The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-09-16
Eastern Maine.
The sardine Business-An Old Landmark
GOne-EnstpOrt and lis Business-Fsrm-
ing in Washington County.
Especial Corr. of the Pressl


Especial Corr. of the Pressl
EAsTPcRT, Sept. 10, 1884.
The sardine factories at Eastport and vicil-
ity are not doing SO large business as last
year but much better aud more legitimate
business Like most all new enterprises. the
first inception of the business was necessarily
crude in its methods, The smoked herring
fishery having dwindled to small fish for
several years. the idea Of utilizing
them for sardines was, readily seized
upon BY many of the herring packers, and the
markets we're soon giuttsd by new and ex-
detrimental article of food, and for want Of
knowledge and care in many instances very
inferior article, having no brand or trade
mark to fix the responsibility Of fraud aud inn
position where it belonged Hence the newt
able reaction in this business is now being real
lied, and the prospect is that the business will
not reach the value Of million or more dol
lars, as it did last year at Eastport this season.
But better methods are being adopted by the
eagle" and other leading packers. Much
improvement has been made in the process,
and every box now put up bears not only the
trademark brand but the name of the pack
ers And by the new process these fish are as
nice and palatable as the French sardines, ard
must eventually obtain very large sale, for
this business has come to 'stay."
The temporary loss of sardine packing, es-
pecially at LUbec, is largely compensated by
the revival Of the smoked herring business.
These fish are coming into the weirs Of late
in larger numbers, and of better quality than
has been known in the past nine years. and
the numerous smoke houses and weirs are in
such fall blast as to give the ''old times" busy
aspect to the borders of the "Narrows," and
the tourists soiourning at the owen" and
Tyn-y-coed on Campobello, and the "Quoddy"
at PASSPORT, as well as at the private mansions
at Lubec, are feasting upon large, fat, fresh
herring, which are nice and palatable when
well cooked fresh from the water.
The sardine fishery has given good deal Of
snap to business In and about PASSPORT and
Lubec, since it has brought a new line Of sup
plies, opened employment for numerous opera
tiyes, and transportation for vessels and steam
eTs, which together with the increasing influx
of summer visitors to the attractive and pic
turesque locality OF so much grand and beauti-
full scenery, and cool, delicious climate has
given marked impetus to various branches Of
trade, and an improved appearance to the
locality. We regretted to see that old Fort
Sullivan on its commanding eminence at the
mouth OF the st. Croix, with its hitherto beau
tiful parade grounds and terraced walks for so
many years the glory OF PASSPORT, has been dis
mantled, the barracks let to Irish tenants, and
the parade grounds used for COW pasture.
The constant arrival and departure Of so
many steamers at Eastport is now an interest
ing sight, and gives the port metropolitan air
Here the International Steamship Company
has its best and most extensive plant, land
President Hersey, under whose direction these
extensive warehouses were built, may well
feel proud of the spacious premises and adj
mirably arranged offices, since they are an
ornament to the towD,-surpassiDg the COM
pany's quarters at any other depot or termi-
nal point on their line. But as the "Inter-
national" is the pet institution OF Eastport, 1t
is no more than right, that its people and bust
ness should be thus complimented with
"grand central for the accommodation Of its
great and growing traffic
New and extensive wharf and warehouse
accommodations are being erected for the New
England and Acadia Steamship Company to
accommodate It's steamers plying between
Annapolis and Mt. Desert in connection with
the Maine Central Railroad which is here
laying anchors for an important "feeder" from
the lower Maritime Provinces. Though profit
able results may not be seen in the immediate
future, Nova Scotia undoubtedly has large
possibilities in its unrivalled scenic attractions
and delightful, invigorating climate for sum-
mer travelling, which Manager Tucker is not
the man to overlook
The weather in the Eastern section Of the
state has been cold, wet, and foggy, as i5 has
elsewhere in New England, discouraging to
pleasure travel, but good for the growing crops
all of which look well in this section especially
the potato, though on the seaboard rot is feared.
Haying has been slow and tedious, because
it takes much longer to make hay" in fog,
than it does in sunshine, but the grass thick
ened we'll through August and nearly an
average crop is claimed in Washington county
which uses ali its hay and more.
There has been marked improvement in
stock raising in the lower frontier towns OF
Maine, in the last ten or fifteen years. Jersey
COWS and elegant horses have taken the place
of the o. CO scrubby looking animals to be seen
that way, and dairy products have come to be
a source of considerable trade in the more
thrifty towns
Ship building once so important in Quoddy
has dwindled to nearly nothing, and naviga-
ton is regarded as an Improbable Investment
at present. M. n. K.