with San Diegans desiring to re–purchase their craft from the Government, the AMERICAN FISHERMEN’S TUNABOAT ASSOCIATION announced. Wood arrived in San Pedro on Monday to survey fishing craft there, and several San Diegans whose vessels are in the northern port have gone there to confer with him. Former owners are given the first opportunity to bid on the boats.

FOUR IN PORT NOW

The Association reported that four San Diego boats – the ‘AZOREANA’, ‘CITY OF SAN DIEGO’, ‘SANTA INEZ’, and ‘SAO JOAO’ – now are here in port awaiting disposal. And at San Pedro are the ‘BELLE of PORTUGAL’, ‘PICAROTO’, ‘QUEEN MARY’, ‘ST. GEORGE’, ‘NORTHWESTERN’, and ‘MADIERENSE’. The 149’ ‘NORMANDIE’, (the largest tunaboat in existence), is due here in San Diego on Monday, and the ‘CONTI BIANCO’ was reported to have left Pearl Harbor yesterday. Altogether about 70 tunaboats were taken over by the Navy and converted into patrol craft. Several were lost in the Southwest Pacific and off Okinawa.”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Wednesday, January 16, 1946 [about 4 months after Japan’s surrender had ended WWII – ed.] – Pg. 22)

~~~~~~~ Then…, nearly a Year Later ~~~~~~~

“WALLACE MUST GO, SAYS SENATOR– U.S. Unity Menaced, Knowland Asserts – America (says Sen. Knowland), as the (post WWII – ed.) trustee for humanity, must present a united front to the rest of the world and to achieve this unity…, Secretary of Commerce Henry A. Wallace must LEAVE the Cabinet, U. S. Senator WILLIAM F. KNOWLAND (Rep.) declared here yesterday. His statement climaxed a busy day here in which he addressed the Convention Session of the California League of Cities, spoke at a combined meeting of local Exchange Clubs, and probed the problems of shipbuilders, fishermen, and canners in a personal inspection…(*Note: Nearly ALL of this article is taken up with the then-current, ‘explosive’ leak, and reactions, into the national press that then-Secretary Wallace was quoted as having used the word “appease” in a statement regarding Russia, immediately taken as a “go-easy-on-Russia” spin/opinion by many, including Sen. Knowland. But the main interest to this particular ‘PA of San Diego-oriented’ listing is focused on the ‘shipbuilders, fishermen, and canners in a personal inspection portion – ed.) ‘…He talked with fishermen, canners, and shipbuilders in an afternoon-long inspection trip of the waterfront.

VISITED SHIPYARDS

First he visited the LYNCH SHIPBUILDING yards where he saw the 110’ tuna clipper ‘LILIANA’ under construction, and talked with Capt. JOE MARQUES, who is readying his big ‘NORMANDIE’ for a cruise to the Galapagos fishing grounds. The ‘Normandie’ (launched in 1938 – ed.) has come back after four years helping the U.S. Navy win the Southwest Pacific war. When Sen. Knowland was with Mr. Harold Cary, Manager of Lynch yard, and Mr. George E. Campbell of the CAMPBELL MACHINE CO. yards, he talked shipping problems, and Mr. Dave Campbell of Campbell yards told him San Diego shipbuilding is suffering from a shortage of almost everything that goes into a ship. At the SAN DIEGO PACKING CO. and the HIGH SEAS TUNA PACKING CO., Knowland saw fish move from the tuna clippers to cans, and heard the Managers of these plants voice their problems.

SITUATION SIZED UP

Escorted to the yards and packing plants by George Campbell, JOE MEDINA, tuna fisherman, CHARLES LEANDERS – President, & George Wallace, Vice-President of the AMERICAN FISHERMEN’S TUNABOAT ASSOCIATION; Knowland said he got an interesting and informative view of the local situation. Mr. Leanders and Mr. Wallace laid before him the plight of 18 San Diego fishermen, whose boats were seized by the government at the start of World War II and were sunk in the conquest of Japan. These men, the fishing boat chiefs said, cannot get replacements at the price the government paid for the seized craft and are now out of business. Their bids for surplus that could be converted to tuna clippers have been rejected, although such bids represented the SAME price the government paid for the lost boats, Leanders and Wallace said.

