The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-02-07
FISHING THROUGH THE ICE.
A Community Of Fishermen Living on the
Ice of Saginaw Bay.

1SC VI D"1e
I visited Bay City q few days ago,
says Detroit Free Press correspondent,
and learned that the fishing season had
fairly commenced, and that fishing par
ties were daily going out to the bay with
their shanties and fishing apparatus to
commence their winters work. at
once applied to livery stable for con-
veyance to the curious city. I was in
formed that it was some six or seven
miles to the fishing grounds, and that
the only road by which I could reach
them was on the ice on the river. l was
assured that the river road was perfectly
safe, that the ice was at least eighteen
inches in thickness.
The first fishing shanty I found about
a mile above the mouth Of the river, and
in this neighborhood were perhaps a
dozen, being all of about the same
make end size, about six feet square,
high enough for O man to stand up in,
covered with roof, and built on run
hers so rs to be easily moved from place
to place, as the owner might desire. A
small stove, and blankets for sleeping,
forms also an important part OF the
outfit. The material mostly used in the
construction of the shanties is thin
strips of timber lined with thick build
ing paper Near the first group of
shanties, and on the high road to the
bay, stands new, rough board build
ing, about twelve feet by sixteen feet,
built also on runners and labeled over
the door, "saloon." Immediately after
passing this group and the saloon the
road leaves the river channel and passes
for some distance over an overfowed
marsh to the shores of Saginaw bay.
Here was low, narrow ridge Of land,
and from it could be seen, as far as the
eye could reach outward toward the lake,
these small abodes of the fishermen. I
could see from this point what appeared
to be quite a large building, about a
mile distant from the shore, and started
at a brisk pace to reach it. I found the
distance to be much greater than it ap-
peared. When once there I discovered
it to be hotel, which affords entertain
ment for man, and stabling and hay for
horses.
The sight from this point is astonish-
ing, the shanties dotting the surface OF
the bay in all directions as far as I could
see. T learned that the number of these
shanties on the bay was about three hun
dred, that about thirty were arriving and
being put up daily, and that the aver
age number of occupants i'll each shanty
was three men or boys, thus making, i'll
cluding the larger buildings and their
occupants, not less than 1000 persons
already living on the ice. Mr.. Fuller
thinks there will be thrice that number
on the ice by the first Of February, and
that they can remain there in safety ln-
til the middle of March. Mr.. Fuller
could not give any satisfactory estimate
of the amount of fish caught, but the
fact that teams are constantly engaged
in gathering together and hauling the
fish to Bay City, whence they are ship:
ped to all parts of the State, and that all
these people find it sufficiently profitable
to induce them to brave the perils and
hartlships attending this adventurous
life, is proof that the aggregate revenue
of the business must be quite large:
This mode of fishing seems to be pc
culiar to Saginaw bay, and was practiced
by the Indians many years ago, but it
has been but few years since it has
grown into such enormous dimensions.