Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-12-14
CHARLES sIMMs.
Gill bets !! Gill Nets !
~ ma Cilisens of Wdshington. Frede-

10 the Citizens Of Washington. Frede-
rick, and Montgomery counties. q,
A S the General Assembly of Ma
n ryland will sit in the course of
a few weeks, l take the liberty Of call
ing the attention of the people of the
upper counties to the subject of Gill
Nets that all those who may agree
with me in opinion, may unite in pc
titions to the Legislature to pass such
laws as may elfectually prevent the
use of them hereafter in the Potomac.
Since the introduction of these Nets
into our waters. the people Of the up.
percountics have experienced the most
pernicious effects of this practice. 1t
is fact we'll 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 loc miles
to reach the nearest landings, and af.
ter being detained there a considera-
bic time, exposed to the inclemencies
of the weather, and often without any
shelter but what was afforded to them
by the coverings of their Wagons,
while their crops too were suffering
greatly at home, were obliged at last
to return without any fish. Some pro-
cured their Herrings, but not one in
ten could get the Shad they wanted
for their families. These Gill Nets,
it is said, are fished almost exclusive
" by persons from the EaStward-a
covetons people they must be they
would take the bread from our mouths
il they could do it--and they certainly
will the fish if left to themselves. 1t
is stated they had 500 vessels engaged
in this business during the last season;
such number of Nets will form such
an obstruction in the river as to keep
back the Shad altogether, and BY
breaking the schools of Herrings will
render even the catching Of them un.
certain. And what adds to our griev-
ance, the fish that,are caught in this
manner are not disposed Of to our CT
tizens, but are cured on board the
vessels that take them, and carried as
an article of traffic to some other por-
tions Of the Union, or, perhaps, to TO-
reign parts.
The people Of the upper counties
are peculiarly situated; living remote
from any Of the Rivers. with which
nature has so 6ountifully watered our
state, they have only an opportunity
affordeded to them once year OF pro-
curing fish ofany 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 uust be known too to
the members that may compose that
body, that fish, from long use and Gus
tom, have become indispensably neces-
sary to our families.
If any doubt should exist as to tho
facts herein stated, have only to obs
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 ] in.
tended, / have only to call upon all
those who feel an interest in this bu-
sincss, to loscnO time in getting siS-
natures to such a petition rs ! have
recommended, 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 Fspers, to give these re-
marks a place in their respective pa
pers, that the subject may be fully
brought before the people Of the upper
counties.
ONE M TIE PEOPLE.