Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-03-17
LOCAL TIE N S.

in this city. the principal market for the fish
caught III the Potomac, is now looming into
notice, as it does once every year. Those
who have never seen FIsHoPoLIs, have not
vet seen all the sights. The fishing season
commences generally about the middle or
last of March, when FishtOwn. which has
been deserted since the middle of the previ-
Gus MAY begins to show signs OF life. Old
booths are repaired, and new ones, OF rough
boards. erected, to be used rs boarding
bouSes. eating saloons. and bar-roOms. The
number Of landings in operation on the river
is large. and quite fleet of small schooners
and sloops are every year employed to BRING
fish from them to market On the arrival Oh
vessel at the wharf, eager crowds Of "huck-
sters," ..otf-bearers, cleaners" and spec.
tators, rush aboard TO buy, or get employ
ment, or "see the sights The agent of the
landing. after the inspection by the interest
ed. then proceeds to sell the carSo-Shad,
Herring, and bunch fish, separatcly-to the
highest bidder. The purchaser employs oil
bearers to put the fish on the wharf, where
the Shad and Herring are cut and washed
by the cleaners" and are then ready tor
sailing and packing. The celebrity with
which the Fish are cut and cleaned, by those
employed in that labor, is remarkable. We
are afraid to say how many thousand can be
dealt with" in an hour by Il practiscd hand.
The offal of the fish is not lost but Is saved
and sold as u valuable manure. flshtown
presents. in the height of the season, very
busy and animated appearance. Hundreds
of buyers are almost always waiting: the
place is surrounded with wagons and teams
from the upper country-and crowds collect
As lockers on. Strangers very often visit the
place from uriosity-though it is admitted
to be not the most delightful spot on earth,
as far as the ollactories are concerned, ami
had not formerly the reputation Of being the
most orderly; but in this latter respect, 1t
has improved Of late years, so 1t is SAID.
However. it is Fish all oyer--fi>h in the YES
sells living at the whart-in canal and other
boats alongside. to carry them ott--on the
wharf. piles of thcn--thc rousing and pack
;r.. bou.rs rnIl of them. The hustle of bust
ness continues with buyers, and sellers and
cleaners, and packers, from early dawn until
night.
The fisheries in 1855 commenced late.
OWING 10 the very cold and rainy weather,
81 a.. of
WIG" r''''''''" WIN 90"
fish. On the 9TH ol april, Shau were sell
inr at $3.50 to $3.50 per hundred, and
uerr;rr ot X +, 20 81 rrr thousand The
.,., l. III ,uo < IN
lowest hs"rc' a. VIM" ''S'' ,''". WY
for Shad, and 500 Tor Herring o" the
10Th Of April. The season was not cons;d-
anal - nrof,,hIc o,e to 6.hermen-but few
al ,,;., ,.o,,,L- ,,,,u,h Tho nric,s were
ii'h '''''i '""H'' ''''"9" '''' i''>'
very good.
In 1886. the weather at the commence
p,ent If the season WAS unpropitous. Small
49,. = SL.,I ,,o,, r,ods on tho LET of Anril
S"i.s VI ''''"' cIa ..
at -" per """'re'' a'o herring u, 90 -
doun ~ the season advanced, and on the
18th .he ..clut" came, when ShHd sold at
81. and Herring $50. The next day. some
Sb,J wore sold at II and Herring at 81.
Prices ranged from tbi, time to the cad Of Tire
season at from - to Il for Shud, and II %
70 Il for Ucrring. The catch was pronounc
cd 4 GOOD one.
Cold and untavorabI dc weather was the
ply of f,h in -. Prices were high during
the entire season, averaging about 80 Tor
'oH"'' ANU :. ~; ~ ra''o7,,,.rcJ rho fish.
erv wa: q decided failure: many persons en-
raced met with heavy losses, and price, ruled
very high, and prevented many from purcha,
sing though the 0cD'"'o i"rS''! 'N'''''''
''y rS L"rp n:,,,o.t ,brs far this vc,r !. con-
i TIo nj ,Lc i sh .ouaht 80 far orc in cx-
rellcuf condition. At all Of the landings,
operations have not yet c"inmehceu' c"hse-
I,n,Jy rho doily locoI demand.
RrcoyrRy OF THE BODY OF Mn. THuMl -
c.-., r.,.,.,, Tho h,lr
.I TX. I u