ADDRESSES VETERANS

‘I have a much better picture of your problems than I had before,’ Knowland said after his tour, as he prepared for the evening meeting with veterans, in the Canadian Legion Building in Balboa Park…”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Wednesday,September 18, 1946 [about 1 year and 1 month after Japan’s surrender had ended WWII – ed.] – Pg. 3)

“TUNA TARIFF PROTECTION PLEDGE IN MESSAGE – (Washington D.C.) Feb. 2^nd – New U.S. President EISENHOWER‘s ~STATE OF THE UNION~ message was interpreted here today as a pledge to the Southern California fishing industry that it will be protected from increasing tuna imports, provided it can show that foreign competition is threatening financial ruin for the domestic enterprise. The President recommended to Congress that it ‘take the reciprocal trade agreements act under immediate study and extend it by appropriate legislation. ‘This objective,’ he emphasized, ‘must not ignore legitimate safeguarding of domestic industries, agriculture and labor standards…’

Mr. Charles R. Carry, Manager of the National Canners Association Fisheries division, said that if ‘the President sticks to his theory of safe-guarding domestic industries from growing foreign competition, that’s all the tuna industry asks.’

The President’s remarks, he commented, seemed to make it clear that the new administration is pledged to protect a domestic industry, either through increased tariffs or an import quota, if it can prove sufficient financial hardship created by foreign competition. Rep. Bob Wilson (R), of San Diego, saw in the President’s foreign trade remarks a ‘determination that he wants domestic industries protected from cheap-labor foreign competition.’

The Congressman said Mr. Eisenhower’s message committed his administration to protect not only the tuna industry, but also lemon and rabbit fur growers as well. In San Diego County, he recalled, growing imports have threatened the latter two industries as well as tuna fishermen and canners.”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Tuesday, February 3, 1953 – Pg. 1)

“TUNA TARIFF REPORT SKIRTS TARIFF HODGEPODGE – *This is last in a series dealing with the Southern California fishing industry’s foreign competition problems – (Washington D.C.) – The FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE’s Report on the impact of imported tuna on the Southern California fishing industry point to the TUNA TARIFF hodge-podge and recommends the U.S. TARIFF COMMISSION ADJUST it. The report, however, ~skirts~ the issue of whether higher duties should be imposed on imported tuna products – fresh-frozen and canned – to control mounting foreign competition which the industry here claims has threatened its existence.

Commenting on the inconsistency of the present tuna tariff setup, the Report has this to say: ‘The several different forms of tariff rates on the various products of the tuna industry should be properly related. There is no logical relationship between a 45% ad valorem duty on tuna canned in oil; a 12.5% duty on tuna canned in brine, and NO duty on frozen tuna.’

The industry analysis said our U.S. Government should consider the creation of an INTERNATIONAL COMMODITY AGREEMENT to cover the world tuna trade. ‘Such an agreement would be similar to, although not exactly the same as, the International Wheat Agreement of 1949, to which the United States is a party,’ the Report points out. ‘At the outset, the U.S. might invite those countries which are important producers, processors, and consumers of tuna to join with it in preparing such a document for trade in tuna.’ The Report emphasized ‘such an agreement would supersede any unilateral action undertaken by government now or in the future.’ It said U.S. Interior officials presently are exploring this proposal. Meanwhile, the analysis contended, the U.S. Government should ‘continue and strengthen tuna research programs’ along these lines:

(1.) SCIENTIFIC STUDIES of the tuna and bait populations to provide a presently lacking basic knowledge of these resources; (2.) ENACTMENT into LAW by U.S. Congress of a BILL (S.1731) which provides that $1,000,000 (equivalent to $11,588,519 today – ed.) to be used for technological and related research, educational service, and market development work for the fishing industry. The money to be derived from 30% of the duties on all imported products; (3.) Congressional ENACTMENT of a LAW permitting fishery co-operative associations in the industry to draw on the Bank for Co-operatives in the FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION, and finally; (4.) The Report calls for continued efforts by our government to settle the controversy over American fishing rights in waters off the shores of LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES.”

