The Portland daily press., 1885-01-13

Special Meeting of the Board of Mayor
and Aldermen in Regard 20
the Dressing of Fish,

0POeAUA NAOOtAn@ Va thU EOAEG Va u1AyUE
and Aldermen in Regard 20
fhe Dressing of Fish,
A special meeting of the Board 81 Mayor aud
Aldermen was held laS evening. Absent,
Messrs Hawkes. and Hallttt,
Three persons we're consigned to the Iusar
Asylum.
A hearing was then given upon the follow
ing petition:
We, citizens of Portland, wish the passage of
an ordinance that shall regulate the manner
OF dressing certain kinds of fresh fish that are
landed at this port.
The petition was signed BY 9. b. Ipgraham
and othere.
Several of the leading dealers we're present
at the meeting, but no fishermen were notified.
ME- Arthur Harding, on being called upon to
addr ss the board in relation to the matter,
said that for some time past the manner in
which the fishermen have dressed the fish was
anything but what it ought to be. he wanted
the city government to enact an ordinance
that would cause the entrails and other refuse
parts OF fish to be removed during the period
between the LIST of May and the LIST of Novena-
Der. The fishermen who went long distances
1900 1851 "kSfO SOASlal4J very CdTclul, Dub
those who fish nearer shore did not take
proper care and caution.
Upon being iLtsrrogsted by the Mayor, Mr.
Harding expressed the opinion that refuse
parts meant the gils and entrais generally.
In regard to those who canned mackerel he
said that it was customary for the fish to be
taken in whole and then q large crew of boys
removed the entrails Afterward the refuse
was carted off.
Mr.. E. A. Chase favored fac bimile of the
Boston ordinance in relation to the matter He
wanted the dealers as well as the fishermen to
be prevented from enptyipg the refuse into the
docks. He did not think thers would be any
fishermen who would object to dressing the
fish, and it was only in the hot months that il
was necessary for the fish to be gilled. He un-
derstood that the word refuse meant any part
OF the fish that was not eatabls. He didn't
apprehend anything in the nature of m ECON
structien of the word,
Following is the Boston ordinance relating
to the subject:
No person shall bring into the city for sale, or
shall sell. OF offer for sale, any halibut cod had
dock or mackerel, until they have been cleansed of
onelr entrais and refuse parts and such enIrails
and refuse parts shall be thrown overheard below
low-water mark. and shall never be kept beyond
the flowing of the tide next after such fish are so
cleansed; and, until so thrown overheard such en-
trails and refuse parts shall be kept in safe man
ner on board the vessels or boats In which the fish
were brought. And no person shall sell or deliver,
from any STALL hshbox, cart. or other place. fish of
any kind except iunders, smelts and other small
fish, salmon and shad, until the same have been
cleansed Of their entras and refuse parts and such
entras and refuse parts shall be kept in some tight
vessel. and thrown into the sea below low-water
mark within twentyfour hours after the fab are SO
cleansed. And no person shall sel or offer for sale
in the city, fish of any kind, unless they are kept in
covered stalls shboxes, or other houses or in Gov
cred carts, which shall always be kept clean and in
good order, and we'll secured from the rays of the
sun.
The general opinion of all the interested
parties present seemed to be that an ordinance
of this kind would be beneficial to the dealer,
the fisherman and the consumer.
Adjourned at 45 o'clock.