The Sea 49

The flakes fields of Souris have disappeared entirely but they live in the memory of most older folks who have visited the wharves in summertime. One of the old flake fields is now the Imperial Oil Depot. The flakes were table-high platforms built with poles or laths on top, well separated so as to help the drying process on both sides of the fish. The flakes were twice the width of a man’s reach, built to be serviced from each side, and in modern times had wire netting tops instead of laths.

Photo by Morley S. Acorn. Courtesy Pictures of the Past by lgsrds

Fish Flakes Walter Cheverie laying fish to dry for Matthew & McLean Limited, 1920.

Fish for the flakes were pickled with coarse salt that came to Souris in heavy hemp bags in the holds of dignified square riggers. For the first day on the flakes, the fish were spread green with backs-up and left that way over night. Next morning they were turned. Then for a few nights, if there was heavy dew they were stacked in little piles on the flakes. Later they were removed to round low platforms where they were stacked in a sweat pile as high as a man could reach. The weight of the fish helped to press out some of the moisture. Then waiting for a good day, preferably one with a dry west wind, the fish were spread out for a final ten hours and then stored.

It was a particular job. To get fish suitably salted, of good texture, without being sun burnt, yet fully dry for export to the southern markets where high humid temperatures made for quick spoilage, demanded good fish, good technique and good weather. Little wonder that the fish dealers dreamed of a mechanical method to eliminate the tedious and costly process.

The first artificial fish-dryer in Souris was built on the Government wharf as a Dominion Government Project. It was run for several years with George E. MacFarlane as manager. Though it was advertised as a PATENT FISH DRIER the impression seemed to be that they were always experimenting with it. After a few years of this, the building was rented to the Gorton Pew Fisheries Ltd., who used it mainly for storage. It burned down in August, 1918 from a flash fire caused by someone with a lighted match wanting to know if one of the old wooden gasoline barrels was empty. Later on, Matthew & McLean Ltd. had a fish dryer in which the fish were partly dried and then shipped on to Halifax.