(*Source: San Diego EVENING TRIBUNE newspaper – Monday, May 18, 1953 – Pg. 14)

“13 RESCUED IN SINKING OF S.D. TUNA CLIPPER -One Injured In Crash Off Costa Rica – The tuna clipper ‘SONJA’ and the Japanese freighter ‘Hawaii Maru’ collided today off Costa Rica and the 408-ton San Diego vessel sank. The master of the ‘Hawaii Maru’ radioed 11^th Coast third District headquarters at Long Beach that all 13 members of the crew of the ‘Sonja’ were saved. One man was injured and is being treated by the ‘Hawaii Maru’ ship’s doctor.

Bringing Crew Back

The Japanese vessel reported it is proceeding with the rescued men to Los Angeles. It did not list its owners or where it was bound. Neither did it list the name of the injured man. The collision apparently occurred about 3:15 a.m Pacific Daylight Time about 40 miles off Cabo Blanco, Costa Rica. At that time the Coast Guard Station in Seattle received a distress message from the ‘Sonja’ indicating it was “in critical condition” 40 miles southwest of Cape Blanco.

MESSAGE MISUNDERSTOOD

Seattle assumed this meant Cape Blanco, Oregon and dispatched search vessels from Coos Bay, Oregon and a plane from Port Angeles, Washington. Later a report from San Jose, Costa Rica, indicated that a U.S. Air Force plane from the Canal Zone had been dispatched and sighted the 106’ long, 188-ton capacity ‘Sonja’ sinking off Costa Rica. It was not until 12:15 p.m. that the Coast Guard at Long Beach received the message, signed only by the “Master” of the “Hawaii Maru”, describing the collision and telling of the sinking.

LEFT S.D. APRIL 5^th

The clipper sailed from San Diego April 5^th with a crew of 12. Apparently one more crew member was picked up at a stop in Mexico. The message was received from the ‘Hawaii Maru‘ as: “Collided with motor vessel ‘Sonja’, San Diego. Did best for rescue the ship but was in vain. The ship sank. The ship’s crew of 13 persons shifted aboard my ship in safety. One man wounded. Ship’s doctor treating. Proceeding to Los Angeles.” Apparently the ‘Sonja’ was from Antioch, California. It fished for the SAN DIEGO PACKING CO.

Mr. Olav Valderhaug, 4190 Utah St., managing owner, said he had a radio report from the ship two weeks ago that it had filled its bait tanks in the Gulf of California and was proceeding to Central American waters to fish. The skipper of the clipper is Mr. ROBERT LEANDERS (of 1675 Cable St. in Ocean Beach), San Diego. The fishing boss is Mr. JOE DA SILVA JR.. The ship has a capacity of 188 tons of tuna. It is a former Navy vessel rebuilt as a clipper at Antioch, California and fished for the San Diego Packing Company. Salazar & Gordillo, ships agents, handled the clearance of the vessel, April 5, out of San Diego for Ensenada, Mexico, where it took out a Mexican fishing license. The ship was not outfitted with a scout plane. Other members of the crew, all of San Diego, are: (1.) JOSE FERREIRA, Mate; (2.) Kenneth D. Methy; (3.) ALVARO FIGUEIREDO; (4.) Ole Josey; (5.) JOSEPH RODRIGUES; (6.) JOSE DaSILVA JR. (Fishing Boss); (7.) CRISTIANO CORREIA; (8.) Charles E. Whitehurst, Chief Engineer (of 5636 Bolivar St., National City); (9.) MANUEL F. SILVA (the injured [knee] crewman), and; (10.) Manuel A. Fernandez (of 3340 Xenophon St.)

*Editorial Notes: In a separate article in another issue of the same local newspapers (San Diego Union & Evening Tribune), the additional article added these two details; (1) A quote of, “It is something of an electronic freak for a radio message not to be received by stations in this area and to (instead) jump such a distance.” and; (2) The ‘Sonja’ had sailed from San Diego on Easter Sunday.

*Genealogical Note: Although the name ‘Robert W. Leanders’ may not sound especially Portuguese to many people, the ‘Sonja’ skipper (son of John E. Leanders Sr.) referenced here, was born in Long Beach, CA in 1922, the son of Robert E. Leandres, who was born in 1898 on the Azorean Island of Santa Maria, Portugal, the tiny (Population: 5,400 / Size: 37.6 sq. miles) island that was no less than Christopher Columbus’ first European landfall on his first return trip after discovering the America’s) with that relatively rare Portuguese surname, with translates as; ‘Son of Leandro’.”

