Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-11-18
Decline OF the Potomac Fi.ber,e.


The Inspector OF Marine Products has
transmitted his annual report TO the Board
ofHealth. The report says: tine decrease
or the sha6 ard herring fishery OF the Poto-
mac during the past season has been of q
n inu sla I Ihllns CHARACTER. Very few OF the
large seine nsberies have been continued
throughout the season, something unprscs
dented In these waters. The gill nets aud
ponId nets have continued as usual, though
wild very meaEre results for their laoOr and
Investment. The cause OF the decrease Is
withoutdo1bt The great amount OF nshing
cone within lew years the gill nets es
pecially have multiplied many times II ia
rot relative 10 this report 10 attempt to SHOW
me influence OF the different kinds OF nets
70 bringing about this state of affairs Very
little OF the water &C mir g through the Peto
mac reaches the Chesapeake without pass
Ing through meshss Of numerous nets, and IL
is scarcely possible for fish TO ascerd the
liver without capture, especially as there is
no general interim, most OF the nets being in
setve use al al hours OF tee day and n ght
ILlsls Inc most probable cause OF tine de-
eIsase IN ne supply OF shsd aid be rrjre
Ire salt water taylCr, OF blue fish, has beeD
quite abundant this season of Chesapeake
Isy arc vicinity, IL is one OF the most saw.
age species on tne Atlantic shores II not
only Ellis TO eat, but, king right and leit
in q school OF more defeDceless FISH. manV'He
Gnu wouDus Ou., ~. 50. wpetuey Tim
presence OF this fish on re coast BAG any.
ring. We are not able definitely TO tell. TIE
whole question OF the causes OF the decrease
IL an intricate one, and requires a great deal
OF ooservatlon and study The most evident
cause, however, seems TO lie In the great
everlasting Of the waters OF the river Very
many laws have been proposed for the pur
pose OF r6medytDg the evil, by legislative
action In general, each line OF fishing or diff
ferent net interest advocating laws which
Gear upon the opposing interests. The state
OF May lard proposed a law during the early
spring, which, II IL could be carried out and
enIoreec, would have largely solved the
TIE ropo~, oro,as ,-o,, ts.xo~.,. o..
tetr Of Virginia and the District OF Column
hts," Tu5lishsd In 1885, that .'in a short sea
son 2 10000 shsd and 10000 600 herring
were Is ken IN this river. Without including
The lock nsh, sturgeon and other varieties
This would afford sbout 625 eco pounds OF
ioOd, which, at presen prices, woulc realize
very larEe amount of money. IL IS very
Doubtful u at an equal abundance can ever
De restored TO The river, but one half or one
ms time g. the return OF the years OF plea
~ afer the uiscOuragtDg experience OF the
past two or three yesIs"
The report closeS: 'SOme legislation or
Congressional action. looking 10 a remedy
Tor this great over fshirg OF the waters OF
our river, Is urgently demanded, and one
lily taken, The immense business of fishing
On, re Potomac Will soon dwiLdle away To
nothirg,
The RACES Al Ey,.uTwOoD were con-
nLutd Hesieidsy. Tie hfsI w. u's3 1t
I'VE iGl lOTi foI two ear oics. Florr, 49, in
P te ara boswOrth were entered. Boz
worm goi an advantage at the start, and
s ssp, II al through The race, Flora h-'no
Iste. annie dash, Pluto, Coupon,
4lsll.e r. Bst'GIss, ard Wateree started.
Hsttsrfs v ss the fsyCTite ard Wol the race
IN lag Eattic second, followed oy Wa
terlCO, PlU'O and CGCPCn- Tee Thru race
was cash Of nile a. a quarter. Lady
CDTIer, EUrgCO, Ton o Neil HObkirk and
Libb'e l. were entered. BnTeoo wss lame
AID rfC q SfNrI pnN (fffnnfr Sged
By RoOkTk on The laet quarter, who came
IN length ahead j. 2l6; I4iboie l. was
third, followed i'v Tom O'NeiiI. a claim
Wss Tut IA tf8t HObsiTk had fOaled Lafy
clipper a tire lower end of TIE back stretch,
aLn forced D6T o. Der knees Such al cccu.-
renee was not seen by any of the spectators
ON TIE CuslttT stretch sud stand. The
judges allowed the foul, and disLRbced Hon
kiTk. disquslifyiog hts jockey Lady CLIP
FER was given The race, with l. oDfe l. Sc C.
Ond snd Tom q SeiiI JhiId. Indignation at
The decision Was warmly EXPIRE. Ssd. Tie
Clipper, Captain Hammer. Ray Ram AID
Jack TIieg stsrttd- Captain Hammer w..
The favori'e' snf Son ,he race.
TIE BOARD OF HEALIH met last night:
Or. Verdi Ia The chair. Ice mortality report
for The week enciGg November an, IS56
SHOWS So deaths 20 white PERSONS and 50 col
Ored- az The rate o. 10 900 PER 600 ger annu'n
hste Of mortality of the wuiGe Popaitti"n
wss "A ola per I 900 per arnu u. and the NOR
tally of the coioled p 26s per 1909 fer ire
same period. Number OF mir rs Inr the y h
was eS- % WDite aru s. cOiOTe1. k2te OF 10
crease OF the white population by rt1S oveI
deaths was IS 81 per coo, and the increase
ne eolored population by births over deaths
was - s6T Mr. LaDgstOn, from the commit
Tee on ordinances, made a report Ga toe su D
Jsct OF the dismissal OF spsclal sanitary in
,pect% Solelszier and the sppointmsu, =
Jonn r. Dennis, which was adopted. he LII
omcer hetne submitted a synopsis ~ Tie
operations or his ONCE for ths week ed Bl
november ltth, showing nu,saUc.s aba'ec
Sh, causes OF death Investigate :. pecun a.
~ eoDo1tioBs Investigated s. turtSis at pU D.
lie expense 4, tons OF garbage removed ~
dead animals removed Is There WIS I, 4
usual report Of food ins pectioa acd conden.
nations and the pourd epOTt.
ANorHHR COAL OIL AccIDsNr-Last
evening while the chiiuTea OF Mr.. Sweeuy
were playing about table at his residencs
232 ID street southwest, the coal oil lamp wal
upset, and the burning oil set IRE 10 m,
clothing of one OF tee children. (aoout tn e,
years Of age A young m an rescued d
children and extiu gnished the Games. Tn
little one was sew erely burned about the fas
snd head. but may possibly recover. DR..
X Riley was called In.