Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-08-08
The Potomac River Fisheries.


The falling off in the number of fish is a
patent fact, but neither the extent nor the
cause Of the failure has ever been definitely
ascertained. The first publications OF tho
national fish commission were based upon an
anonymous newspaper statement which had
been used in Martins Gazetteer. The com.
mission arc now 10 search of more correct data.
Inasmucb, however, as these incorrect state
ments are still published as authoritative to
tbe ,Xtent Of asjertiDg THAT the amount
caught now is only one half OF one per cent. of
the yield asoriOed to it by trustworthy author
tiles nearly half century ago" it may be use.
full to show the origin of that one which made
tho river yield 750, 000. 0OU Of herring in 1891.
The whole Of the statement from which the data
10 Martins Gazetteer is derived is oommuni
Gallon sigued "Pomonkey," published in the
NalioIal luellgencer, in April, 1882, which
says: The number of fisheries is about $50,
and within fifty miles Of WashiDpton city on
both sides Of tie river. i These
fisheries are in operation only about five or
six weeks, and during that time are the means
of circulating and producing the enormous sum
of 81 600, 900 as follows:
SIX thousand five hundred laborers, whose
wages are $4,000; $50 vessels, average pay
for hire, $45 900; 1850 men. to navigate YES
sells, $500; 22,500.000 shad, value in good
years, SLIPS 900, 100000, 600 herring. value
10 good years, SLIPS 900; $4,000 bushels of
sal. to cure fish, $497, 500; 5000 barrels 10
contain fish, S497, 800; boats, selnes, U.s., estl'
mated at 1925, 900; annual rents of fisheries,
shed watts, &a. $l62, 900; paid for provisions for
G,000 iaborcrs, $55 900; extra shoes and cloth
Jog necessary dnring fishing time for laborcrs,
SIS 900; total. IS, 935.l 100
Tbestupepdous eXaggeration Of this statement
is evident 10 every item. In tho matter OF barrels
alone, 995 900 barrels in double row four
barrels high would extend from the fish wharf
10 Alexandria to The Sun Office in Baltimore,
some forty seven miles, Yet this is set forward
as the yield ascribed TO it (the rvsr) by most
worthy authorities nearly half century ago.
Until all such data as this be abandoned II Is
idle to hope for even an approximation to the
probable figures. A protrscted and careful
examination of statistical authorities gives but
slight data On which to base reliable estimates.
Ia Captain John Smiths time (July, lGOS,}
a boat could scarcely be driven among the shoals
of Potomac fish. Wardeo, in his "Choro
graphical and Statistical Description Of the
District of Columbia, published at Paris. iO
1916, says: IN distance of about one hun
dred miles above and below Washington AGO..
900 barrels Of herring are caught annually.
THE Historical Sketches Of the Ten Miles
Square" by Jonathan Elliot, in 1880, does not
speak Of herring, but gives the number OF
shad taken at each of twenty great landings on
the Potomac at from 100000 to 100000 per
annum, or q maximum Of 100000 shad. The
cxaggeraion of Martins Gazetteer gives 25,-
500. 900 shad az the product Of 1882
b h. kIo ~ fISh
commissioner for the Potomac. estimates the
herring catch Of 1910 at SG,000000. Ofthis,
however, he states only lS,50O,000 were sent
to Alexandria. He thinks, however, that
%, DOC, 900 were sold On the shores for food and
manure. and .hat At 100000 were packed on
the shore 10 $1,000 barrels. aud as this re-
markable estimate sums up $4,000 900 herring
he gives that IS the aggregate catch OF the
year. lie thinks. too, that Congress must first
kill all the cells before an Increase OF herring
can be hoped for.
The following is believed to be the beat ap.
Proclamation to the true figures that can be Oh.
tained 1905, billions Of herring; 1916. 300
DOC, OGO herring; 1890, O., 100000 herring ;
1857, 3s,000,00O herring; 1910. 1900. 600
herring; lS49-5l, 100000 herring; 1858.
10000, 900 herring; 1856. 20.00O0 900 herring;
1866, l4.0O0,000 herring; 1877. 1000, 900
herring; 1878, 100000 herring.
1t will thus appear that the decrease has not
been annual and that while 10 periods of O
given series of years there has been o constant
decrease yet that decrease has not progressed
year by year, but, on the contrary, that often
after lean year there has been full one, and
perhaps periods of segora! years OF successive
Increase. The decrease has been, so to speak,
10 series of waves. the highest yield Of cach
successive series Of decrease falling bclow the
highest yield of the preceding series, but beiog
much above the lowest yield.
Burnaby. in his travels 10 Virginia, Q7j9l
gives the following list Of fish cauRh hit: Gram
pug, abeoor, borgess., boneta. Sleeps head
flying fish, rock fish, drums, shad, black fish,
sea bass and sturgeon. Warden (lSlG) gives
the following list of fab found 10 tho Potomac,
near Washington Sturgeon, rock fish, shad,
gar, eel. carp, herring, perch, white and yell
low, sun, muIlet and smell. 1t has lately been
noted tba! the shoals of herring which abau-
doned the coast of Sweden about a century
ago have, within the past few years, returned
to that coast Wash. Cor. Bait. Sun.
A GREENsAck CLUB has been organize at
CuIpepsr Court House, with tho following Off
GERS :-Prcsideut, James Barbour; lst Vice
President, D. NJ. Roam; "a Vice President, Il.
B. Male; 3rd Nice President, Jno. r. Stroth-
or; Corresponding Secretary, D. A. Grimsey;
Secretary and Treasurer, ". l.. Jeffries.
The following is the platform adopted
That the power to coin ald create money and
to regulate its value belong exclusively to the
General Government, sud that all tho circulating
medium Of the country, whether of paper or
coin, should be issued y the Govofnment end
made full legal tender for all debts, public and
private, and receivable in payment CT all duties
and taxes due the United States.
That We demand the repeal Of the National
Banking law.
That we demand the unconditional repeal Of
the Resumption Act Of 1875.
That we favor free and unlimited coinage Of
silver, So we'll as that of gold.
That the United States bonds should be taxed
IS other property.
That we adhere to the following principles in
regard to our State affairs.
The Sovereignty of the Common wealth a. 10
her domestic affairs.