(*Source: San Diego EVENING TRIBUNE newspaper – Saturday, May 9, 1953 – Pg. 1)

“S.D. BOAT YARDS RUSH BUILDING OF FISH FLEETS – Contracts Now Total $3,000,000; Firms Obtain Materials – San Diego boat building yards, confronted with the task of rebuilding the port’s depleted fishing fleet, are constructing or have under contract to construct a total of $3,000,000 worth (equivalent to $52,891,856 today – ed.) of new craft, it was disclosed yesterday. Spurred by the government’s request for more seafood to meet civilian and military demands, shipyards have been granted priorities for material to rush construction of tunaboats and other fishing vessels.

47 CRAFT TAKEN

Forty-seven San Diego fishing craft have been commandeered or requisitioned by the U.S. Navy since Pearl Harbor. For two years the commercial boat building industry in San Diego has been in the doldrums while ship plants concentrated on construction of vessels for naval and military services. Today the picture is changed. San Diego boat building plants now have contracts for the largest number of fishing craft for any single year in the industry’s history.

SEVEN BOATS ORDERED

Mr. George Campbell, of the CAMPBELL MACHINE CO. boatyard at the foot of Seventh Ave., announced that his company is building or has under contract a total of seven tunaboats. Six of these each will have a registered tonnage of 460 tons, will be 143’ overall and will have a capacity of more than 2,500 tons of fish. Each will be fitted with 600-h.p.supercharged engines. These boats are being built for JOSE MONISE, ANTONIO OLIVEIRA, SALVATORE INACIO, MANUEL, FERNANDO, JOE, and FRANK MEDINA; JOAQUIN MEDINA & SONS, and JOE S. ROGERS. The Campbell Machine Co. also is to build a 55’ boat for ANTONIO TAVARES, to be used in the fresh fish trade.

TWO CRAFT CONTRACTED

The LYNCH SHIPBUILDING CO., foot of Twenty-Eighth St., although working on Navy contracts which will keep the plant operating at top speed for 18 months, is building two 96’ fishing boats for MANUEL ROSA and JOHN CARDOZA, and have several other fishing craft in prospect.

At the SAN DIEGO MARINE CONSTRUCTION CO., foot of Samson St., a 95’, 130-ton tunaboat is under construction for the COAST FISHING CO. of San Pedro. Keels of two more vessels are to be laid before midsummer.

The first fishing craft built by the HARBOR BOAT WORKS, foot of Twenty-Sixth St., in several years, the ‘JOSEPHINE’, will be launched next Sunday (i.e. April 9, 1944 – ed.).

VESSEL COSTS $21,500

This vessel, built to the order of Sam Bompensiero, is a 47’ craft and costs $21,500 (equivalent to $379,058 today – ed.), and a 75’, 80-ton boat for Mr. W. Williams, costing $95,000 (equivalent to $1,674,908 today – ed.) is to be launched in July.

Mr. Wade Ambrose, WESTGATE SEA PRODUCTS CO. President, declared steps must be taken to conserve the supply of skilled fishermen if the present shortage of seafood is to be alleviated. ‘There is no use building new fishing boats unless there is sufficient personnel to man them,’ said Ambrose.

LONG VOYAGES PLANNED

San Diego fishing boats this season will operate will operate as far south as Costa Rica. Waters further south (and especially in the prolific fishing grounds in the vicinity of the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador) are restricted and no boats will be permitted to operate there until after destruction of the Japanese fleet.

