, 1880-07-28
SHARKS IN NEW YORK BAY,
Startling Statements OF Old vyatermen
-Thc fruits OF Municipal Folly.
As,U 1'ort s,,n

"Tlieso waters never were so full Of them,
and some nj them nrc size to make any
man think of his llfe.n
"Sharks?"
"Yes, sharks. They're brought in llere by
the swlll and offnl thrown Into tho bay BY
the police, aud they're swar1nIng round Long
1sla1ld Sound in shoals. I'm au old pilot,
aMl | think know every, nook and rock
nlonf the slore Of LSnK is'nd aud ts M
whole cor!rse Of my exycricnce."
the co,,. c% t',9Ii t!e police dumpingscows nre
WI ." o d.: I'll Tea ~, 1st 1 and nj ths big hotels ater
they tl!r0W out Of tho scows float out to sea
wltl, the tide alld fetch tic SHARKS in from
tl!e ucea1l. so1tr Of these chnps get mighty
II,lty AllTtgry awny on z open water, aud they'll
e'' o wi1s % ii That ts candtlon. as IL Sfsy fhey
You'd l,'.ye goot1 l1en Of how q sllark feels
%s ill., Ns iSssihS %hSS .sss atSns tSsa VIE Vie
u ship waiting for something to come over
board. ltsa tnvorit past!ma with some peo-
l!e tg throw fat pleee Of pork over the side
way. l., k,Iow ot nothing that swtma or
T,tis ~, - ilcrce Us shark In want Of Isbreak-
."lIow far do they coma ins''
them III totii rivers. III guarantee yon'ys
Unly got: 10 step down to Que Of the docks
md esl. there fur All hour and you'll 6e satIs-
fled Of the trIt!, Of whit tell you.''
"st ,,,,,s' %nat g"!'nts do yoa suppose they arc
"a,'rhsy'ru. Mi oyer; you're likely to fall In
With q couple OF thGln anywhere between tho
Battery wnll a,Il the ttglltsliIp. They are IN
tran.ps alons tic Streets al Eew York city,
and tlipy ntr Just 1s mean spirited nlMt ugly.
! ses l,y tlle piper tint \ gentleman was
aES "t b9al'y ~ ohs ot REeFl'ta lsst
an! WIS living out there. llu WIS good
swimmer, anl struck out into deep water.
All nt once thy people n'itl, shore SAW HIN
!!p ngain. IL crletl ort foT !ielp couple of
times, but those who saw him were TO far
nwny 70 render my. nssistancr. Now.
there ls not ,nny doubt TINT q shark took
with terrible force, aMl they cuu,e up 50 that,
being ilnif standing, ns 1t were, III the water,
they easily sink with their prey. haye
eli Sandy Hook aud IN that piece Of water
streicltillE acrnss ~ fur ns Cotley Island.
l!arrrn Island urnws them over there, and
coaxes tlleln down along by ths Rockaway
l., "ren t. tl1s S, bathing at those points must be
should say It was more dangerous
ong Tho ~ siysr a,l as t!s s s.eStdorss et eaas set
you more nbGut TINT t!lnll | cati. In my
mind these men alul boys WHO 20 In sWlnI-
ming of the docks run lnore risk 1T MI occa-
sinial shark tllan the hatAers nlong the 8hore
Vt either C0ney Island or Rockaway. In
these places the numbers prUtnet each other,
mud thoh tie surf Is well watched outside,
alHl fnw Ut tile swimmers venture fnr
| Out. Now, the people oI! the dock 60 IN
mostly wien tho tlac IL just about flood.
Slarhs cNtne II with the tide md hug
tho shipping. Ftntslng nothing there. they
grow desperate and sweep In Shore. You'll!
l,eAr VI Sums bud work oils OF these days II
sU.ne precautlnns mrs not tnken. Several
small bays were lugt lust year, aud quite a
number of casra hnre Alrenly been mon
toned this ycnr. us hnyfnE occurred In varl.
ous qtarters you tulk to the Captains Of
thu rlyur steamers, und the ferryboats. and
the Sound Alld excursion steamers, they'll
lell yuIl how numerous these sen wolves are,
! and how they arc Attracted here BY this VII.
lH1nous System III t'inKlng ttltl In tho bay"
These statements. aiil opinions were cor:
rnbun.ted by several wGl.kMown pilots and
buttinetl. The further the rspnrter pursued
Inquiry on tho subject OF the sharks the mora
convincing mud abundant was the testimony
Ut their presence III thu bay aid III the rivers
Among the Fishermen who daily land tAelt
nm tl,1iniCt "ffila sharks Wero here In AhDals