The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1874-12-05
spe Mag.
.mington Commersial.l
.KIN's ATLANTIC HOTEL, |
0hor MAv Nov O.

.KIN's ATLANTIC HOTEL,
= CAPE MAY, Nov. 9.
: Fiistag has been quite good here the past
week, aud immense numbers of swapping
mackesal have been taken in gill nets floating
outside he breakers, dropped from large suri
boats. The fab poke their heads through the
meshes With such force, and are such vicious
biters, tha the twine has to be cut to loose and
shake then into the boats Capt. Hildreth was
severely bitten on the hand by one. Over one
thousand sere taken on Thursday, measuring
two to thre feet in length, and seven to four
teen pounts, each, making about
FIVE IONS OF FISH AT SINGLE CATCH.
The bots pulled ashore several times, load
ed, and lift the fish on the beach. Numerous
sharks were caught of about four feet in length.
and one # the crew broke the back bone at the
tail and twisted the Aukes across the body, in
stead of Up and down, and then let them co.
They cannot dive or guide themselves, and can
only swim in a straight line on the surface OF
the sea, and butted their heads against the
nets, buoy keg, boat &c. The long, pointed
nose Of others was broken and bent upwards,
and they could not dive or sink. This cruelty
is reprehensiblc, but sailors and surfmen always
kill , haIk. as they deem him ferocious enc
my Of man besides, by their great strength
they tear the nets badly. Many were brought
shore, and one, measuring feet innhaa.
had moose slipped over his tail and was lifted
into the boat, which he took possession of, snap
ping at the crew, lrapiug and floundering about
mr. lnx tod To han 81
-four barael, aud contained swapping mack
eral % inches long. 10 bony fish, and perch
about foot long, and an enormous eel. His
liver was taken to fry into shark oil, yielding
about three gallons, and useful for harness and
similar purposes, and is said to have some me-
dicinal virtues as liniment.
When the fish appear off the Island, leaping
and skipping after their food, the bony fish, all
is hubbub and excitement. Nets are piled
quickly but carefully in The back part of the
boats which are run down the beach to the sea,
and a crew tumbles in, pell NELL, composed Of
anybody who happens to be present and can
pull an oar through the dangerous surf. A per-
feet seaman must steer--that is imperative
but sailors, surfmep, mechanics, school boys, or
any one, man the oars, pull out to sea, chase
the school, and surround them with the net,
which is 100 fathoms long or more, and when
sufficient fish are captured they are removed
the boat loaded with all it will bear and brought
ashore, about 200 fish or one ton coming in each
trip. When all are secured, the net is hauled
into thcb boat and they return. Then comes
THE DIVISION OF SPOIL.
The fish are divided into as many heaps as
there are men in the crew and one for both
baat and net beside One man turns his back
on the fish, and one of the points to pile
and asks, "Whose is this 2" A name is given
of one of the crew and that is his and so ali
get their share. The fish arc exceedingly good,
now tasting precisely like the finest shad.-
bricklayer made $2O.75 for his days work,
Thursday. Another, young Wilmingtonian,
had ~ immense fish for his share, and said he
was like "the man who drew the elephant in a
lottery" and was sorry he went in the boat
However, he sold all for good round sum.
Thursday, the bony fish ran on the shore in
numbers, while endeavoring to escape the snap
ping mackerel feeding on them. They are ex
cellent eating, but are used chiefly as fertiliz-
er and arc also pressed for their oil. About
forty fathom of net was caught fast on the hot
sea- water bath pipe we have set out in front of
our hotel, a thousand feet from shore. 1t had
to be cut and abandoned full of fish, and on
Sunday, dozen porpoises were devouring its
contents, leaping, walowing on the sand, and
almost grounded at times. Several Of us step
ped down and examined them closely with our
spy glasses, within short distance of them
They did not get fast in the net remnant, being
too sagacous fish to be caught in anet-they
can and do always escape them. The q feet
sharks here are such
SLENDER, BEAUTIFUL LITTLE CREATURES
that we always supposed them to be baby-ish,
few months old, but they prove to be matured
and of full size, being another kind from the
huge "man eater" described above, as our coast
men call him. The little ones they call dog
fish. Neither do any harm here, but they be-
long to dangerous family, and are not to be
trusted. One gent on the bay shore formerly
caught sharks with hook and line for the oil.
them to death with bayonet on long staff.
One day, he caughta huge one, nine or ten feet
long, and companion in the boat made lunge
att with bayonet, and missing fell overheard,
square on top of the shark, but was rescued un-
injured, the most scared man ever seen. An
other pet,
RATTLEsNAKEs, ARE NOT EXTINCT
entirely in this part of New Jersey. Lact week,
thirteen were unearthed in moving some old
cross-ties on the railroad at Woodbine, thirty
n'les up. They were in one den together, and
six were killed, the rest escaping. The train
hands teased one and he eoiled and leaped at
them fercely.
For fear such beauties as sharks and snakes
may frighten patrons from Cape May we are
adding more attractions. The beach drive sea
wall is entirely driven and it is graded and
leveled beyond the Atlantic. 1t is as smooth
as floor, with the beautiful
SURF WASHING ITS BASE
the whole length. The Atlantic Hotel is in
Producing hot and cold baths in a house
prepared purposely, sixty rooms being fitted up
loT Incn' n nno CoIIas0 10 SoihS "P -" o"NA
son street, in front of this hotel office, for Capt.
Geo. Hildreth, on the former Atlantic Hotel
property. s. R. Ludlam has moved bis beau
tiful cottage from La Fayette by Franklin
to a site on Ocean street, corner of Colam
ba Avenue, adjoining the handsome houses OF
Messrs McCreary, Wolf, McShane, Tasker and
Col. Smoot, being as handsome as any, and ad-
ding to the fine appearance of all. Cape Mays
prospects never looked brighter than now.
JOHN McMAKIN.
CHILDREN's WAYs.-Gail Hamilton, writing
of children says: ri should be sorry to say
anything that might aid or abet our idle, lax
and worthless American fathers and mothers.
But is an indisputable fact that children do take