In accordance with O.P.A. (i.e. Office of Price Administration, which set price limits and rationed ‘essential items’ via a point system during the War, doing so to control ‘supply and demand’ by freezing prices and thereby preventing wartime inflation – ed.) prices, San Diego fishermen this year will receive: $325 per ton for albacore; $200 for yellowfin, $180 for skipjack; $145 for yellowtail, $155 for bonita, $190 for bluefin tuna, and $22 per ton for sardines.(equivalent to $5,730, $3,526, $3,174, $2,556, $2,733, $3,350, and $388 [respectively] today – ed.)”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Sunday, April 2, 1944 – Pg. 31)

*Editorial Note: In what surely was one of the most mind-bending “THEY SAY!/WE SAY!” criss-crossed News Days ever in the entire HISTORY of San Diego, September 12, 1956 was a “high water” mark! To wit:

“TUNA GROUPS ACCUSED OF CONSPIRACY – Industry, Unions Cited for Alleged Bid To Fix Prices (Washington D.C. – Sept. 11^th) – The Pacific Coast tuna industry and the tuna industry’s labor unions today were accused by the FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION of ~conspiracy~ to fix the price of tuna and to stifle competition. The Unions named in the complaint are the CANNERY WORKERS & FISHERMEN’S UNION of the Pacific, San Diego, LOCAL 33 of the FISHERMEN’S & ALLIED WORKERS DIVISION of the INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN & WAREHOUSEMEN’S UNION, San Pedro, and the SEINE & LINE FISHERMEN’S UNION, also of San Pedro. The ‘Big Three’ of the tuna canning industry – VAN CAMP SEA FOOD CO. and STAR-KIST FOODS INC., both of SAN PEDRO, and WESTGATE-CALIFORNIA TUNA PACKING CO. of SAN DIEGO – also were named in the complaint. The three companies jointly account for 70% of the tuna pack.

10 OTHERS NAMED

Also named were 10 other members of the CALIFORNIA FISH CANNERS ASSOCIATION INC., the COLUMBIA RIVER PACKERS ASSOCIATION of Astoria, Oregon, and several associations of boat owners. *Included were the HIGH SEAS TUNA PACKING CO. INC. (Roseville, Point Loma), the AMERICAN TUNABOAT ASSOCATION (A.T.A.), and the FIVE STAR FISH & COLD STORAGE CO., all of San Diego. The Commission scheduled a hearing for November 19^th in Long Beach on its complaint charging virtually the entire West Coast tuna industry with violation of federal fairtradelaws. Those named in the complaint were given 30 days to file answers. The West Coast account for more than 90% of the nation’s $200,000,000 per year (equivalent to $2,281,216,500 today – ed.), wholesale value, tuna pack.

UNION PATROLS CHARGED

The complaint alleged that the boat owner associations negotiate annually with the canners to fix prices to be paid for raw tuna and that the Unions use these prices as a basis for working agreements with the boat owners. The complaint also said the Unions operate ‘patrol boats’ in the San Diego and San Pedro tuna fishing areas to prevent sales of tuna at other than the agreed upon prices. Moreover, the canners, the San Diego tunaboat association (i.e. A.T.A. – ed.) and the San Diego Cannery Workers & Fishermen’s Union, also were accused of having sent a ‘committee’ to JAPAN in a conspiracy to curtail and control the volume of Japanese tuna exports to the United States and to increase prices.

PUBLIC MUST PAY MORE

They also were accused of attempting to cut the supply of Japanese tuna ‘DISCS’ (i.e. frozen pre–cooked, can-shaped pieces of tuna – ed.) to their competitor importers on the East Coast. The Commission said the result of these activities ‘is that the public must pay more for tuna.’ The complaint alleges that the Tunaboat association (i.e. A.T.A.? – ed.) described as the ‘dominant association of boat owners’, is guilty of committing coercive acts to maintain fixed non-competitive prices. The Commission said vessels are not permitted to fish for any cannery who does not agree to pay the fixed prices, and in other instances vessel owners are prohibited from fishing until they agree to sell to a canner designated by the Association. The complaint said members of the Unions refuse to fish until they have approved the prices and some do not fish on any boat whose owner has not committed himself to abide by the prices.

