Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-01-22

truth need not hide themselves in the dark,
they should stand before the world and face
their antagonists.
In the ssHerald and Record" of Damaris-
Gotta, appears an article written upon this
subject in which the writer states that, while
writing he has seven brothers and a father
who arc, for large part of the time, engaged
in this business. Let me ask this writer If
he thinks it right that thousands of men
shall be deprived of their rights, that a few
NAV have the advantage of this business
No; he is laboring only for his own interest.
He cares not who perish, if he can survive,
and he is but a fair sample of the writers
who are trying to deceive the public by pub
fishing such letters. He refers TO the time
when few men came here from Rhode Island
and asked for privilege to carry on this bust
ness. A petition was granted, to which he
saws i'myrais" of names were attached. Ii
seems to me that he over-estimates the num-
Der of names, but then perhaps he does not
know the exact definition of the word
myriad" But is this any reason that the
business should be carried on to-day with I'M
limited extent? These men came to our
State to carry on business from which, AS they
stated. we were 10 derive unlimited wealth.
These porgics were then very numerous; the
waters along the whole coast were alive with
them. But now they are almost annhilated
At that time but few men foresaw the evil re-
suit that must inevitably follow, but now il
is fully realized. The writer goes GU to state
the average yearly earnings Of the seincrs al
$3.50 to share. This is certainly great ex-
aggeration. know of many gangs that do
not share 500 to a man, and even the most
successful from this place, last season, did
very little better than this. Five or six years
ago, a large number OF fishermen from this
place were engaged in seining while last year
! think there were but seven fishermen so en-
gagged. How is this? If il is so profitable.
why is it that no more are engaged in the
business? Again, he goes on to speak of
some of the most important of these faeto-
ries speaking of the factory of Jndson. Tarr
& Co. but he did not state that this firm. but
few years since failed for over 500. 600.
paying, if | remember right. 10 per cent.
This is the business that he thinks SO profit
able.
We must bCa- in mind that this business il
carried on on in two or three towns in Lin
coin county, and while we receive the benefit
the other parts of the State must feel the
consequences. We should not consider that
the fishermen of our State are confined to
those three towns. and no one else is inter
ested. How much benefit do the fishermen
of the eastern anG western parts of our coast
line draw from this industry? Certainly none
at all while it is evident to all that these
men must think it of much injury to them.
or they would not unite with SO much force
to petition against it.
When this business first commenced on
this coast, it was on very small scale. But
the fish grew scarcer, while ut the same time
the business grew larger, and now ii
has gone far enough. without restrictions.
The whole State must not suffer, that a few
men may carry on this extensive business.
A. w. POOLE.
South Bristol, Me-, Jan. Is, 1879.