Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-11-19
CHARLES SIMMS.
Gill Nets Gill Nets


10 The Citizens Of WaSLinston. Frede-
rick. and Montgomery counties.
A S the General Assembly of Ma
n ryland will sit in the course Ct
a few weeks, I take the liberty of call
ing the attention of the people of the
upper counties to the subject of Gill
Nets j.; that all those who may agree
with me in opiaion. may unite in PC
titions to tic Legislature to pass such
laws as may efftctually prevent the
use of them hereafter in the Potomac.
Since the introduction of these Nets
into our waters, the people of the up
perComtics have experienced the most
pernicious effects Of this practice. 1t
is fact well known; that many per.
sons at the last season, after leaving
their homes, with their teams, at the
most busy season of the year, and ira
yelling. perhaps. from so to Toe miles
to reach the nearest landings, and at
ter being detained there cousidcra.
bic time, exposed TO the inclcmcncies
Of the weather. and often without any
shelter but what was afforded TO ihcm
by the coverings If their Wagons,
while their crops too were suffering
greatly at home, were obliged at last
to return without any fish. Some pro-
cured their Hcrrings. but not one in
ten could get the Shad they wanted
for their families. These Gill Nets,
it is said, are fishcd almost exclusive
iy by persons from the Eastward-a
covctous people they must be they
would take the bread from our mouths
if they could do it-and they certainly
will the fish if left to themselves. IL
is stated they had 500 vessels engaged
in this business during the last season;
such a humber of Nets will form such
an obstruction in the river as to keep
back the Shad altogether. and by
breaking the schools of Hcrrings will
render even the catching OF them un-
certain. And what adds to our griev-
ance, the fish that arc caught in this
manner arc not disposed of to our Ci
tizens. but arc cured OH board the
vessels that take them, and carried as
an article of traffic TO some other por-
tons of the Union. or, perhaps, TO 70
reign parts.
The people Of the upper counties
are peculiarly situated; living remote
from any of tie Rivers, with which
nature has so bountifully watered our
state, they have only an opportunity
alfordcdcd to them once year Of pro-
curing fish of any kind for their fami-
lies and it rests with the Legislature
to determine whether they shall be de-
prived of this right, attended as it is
too, with great sacrifice, expense and
trouble and it must be known ton TO
the members that may compose that
body. that fish. from long us" ard Gus
tom, have become indispensably ncccs-
sary to our families.
II any doubt should exist as TO the
facts herein stated. have only to Oh
serve that they will be entirely re-
moved by referring to any one from
either Of the upper counties, who at
tended at the landings either of tho
two last seasons, particularly the last.
Having said much more than ! III
tended. | have only to call upnn ali
those who feel an interest in this bu-
siness, to lose no time in getting sig.
natures to such a petition as have
recommendcd,-and also to see and
converse upon the subject with such
persons as they may think proper to
send as delegates to the next General
Assembly ; and have also to request
the favor OF the editors of the Frede-
ricktown papers, to give these re-
marks place in their respective p
rcrs, that the subject may be fully
brought before the people of the upper
counties.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE.
Noyembpr II