According to the complaint, the Tunaboat association (i.e. A.T.A. again? – ed.) has been making written, price-fixing agreements with the canners since JANUARY of 1953, and the prices agreed upon have become the established for the entire tuna industry on the Pacific Coast. The other members of the CALIFORNIA FISH CANNERS ASSOCIATION named in the complaint were: F. E. BOOTH CO., INC. of San Francisco, CA; CALIFORNIA MARINE CURING & PACKING CO. of San Pedro, CA; FRANCO-ITALIAN PACKING CO., INC. of San Pedro, CA; PAN-PACIFIC FISHERIES INC. of San Pedro, CA; the QUAKER OATS CO. of Chicago, Illinois (which operates a coast fisheries division at Wilmington, CA); SOUTH COAST FISHERIES, INC. of San Pedro, CA; SOUTH PACIFIC CANNING CO., INC.; WEST SHORE CO. and individual partners, LONG BEACH; SUN HARBOR PACKING CO. of San Pedro; and WESTERN CANNERS CO. of Newport Beach, California. Other boat owner associations named were: FISHERMEN’S COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION of San Pedro, CA; and FEDERATED FISHERMEN’S ASSOCIATION, INC. of San Pedro, CA; a coopeative association of these four other associations; CALIFORNIA COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN’S ASSOCIATION, INC. of San Pedro, CA; the FIVE STAR ASSOCIATION of San Diego; the FISHERMEN’S COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION, of Seattle, Washington, and SALMON TROLLERS MARKETING ASSOCIATION, INC. of Fort Bragg, California.”

(*Source: San Diego Union & DAILY BEE – Wednesday, September 12, 1956 – Pgs 1 & 2)

*Editorial Note: As you might (ahem!) surmise…

~REBUTTALS WERE IMMEDIATE! Part 1 (*Same Publ, Day, Page 2) ~

“PRICES LOWER THAN IN YEARS – ACCUSATIONS RIDICULOUS, SAN DIEGO TUNA MEN SAY – Representatives of the San Diego tuna industry yesterday denied government charges of an industry conspiracy. The Federal Trade Commission yesterday accused the Pacific Coast tuna industry, including most of its San Diego segments, of conspiring to fix tuna prices and prevent outside competition. Mr. William C. Morehead, President of the California Fish Canners Association Inc., said the charges came as a shock to his group, which he said represents all processors in Southern California: ‘The tuna industry has never been in so demoralized a state as it is now,’ Morehead told reporters. ‘Fully 10 out of 11 processors operated at a loss last year. These charges by the Federal Trade Commission come as a complete shock to us.‘ Morehead said the charge is ridiculous. ‘Heavy production and competition from the Japanese tuna industry has forced us to cut prices,’ he said. ‘How can we be accused of a conspiracy to maintain prices when canned tuna prices are lower now than they’ve been in years?’

LAWS OBEYED, CAREY SAYS

Mr. Howard C. Carey, General Manager of the AMERICAN TUNABOAT ASSOCIATION (A.T.A.), issued a statement on the charges. He said his group represents 110 boats, most of them based in San Diego. ‘The association is a group of boat owners organized as a cooperative marketing association under the laws of the state of California.’ Carey said. ‘It conducts its business affairs in full accord with its understanding of applicable laws.’ He said he had not had an opportunity to read the specific charges. ‘I’m sorry I can’t elaborate…, I’d love to; but this is a legal matter and will go to our attorney’, he said.

WESTGATE-CALIFORNIA TUNA PACKING CO., one of the local firms named in the complaint, also issued a statement. ‘Our first knowledge of the charges came from the press this morning and late today we received a copy oi the complaint,’ the statement said. ‘Since the entire American tuna industry, including Unions, boat Associations and Canneries, is involved; it would be premature on our part to attempt to make any statement.’

UNION LEADER DENIES CHARGE

Mr. Louis Balinger, Secretary of the Cannery Workers and Fishermen’s Union of the Pacific, AFL, said, ‘I don’t think we’ve done anything wrong and that’s it.’ His local has 1,700 members and 300 permit workers, nearly all employed by the tuna industry. Balinger said he knew nothing about government charges that the Unions have operated ‘patrol boats’ in cooperation with some boat owners to ‘police’ the San Diego and San Pedro tuna fishing areas. Mr. Stan Peterson, Manager of the HIGH SEAS TUNA PACKING CO. plant, and a representative of the FIVE STAR FISH & COLD STORAGE CO., declined to comment.”

