Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-06-15
FOEBOO FtsHERIEs.
The Rise Of the Fishing InIerest--ln'
crease Of the Industry-Klnds OF
Fish Caught--ltems Of later
est TO the Trade.

PART contributes MI lnatructlVe sketch oil
the Lake fisheries OF Ohio. OF the fishing
interest Of Toledo he gives the following
resume:
Previous TO 1s4s, fishing was done IN
Lake Erie by "hook and line" and small
scines, and the catch was hardly sufficient
to supply the then thin and sparsely set
tied country along the shores. About this
time two men, named Biddle apd Chapman,
came from Connecticut 10, Toledo, and set
the first "pound net" somewhere near the
now celebrated Cedar Point. At present
owned by Messrr. J. Q. and J. H..Davis.
BY this now aud improved method the
"catoh" was not only much larger, but
consequently more profitable, thnm 6y the
slow and tedious way OF hook and fine"
and was adopted by the humble people who
followed this business as speedily IN their
limited means would permit In a short
time the number Of fish caught was ~
greatly in excess OF home consumption that
larger market wns sought FOR the sale OF
his delicious food.
WI. Finlny saw, with that quick per-
ception which has characterized his whole
life, that here was an industry, which by
close attention, would become second to
none in Importance in this part OF the
country. The citizens OF Toledo, at this
time, were more Justly known for their
large aud hardy enterprise than for any
fabulously large bank accounts, and ns MIR,
Finluy was no exception 10 tho general
rule, the first hsl-house was started in To-
ledo, with but very little money, by him.
The business of shipping the fish fresh,
and "splitting and sailing" them for the
summer Increased rapidly, and Toledo be-
cahe known as fish market all over the
country. After years OF hard and untiring
labor, Mr.. Finlay sold his business to Mr.
+. D. Eldridge, who continued 1t, with
varied succcsn for some years, till the time
of his dccense, when the first fish Of
! Toledo ceased to,exist. f-- .ye
In tho year 1859, Kicker & Hubbard
| formed a -pnrtnership for the purpose Of
carving on the business OF shipping fish.
| They continued the business for several
years with some success, till 1865, when
| they were sncceeded by J. c. & j. ii. Davis
Up to this time the shippers bought the
fish from the fishermen; but Capt. j. Cal
Davis, who was then, a. now, the owner Of
Cedar Point, the largest and best "white
fish ground" in western Lake Eric, and
being n practical fisherman concluded to
ship his own fish. Mr.. Beatty brought to
the new concern business qualities and in
tegrity, Ms well as some capital, which
resulted we'll for the enterprise, and which
years OF prosperity have verified.
They started with four pound nets, ono
fishing smack, and employed some four or
FIVE men. BY untiring energy, skillful
management and perseverance,, they are to
be numbered among the largest shippers Of
fresh, frozen, and salt fish OH the chain Of
lakes, their trade extending East as far Us
New York, South to Memphis, Tenn, and
West TO Kunsns City. They now have
three steam tugs, twelve fishing -smacks or
sail-boats for bringing the fslI to their
packing and salting-hous and employ one
hundred men. They are the proprietors
of the following fishing grounds, viz: Ce-
dar Point, Raisin Point, Salmon Bay, and
Grape Island.
The catch this year (187G) amounted to
within fraction OF seven hundred tons
From this between five and six thousand
one-hnlf barrels "were split and salted,
some twenty five tons frozen, and the bal.
ance shipped fresh. They use the " Davis
refrigerator" which has capacity to freeze
one hundred tons. Freezing fish in the
fall for winter trade and the Lenten season
is new branch of industry connected with
this business, and has met with meritec
success. 1t may not be nmiss, in this con
nection, to say that to such an extent ha
, this industry increased, and 80 large is the
: demand for fresh fish from far distNn
points, that the Messrs. Davis will hav,
their own Refrigerator cars" running OF
the different railways centering in Toledo
| To A.l:--. siIV fIeph hSh 20 ti.~:. .,v..-.~svu
customers.
: Another important house Is st. John 1
Buck, now in its fourteenth year, having
} been founded in 1862. They, like al
dealers who preceded them, started will
small means, but by integrity, fair dealing
. and close attention to business, have bull
up large and lucrative trade, extending
ali over the country. They purchase thei
, fsh from the fishermen, and handle abou
four thousand tons Of fish, Of which the
salted about tour thousand hall. barrels
fIoze some thirty tons, and shipped the re
maindcr fresh to their various customers.
The establishment of Geo. E. Farley wa
founded in 1874, and is one of the mos
! recent sneS. Mr.. Farley is young bus
ness man, and bids fair to be successful
i, fish merchant. He has associated wit
him Henry Breed, Esq. They both bu,
OF fishermen, and catch some with thei
own nets. They employ some seven o
eight boats for carrying their fish, emplo
during the busy season some fifty men, an
handle about four hundred and fifty tons
OF this amount they "rpit and salt" fiv
: thousand half barrels, freeze about fiftee
tons, and ship the remainder fresh to thei
. trade, which extends ali over the countr,
The house of d. Y. Howell g. Co.. hG
: just been established in 1873. They ow
!, their own fishing grounds, which are quit
extensive, and catch their own fish. The
i have some six or seven boats for carryin
a Il. Al H. i 4
fifty men during their busy season. Thci
catch amounted this year to about fou
hundred tons, OF which they froze som
: fifteen tons, split and salted about fou
thousand one-half barrels, and shipped I'll
remainder to the trade in fresh condition
They use the "Howell refrigerator" {
: which d. Y Howell is the patentee. "'
: The number of tons caught for the T,
: ledo market and their disposition would |
about as follows, viz;
/. Whole number cAught.......... 5000 tor
e No. split and salted (hlf. bar'ls) 10000
a Amount frozen n........,............ S5 toI
+ Amount shipped fresh. 9l5 tel
: The above results have been attainc
n through the most careful estimates, M
e show to what Importance the fish industri
Q OF this section have reached. Under III
e fostering care of the Legislature, in fe
! years it will greatly aid its older sister, a,
n riculture, in furnishing cheap food tor III
;, million.
5 The names Of the different kinds of ed
i BILE fish caught in Lake Erie, and the sci
o son in which they are ecaught, follow in ii
: order of quantity below:
!, FaR FIsh-Whito fish, herring, pickere
o muskallonge, black bass, suckers, red hors
!. pike.
: Spring FTsh--Pickerel, saugers, whi
bass, herring, white fish, suckers, muska
I longe, red horse.
: Then can be added to the above, bul
: heads CATFISH, Shad, rock bass, perch M
" sun-fsh; but the number caught is so lin
: tied ns to be hardly worthy of mention
? The principal fish caught are white, picl
: erel and herring,
White 6sh and herring are migrator
Il fishes, and their habitation is postivel
: unknown to the fisherman Owing to III
uncertainty Of the "cat1h" Of these fishe