The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-04-07
THE sHAp POLE WAR.


The Fishermen submN =" inc Aaw-No
Trouble Yesterday-A Fs'" F"ots About
sAad Poles and shad Fis.htug I'm Co
neral.
The work Of removing the obnoxious sha poles from
Tho harbor continued yesterday and, coNTaryt TO
general expectation, met with resistance tho mart
Of the Jersey fishermen, who, ii rumored the dAy
previous would attempt to prevent IT, BY violence
squaly time consequently expected.
and preparations accordingly made repel any At
lack but fortunately not the least disposition was shown
the fishermen 70 interfere with the ossrs in the exc
sutton Of thor duty At nine O'Clock yesterday morning
The steaiug Magnolia, having board detachment OF
nfeen hArbor police, under the command Of Sergeant
fevoor together with the necessary apparatus and
force Of six riggers 70 wsrk IT, took her departure
from the Battery barge Office. About half IN
hours. sail down the bay brought tAem 70
the spot where 1t was deemed advisable 70 commence
operations a thirty poles running out from the
Station Island shore, and little north or Fort Tompkns
then attacked commanding with those situated moA
eastsgiy, and thus more directly In the channel. The
force necessary TO raise these poles hardly he credit
ed On OF the great depth Of the water here and
Of the strong tide which flows through the Narrsws poles
only Of the and stouest description DO used o.
account Of this great depth becomes necessary to LASH
poles together and by Of thor great length
(sone fifty sixty feet requires o evathan power 70
extract them from the mud. While the Magnolia
gagged yesterday in removing ono Of these poles an In
iron chain, with links nearly an inch In thickness,
ssa p aV s ps were car
When some six or seven of this row had beea remted
Q small boat hove in sight from the Leag Island sde
Further operations were suspended until one Of her men
came aboard the steamer. He ANNOUNCED himself
Coroner Bennett Of Queens county and sald that meet
ing Of tho Long Island fishermen had been held the
evening before a which they expressed themselves VII
ling to comply with the harbor regulations and they only
wanted time 70 remove s their nets and soes Ts:s h
upon those In charge Of the Magnolia and request couple
OF days grace to permit them 70 e the poles the
said had not beea for the high wind Under these CIR
cumstances Sergeant Brevoor considered himself justified
portuniy the Of the poles by their owners who
represented TO be poor depending for the Of
mary have been laid out in the purchase Of
sary apparatus therefor. Upon their promise To remove
them at the first suitable Opportunity and not TO replace
Thorn any time hereafter Sergeant Brevoor gave the
order 70 pass and the remain Of the poles In this
place left unmoested. The Long islanders complain
that great nustce has been done to them by the author
ties and that great Partially has been shown the fish,
TO the north Of Staten Island and near the Jersey
s y oTep
waters Of the barbor extending half way to New York;
have been heretofore and they considered
themselves much aggrieved, because they only in
terfered with The impartial manner In which the pre-
seat expedition has been carried however has recon
way willing to acquiesoo with the law when full justice Ia
done TO all parties
Of pulling up the poles was proceeded with until their
owner, resident Of Staten Island named Isaac a. Van
duser, putting of in small boat came aboard the Mag
claimed perfect right TO fish within line extending from
the bluff at Fort Tompkins to the lighthouse north OF the
island. Sergeant Brevoort then informed him that
sz feet at mean low de, to which vandussr responded
that special law had been passed by Richmond county
(saten Island, permitting their erection within the line
he mentioned.
II what vanduser states Is correct there is ciashinA
ter is very explicit on The ahad pole question. uoon
these representations Sergeant Brevoort, therefore,
sssgsht II proper 70 suspend operations in This
quarter uhti an investigation be made 70 the
power Of this local law II really exists and he accord
inely directed his attention to another row Of poles,
cs With the hsrpor reg.sons When 1 fs3 nss
taken up the owners appeared and by promises and a
peas succeeded in obtaining suspension Of the work
Several other rows were visited, among thsm one
abreast Of Ellis Island noticed yesterday q belonging 70
tepave Of the Hshermeu about New York hsrbor Msnt
Of his offending poles he had promised 10 remove but he
gave q an excuse for this neglect the strong wad and
tide which had been prevailing not per hitting small
boat 10 be OF service in raising them BE was 40
corded few days grace.
The steamers head was then turned towards the Hud
which she proceeded foot Of Eghteen
street Eleven rows Of poles Immediately in the channel
Of the river. and many Of them distant but few hun
the Battery up to that point is the intention of Ser
geaat Breyooft to direct his efforts more particularly TO-
yelde1 all sides by the fishermen evident that the
commissioners have morally accomplished their purpose
and have reason to expect no further difucy on the
THE sHAD PoIEs-THMR SIZE.
Most people who see shad poles standing in the WATER
they pass by in steamboat look from the shore,
imagine that they little reeds saphngs and
wonder very much at the outcry which raised against
navigate il he Vicinity Yesterday Sergeant Brevoest
had Of tbs poles taken ahead Of the Magnolia and
conveyed to the barge Dock in order that the HEbor
ancs about which they receive 20 many oon-
plants from shpmasters and owners: One was
snd when It's Were q ee
which was inserted In the mud measured thirty -four
inches in circumference, Or nearly foot in diameter.
in circumference and the total length Of the pole with
enc splice, was nearly eighty feet Now when II is
to break of short leaving ugly snag, ssawysrD
as the boamen call it, and when II Is remembered that
had of The damage 70 which Vessels are
az the wrenchng OF Of rudper, or Of bucket Of q
steamers paddlewhee, not 70 mention the injury done
BY scraping of tho copper hoomng Tho poles 1t The
Narrows where there great depth Of water and
strong tide necessarily much larger than the
would appear IKE walking stick in comparison with enc
OF Them The captains Of vessels seem 70 have good res
sso for complaining.
While upon the subject Of shad poles may NOT be h.
appropriate aew iScs in regard to the fishing a
carried on In our harbor, aaE we accordingly ssbjon
few items On hat mater.
The fishermen begin 70 pAt then poles about the mid:
die Of March, This they do viii two small soass asheA
together and il i surprising 70 consider h nrmy t.ey
are driven into he ss with suck limited tReAa wAe -
take them out requires . steamboat Of good w. es.ag
power The cost price Of pole 10 shout five or NIX
lsrs and when planted IL worth dosr Or two mere,
taking the labor ana tme into account. net ID worth
abe three dollars and consequently every pole erected
IN eo harsor may be valued ct ten dollars. Now the
IN bOP p
seven Thousand, that . capital Of sixty seven
thousand dollars is titus invested in the shad fishery q