(*Source: San Diego Union & DAILY BEE – Wednesday, September 12, 1956 – Pg. 2)

~ REBUTTALS WERE IMMEDIATE! Part 2 (*Same Publ, Day, Page 2) ~

“WHO COMPLAINED? WHEN?? – TWO VITAL QUESTIONS DRAW BLANK IN F.T.C. (Washington D.C., Sept. 11^th) – Two questions went unanswered today in the FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION’S complaint against the West Coast tuna industry. The F.T.C. charged that ‘virtually all of the tuna industry on the West Coast is engaged in a conspiracy to fix tuna prices and to prevent competition in this industry.’ So Mr. S. F. Stowe, Director of Information for the Commission, was asked:

1. WHEN did the investigation of the West Coast tuna industry by the F.T.C. begin?

2. WHO filed the original complaint against the industry? Japanese exporters?! Importers of Japanese tuna?! The Commission?!

Stowe said that for any of the F.T.C. staff to answer these two fundamental questions without approval of a majority of the five-member Commission would subject that staff member to a $5,000 fine (equivalent to $57,000 today – ed.). The F.T.C. said the investigation resulted from alleged practices of the domestic industry since ‘about 1952.’ Stowe then said he was not at liberty to say when the investigation began, before or after 1952. Stowe also said he could not disclose who lodged the complaint without a majority vote of the Commission.”

(*Source: San Diego Union & DAILY BEE – Wednesday, September 12, 1956 – Pg. 2)

“CABRILLO” LANDING DUE TODAY – The landing 436 years ago of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo on the shores of San Diego Bay will be re-enacted this afternoon as the climax of this year’s CABRILLO FESTIVAL. Senor ‘Cabrillo’, three soldiers and a Priest will step ashore from a replica of the Portuguese explorer’s sailing ship, ‘San Salvador’, at 1:00 p.m. on Shelter Island.

The exact location of the original landing on September 28, 1542 is not known, but it is believed to have been at Ballast Point, farther south on Point Loma. Cabrillo is credited with being the first European to discover San Diego. The week-long celebration will conclude with the Cabrillo Festival Arreal (What is Arreal?! – ed.), beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the United Portuguese Hall, 2818 Addison St.

Last night, Ms. Bea Evenson and Mr. William Nierenberg were honored at a banquet at Vacation Village, sponsored by Cabrillo Club No. 16 and the Portuguese-American Social & Civic Club (P.A.S.C.C.). Ms. Evenson received the ‘Cabrillo Spirit of Leadership on Land’ Award for her work in creating SPANISH LANDING PARK across Harbor Drive from Lindbergh Field (aka. San Diego International Airport now – ed.). She also has been active in restoring Balboa Park, having founded the ‘Committee of 100’ in 1967, and in developing Heritage Park in Old Town, where Victorian-era homes are being placed on public display. Mr. Nierenberg, who received the ‘Cabrillo Award of Excellence – Affairs of the Sea’ Award, is Director of Scripps Institute of Oceanography and University of California – San Diego (aka. U.C.S.D.) Vice-Chancellor for Marine Sciences. He is also a consultant to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and adviser-at-large to the U.S. State Department.”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Sunday, October 1, 1978 – Pg. B1 / dpg 135)

*Adjacent photos and captions: “Mr. John B. Clark Jr. and visiting Portuguese Admiral FONTOURA LANCASTRE examine a bust of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo at the CABRILLO MEDICAL CENTER (7695 Cardinal Court) last night. Mr. Clark is Chairman of the Board of the Medical Center. A re-enactment of Cabrillo’s landing at San Diego Bay is planned for this afternoon.”

(*Source: On the same day, publication, and page; with two photographs was this caption above)

*Editorial Note: It is worth noting that the SPANISH LANDING PARK site that Ms. Bea Evenson helped create in 1976 would eventually become the building site for the ACTUAL, historically accurate replica of Cabrillo’s vessel here, the ‘San Salvador’, built via the San Diego Maritime Museum and launched on July 22, 2015 – some 39 years later; a long-held Dream Come True. *IMHO, any potential ‘interested parties’ in the PA community would ‘do well’ to study and emulate Bea Evenson’s (along with her husband, Frank) civic-minded style and efforts to help ensure success. She did *great* work! ~ BTW, her full name was Marjorie Beatrice Barker Evenson (1900-1981) and she her and husband Frank moved to San Diego in 1924; at one time (1930) living on Point Loma at 3337 Elliot St., in Loma Portal.

