New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-06
yoRwALK AND ITS INDUSTRIES.

BuSKFR FISHING AND OIL MAKING-TwO MIL
LIONS OF FISH CAUGHT DAILY-PRoCEss OF
CATCHING THE FISH AND EXTRACTING THE
on.-yALUE OF THE REsIDUUM AS A FER
TiLIZER.
NoRwALK, Conn, July 2s.-This thriving,
busting little Yankee town. with it, lighted streets
its horse railroads It's extensive manufacturing establish
ments is beautiful churches and more elegant resi-
dences city airs and yearns to be city indeed
boon Which cruel Connecticut Legislature has wisely
withheld from H. In spite OF the off repeated prayers OF
numerous anxious petitioners FOR charter. Norwak Is
lust near enough 10 make delightful and attractive
suburb Here IS pure fresh air from the hills and the
sound; ample room aud eligible sites for picturesque
villas every convenience Of by rail boat, with
sufficient country air about al 20 give appetite Tor
the rural fare that here procuable IN It's freshness aud
purity The present season finds the place we'll filled
with city people escaping from the heat and dust Of town
life Every house that has accommodations FOR boariers
Is full and families who just want one or two for com
pany hayo no trouble In obtaining them. The streets
are lively with stylish equPages flied with gay seek
ers for pleasure and health, and on every hand arc
the marks OF rstcass watering place. without the I'M
pleasant element Of crowded hotels The bay abound in
delightful spots TO which 20 make excursions and pcncs
Pretty little yachts dot It's smooth surface, while tiny
suG. ply about with merry fishing parties making one
feel sick at tho thought OF returning 10 town.
But Norwak disdains TO be called fashionable resort
IL - practical II claims 90 be rst-class manu-.
featuring town. and In many respects Ia entitled 70 the
honor It's onterprsng inhabitants are ever seeking 20
develop some industry. Just now they are largely
absorbed In the Bunker fisheries which the 1T
Ito archipelago at the mouth Of the hay. Bunker OIL
article OF commerce. is almost unknown in the New
York markets and yet from 1900 TO 1900 barrels OF this
oil sent TO the city every month. This oil Is manu-.
factnred from small fish. popularity known asthe Bun
kerr" which frequents Long leland Sound and is found In
immense schools all It's bays and estnaries IL strong
be the young OF that species Az taken by the fishermen
the Bunker II uniformly much smaller than the shad,
averaging perhaps threequarters OF pound Ia weight.
Only within the past ten years has the value ot this nn-
nerous branch OF the inny tribe been discovered.
and branch Of industry has been developed giving
occupation 20 about lO men and capital OF about half
million Of dollars Thisenterprse consists In the three
fold occupations OF taking the nsh, expressing the OIL
and converting the resduum into valuable fertilizer for
the soil The fishing during the last OF
April, and continues untI the middle OF November.
During ths period the fish taken In enormous quAtI
ties the number averaging from and half 10 two
millions per day. They arc taken IN seine nets, aud
conveyed at once 10 the oil works when the OIL Is eI
pressed who the fish yet fresh In "a hours from the
time the sh is playing In the water his oil ID IN barrels
These oil works are principally on the cluster OF small
Islands at the entrance 70 Rorwak Ilarbor There Is
also establishment at GreeDport, L. l., and another
Bridgeport Conn. There are SIX manufactures In
NorWalk HarbOr, though these have mostly sprung up
within year two. The pioneers OF the enterprise
like all yenturers fields expended their capital
experimenting and perfeoting processes which now
furnish ample remuneration to those engaged in tho
business. Tho fishermen work IN gangs or parties OF
eight, tho outfit OF which Is yacht smack having
cabin accommodations for the entire party two lighters
"cach" TO the works and two seine boats with seines
and implements for handling the fish. The party
receives THIS Oltht from the works, and engages TO
Furnish all the fish they take 10 those works They
ceve as their share twOhrds OF tho product OF all tho
nsh they take The owners Of the works make their
profits on the Remaining onothird The fishing party Is
ast ~ break Of day. watching for the appearance OF the
nsh They cruise about tho Sound unt they discover
the ripping OF the water that indicates the presence OF
school, Then the seine boats quickly manned the
seine made ready, and work oOmmenoea The long seine
run out and let down into tho water outside OF the
school, and the two ends drawn together lnclOse
1t all. Gradually the net Ia hauled closes and closer
until the unsuspeeting nsh find themselves hudded in
have their prey confined In compact mass. The
carriaWays" then come up, and tho struggling fish are
sc0Oped out or the crowded seine and loaded being
taken to keep the net tight all the time by drawing 1t
ciS.er as It's yield 10 taken out The yield OF haul"
OF the seine Is usually about 10000 fish, though
sometimes IL runs much below that figure
ana frequently considerably above. Tho nsh are
counted by MEASUREMENT twenty inches being allowed
as tne average size. Tho carraway, reaching tho
works, 10 uhOaded into car that IL me assured To hold
loads Each load OF 5000 will yield about as gallons
OF OIL Inc car, when loaded IL drawn mp track to tho
works, IN close proximity TO the beach, and It's load
duinPea lhto huge watts Here the nsh arc thoroughly
readily iall In pieces The Is then removed 10 tho
press Where Ia subjected 10 hydraulic pressure OF 90
tuDs which completely and thoroughly e1pels All tho
nnlh IL may contain This fluid, mostly pure oil runs
MY at convey u to receiving watts, whore II Vs.
snected 10 heat OF 1902 this drives OF the water I'm the
form OF steam, and precptates any animal matter re
manning IN H. The oil Ii then drawn OF In shallow
receivers ana exposed for few hours tho action OF
Tue sun when further clarifies and bioaches It, IL
'nen eooieu ana DarIeled for market Being but mper