Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-05
Lake Fisheries-Sheir Rise and Pro-
gress-The Ms<ius 0perandi of Pack

Lake Ffsheries-sheir Rise and Pro-
gress-The Msxsus operandi of Pack
ing, Etc.
The Detroit Free Press gives very IL
teresting account OF the history of this branch
of commerce in the West
The first experience in lake fish as an ar
ticle of commerce was first made by Mr..
Barnabus Campau, an enterprisiag merchant
Of the olden days of Detroit who packed
few barrels and shipped them to Buffalo,
soon after the opening of the Erie Canal,
which enabled the people 10 procure salt at
much less expense than previously. This
necessary article was before that time mostly
brought hither by the St. Lawrence river
and the lakes, and cost enormous prices.
Mr.. Campau's experiment proved unproft-
able as a commercial enterprise, but he con-
tinued to pack quantity yearly until his
death, in 1916, and supplied the home mar
ket with this excellent edible, the consump-
ton Of which was confined TO Detroit and Vi
cinity. His fishing grounds were those at
Belle Isle, then known as Hog Island, or
Isle au Cochon, asthe French namedit. They
are now owned and carried on by Mr.. Alex
ander M. Campau, and are very prof
liable, the catch" this season amounting to
$4,000. This is, however, an extraordinary
yield, resulting from lucky change in the
wind, which blew from the eastward quite
strongly for several days Just as the fish
were migrating up the river, and drove
them back from Lake St. Clair into the
nets at Belle Isle. The early explorers Of
this region of country make mention of the
trout and white fish, the luxuriousness Of
which as an article of sustenance they them
selves proved, and noted as well that they
were much used as food by the aboriginal
inhabitants of the forest. The French set
tiers supplied themselves with them in abun-
dance from the first settlement of civilization
on the shores of the lake region. They
were found also Of very great and substan-
tial benefit to our soldiers in the war of 1872,
in the absence Of other supplies. The Indi-
ans always supplied them 10 the inhabitants
during the early days Of Detroit, taking
them with.spears, and exchanging them for
rum and whisky--the "firewater" that has
ever been the desire and the bane of the red
man, as il is alike the solace and DESTROYER of
his white brother.
So about the year 1880, when rapid emf
grafton TO Michigan commenced. and in
creased to such an extent in the next few
years, the fisheries of the lakes were called
upon for large proportion Of the necessary
sustenance not only for the new corners, but
for the old inhabitants. For, as is well
known, Detroit was for a long time only
trading post, dealing in flrs and peltries,
being, as Nj. la Motto Cadillas said, sort Of
door through which to go into and come
out of the vast and rich regions beyond.
The people having given but very little at
tention TO agriculture up TO this time, de-
pended mostly, like all primitive races and
Frfl kr.ss Ak Al.
consequent trade aud traffic resulting there
from.
WHERE THE FISH ARE SENT.-The great
demand for fish at the times noted caused
several other fishing grounds to be opened,
and the business rapidly increased Grounds
were opened in the st. Clair river, along the
shore of Lake Huron, and several houses in
this city became extensively engaged in the
trade, employing large number Of men and
several vessels exclusively in the business.
In the year 1910 there were packed some
5000 barrels of fish Of the different kinds,
which amount increased TO nearly 100000
barrels within the next ten or fifteen years.
Most OF the quantity taken is brought TO
Detroit, whence the home consumption is
supplied, and large quantities shipp,d to
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and other parts of
the country. the demand at the South having
increased largely, and formed a considerable
commerce at the beginning Of the late war
The fish Of our lakes go also TO New York
and Boston, where they are priced, rs they
ought 10 be- and even at Salem and Marble
head they go TO compete with the fisheries of
the ocean, boarding the denizens of the great
deep in their very dens.
PREPARING FOR MARKEr.-It is inter
esting to note the processes by which the fin
ny tribes are seized and prepared for mar
ket; the trades and occupations that are
brought into requisition through all the
branches of the business from the time they
leave unwillingly their native element and
are headed down, well seasoned with Saginaw
salt, in barrels made Of Michigan pine, made
by Michigan artisans, and our own merchants
consign them 10 their VARIOUS destinations.
The nets, poundord drag, and gill nets are often
manufactured by the fishermen themselves
during the winter or early in the summer and
made ready for the catching season when the
harvest is gathered in, the take drawn 20
land and the skilled slight ofhand and sharp
knives Of the crew dccapitaie the piscatory
game, rip open their bodies, cutting through
from the back, remove the internal viscera,
all Of which is done seemingly by single
operation, and the fish. with its rich, plump
and Juicy proportions is thrown upon the
pile. In the meantime, the nearest available
timber for the purpose is levied upon and
the woods respond with the blows Of the axe
and the cooper's hammer, in the preparation
of the barrels or half barrels in which the
fish are TO be picked as most Of them are
until they are brought 10 the packing-houses,
where they are opened, inspected, weighed
and sailed down, generally in half barrels Of
one hundred pounds each, filled with brine |
Of the proper strength, branded and made |
ready for market.
This branch of the business is now going |
on at several warehouses, along the docks in |
this city; the men with their fingers wrap
ped up TO protect them from the cold brine
and salt, by mittens of canvas or wooden rags |
hound around them. The original packages |
are opened by a professional cooper the in |
spectoi or his assistant, examines the quality |
of the fish as they are thrown with a huge
fork into the scale pan, until the tick of the
beam shows the proper weight, when they
are thrown upon the table Of the packer,
who sprinkdes them plentifully with salt
and placing them one by one in the barrel,
pounds them down with a huge wooden
maui, till they are all in, and room
LEFT sufficient for inserting the head
which the cooper fits quickly, driving
the hoops anew, and supplying those
that are damaged or broken with new
ones. Now and then the inspector
discovers fish too poor or too small 10 pass
muster, or perhaps an interloper is found-a
white fish, muscalung or siskowit in the trout
barrel, or rice perso, all Of which Irregular
"a, Tues are thrown out and properly disposed Of
Inc water Of the Detroit" is pumped