Counterpoint: The Cabrillo Medical Center (aka. Cabrillo Hospital) was closed by Sharp HealthCare in 1998 due to ‘low usage’; a long-held dream squandered (?!). No news on the current whereabouts of that particular bust of Cabrillo.

CANNING INDUSTRY RANKS FIRST IN CALIFORNIA FOR VALUE OF PRODUCTS – According to the latest figures (from 1914 – ed.) from the UNITED STATES DEPT. of COMMERCE, the canning and preserving industry ranks first in California for the value of products and second for the average number of wage earners. ~ The canning and preserving industryin 1914 GAVE EMPLOYMENT TO THE LARGEST AVERAGE NUMBER OF FEMALES(16 years of age and over), this number being1/3 of the *entire* female wage-earners in ALL manufacturing industries in the entire state of California!

(*Source: 1914 statistics published in Western Canner & Packer 1917 Annual [published by Miller Freeman Publications of California, the same as Pacific Fisherman magazine] – September, Vol. 9 – Pg. 20)

*Editorial Note: (IMHO) Too often an overlooked influence is the vital importance (at least in the PA community of San Diego) that female employment at (mostly fish) canneries contributed to these immigrant families ability to “take root” in their new country, afford housing, and raise their families; despite most having limited educations, difficulty with English language fluency, and limited transportation options. That fact that most of these ladies also worked and were paid by their “piece work” (meaning they were paid by *individual production* output, i.e. pass/fail) as their husbands, sons, and brothers were also paid by “shares” (i.e. the price paid for a trip’s catch, divided up into ‘shares’ [after expenses were first deducted], but also risking getting “skunked” [i.e. NOT getting paid!] if fish can’t be found, caught, and correctly preserved; or even if the vessel might break down or sink!? A ‘High Risk’ profession, indeed.

“BARGE ‘PRISTIS’ LAUNCHED – Interesting Aquatic Event Witnessed on the Bay Yesterday – About two hundred persons, the greater part of whom are ladies, witnessed the launching of the TRITON ROWING CLUB’s new eight-oared *BARGE* (Note: the word ‘barge‘ was used for the sleek racing craft specifically built for competitive rowing races, albeit the word sometimes conjures up images of bulky, freight carrying floation platforms nowadays; which are quite different – ed.) at the Santa Fe Wharf yesterday afternoon. The event was one of the most successfully managed and most interesting in the history of rowing organizations here. The barge, which was built in this city by MANUEL S. GOULARTE, a Portuguese, is the most shapely and perhaps the fastest barge in the bay, and as it lay on the float near the wharf yesterday it was greatly admired… ~ The barge is…, 40’ long, with a 4’ 6” beams, has sharp lines, and will no doubt prove to be very speedy… , She is 20” longer than the ZLAC’s recent boat, with a beam just 2” larger as well…, the vessel was christened by Miss Mary Currier…”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Sunday, September 5, 1897 – Pg. 5)

*Editorial Notes: This racing ‘barge‘ Goularte built for the Triton Rowing Club initially cost about $500 (equivalent to $18,600 today, and by 1899 it was serving the San Diego Rowing Club and 5 female rowing clubs then here. – ed. ~ *Source: San Diego Weekly Union newspaper – Thursday, September 21, 1899 – Pg. 5) ~ Meanwhile, “ZLAC‘s” first exclusive barge was launched on August 3, 1895 from adjacent to the Point Loma Ferry landing, some two years before GOULARTE‘s ‘Pristis’ (curiously, the Latin word for ‘sawfish‘ – ed.) listed above for the Triton Rowing Club. ~ Meanwhile, ZLAC (founded in 1892) is famously America’s *Oldest* Continually Operating Female Rowing Club (132 years now, and counting… – ed.). Begun by Ms. Lena Polhamus Crouse (daughter of Captain Albert A. Polhamus), Lena persuaded her sisters (Caroline & Agnes) and their friend (Ms. Zulette Lamb) to form a female rowing club; using the FIRST LETTERS of *each* of their first names; forming the acronym ‘ZLAC‘. See link below:

https://sandiegohistory.org/journal/v53-3/pdf/ZLAC.pdf#:~:text=Rowing%20was%20more%20than%20a%20popular%20sport%3B%20it,of%20their%20names%20to%20form%20the%20acronym%20ZLAC.