The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-05-07
sErH oREENls RARLY DAYS.
Ills Fight with Fishermen who Endeavor
cd TO Prevent the Increase of Fish.

a..
In conversation with Mr.. Seth Green, the
State Fish Commissioner he said, concern.
ing the opposition he had often met with al
the hands of fishermen "They are
against our work because we advocate making
laws to stop fishing during the spawning
season of the different kinds of fish. They
nave been in the habit of taking them on
these spawning beds and do not like to
quit. They would take the last fish if they
could. They have got about all of them in
some localities. have often been told by
fishermen that they did not want the fish
made any more plenty They said if fish
was scarce they could make as much money
and would not have to handle half MS many
fish. But, l said to them, it will be great
help to the mass of the people. They told
me to let the mass take care of themselves
we have to- When l went 60 Holyoke,
on the Connecticut River, in the year 1867
and made the discovery of Matching shad
artifcially, shad was selling for $40 per
hundred wholesale, and retail from seventy.
i've cents to 81 each. While / was there
many mechanics told me that they bought
one shad year just to say they had shad
that year, and many of the poor people
told me that they had not tasted shad for
years. l told the fishermen that Iwas
going to make shud plenty and cheap.
They told me they did not want fish any
more plenty nor any cheaper, aud did their
level best to keep me from making sue
cess. They broke my experimental boxes
to pieces when they could find them, and
one night they tore the net-they thought
SO that It could not be used any more. But
/ took q needle and mended II in two hours
which astonishcd them very much, as they
had told me there was but one man around
there that could mend square mesh, and he
would not be found. He left the town
soon aftert o net was, torn. But the net
was mendeil, and we fished that night and
'aaughtthe fish that I took the spawn from
that made the success which was the means
of having shad plenty forever. Tho -four
New England States did not pay me rs
much money $l54. 3D. as I had expended
l visited the old fish Matching ground again,
in the year 1874. It was soon noised about
that was there, and the men, women and
children came focking down to shake hands
and say God bless you'll They would say
it with such an honest expression on their
faces that there could be no doubt of their
sincerity. They would bring their little
children up to me and say to them: That
is Mr.. Green. Take good look at him SO
that you will remember him when you are
grown up. That is the man Il ut mnde the
shad that are SO plenty here now that we
have all We want Then they all knelt down
in circle around me, and never heard n
prayer that affected me as the prayers did
from that little group surrounding me with
faces turned up toward heaven. IL made
me SO happy that I forgaye everybody that
bad misused me, including the Commission
ers Of the four New England States that had
not done as they agreed. That little group
of poor people paid the debt with what was
better than gold. There was no glitter of
gold or diamonds there, but have no doubt
felt more elated while was with that little
party than General Grant ever did with all
the receptions he received while he xas in
Europe"