The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-25

the shore some 70 of 100 feet, and then
curved back like horses shoe. Inside
this trap is net. When the tide is
falling the net is raised and the fish
are taken out with huge scoop nets.
The catch is always very uncertain;
sometimes only bushel or two will be
taken, and often SO many are caught as
to endanger the net.
There is another way of capturing the
fish. Herring, like mackerel, 90 in
schools, and, for some reason, always
follow light Two orthree fishermen
provide themselves with torches made
of cotton batting saturated with kero-
sene, and on dark nights row along
the shores with a torch in the bow Of
the boat When school is found the
herring dart after the boat, coming SO
close that they are dipped up in nets
attached to short poles.
After being captured the fish are
taken Immediately to the factory and
laid in heaps upon long tables. The
first thing is to decapitate and clean the
fish. The dexterity with which this OPP
Grafton is performed by the children
who are employed is remarkable. On
an average seventy-fve fish are cleaned
and decapitated every minute by each
child. Both operations are performed
with one stroke of a sharp knife. A
box holding about bushel lies at the
feet of each operator, and as the clean
ing is completed the fish slides into this
box. Thepay for this work is ten cents
per box, and some of the children make
dollar and half a day.
After being washed the herring are
picked for half an hour and are then
laid upon trays and placed in large
drying room heated by steam. After
the fish are dry they are thrown into
large shallow pans of oil and thor
oughly cooked. They are then packed
in tin boxes by girls and women, and
in each box is poured a quantity of the
patent mixture of oils and spices
Covers are then fitted to the boxes and
sealed on by men. As air must be eX.
cluded, the cans, when sealed, are
placed in tank of boiling water
where they remain half an hour, ant
are then removed and placed on ar
inclined plane so that the all
inside rushes to one corner Q!
the box. This corner is punctured witt
an awl, the hot air escapes and the car
is made air-tight by a drop of solder. The
boxes are then ornamented with attrac
tive French labels, stating that the en-
closed are SGrdi9eS a la Fra1aca5Se;;'
some are labeled "a phuttle d oIiUe - The
fused is cottonseed oil, such as is made
in South Carolina. 1t is not always the
best quality Of oil. The best oil is used
however, for the fish sold as prime.
There are prepared at these factorie:
other varieties of fish known rs mus
tards,' 'Emaranees," and ''sea trout. ,
The mustards are prepared like the
sardines until they are put in the cans
They are packed in q preparation made
of mustard, vinegar and oil, with soup
con of spice. The mustards are largeI
fish than the sardines. The maranee
are packed in a sauce made of vinegar
spices, lemon and sugar, and the Sc.
trout are large herring put up in ova
boxes with still another sauce.
Almost the entire product of thest
factories is shipped to New York
whence it is sold to retailers all through
the country. One of the Lubec house
prepares about 1920 boxes day. Tht
actual cost per box, including expenses
is about FIVE cents. The profit made b,
the packers is from five to seven cents
The difference between these prices ant
what the consumer pays for the fish a
the grocery goes into the pockets of th
Observation-Disclosures (Ae.) Cor. \
| Y. iS2R.