Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-12-06
PORPO,SE FISHING.
Ho y fhe Paring Pigs OF the Sea are $
cessfnily Captured.

The only firm engaged in pOrp0ise
hunting ~ business in the known
world i the firm Of Cooke " Sparks. of
Cape MAY and Philadelphia, BY whom
the skins of the big fish are tanned into
leather in this city
Until within few years il was as
serted that the purpoise could never be
captured. 1t is an amrhibiuus animal
and belongs to the mammals. ~ucn!Iny
lis young ike the COW. Purpui-r hunt
ing was begun a; Cape Nav two wears
4 ago. but the COMPANY failed. having
lost two steamer, in consequence Ofthr
strength Of the tides there. Old wrecks
living around. and other causes After
that the present company started.
and its operations are confined To the
southern scabpard. I'VE only fish IN
the winter time. said Mr. Gcorg. l..
Sparks. one of the firm. To "A NrIrs
:. gath.rer YESTERDAY. "POTppI-cs are
warm blOodcd. They come north IN
the summer and start south IN the
winter DtIr fishery is off Cape Hat
teras, situated between the shoals and
the inlet We have an Immense seine.
or net. which we had patented. II i
one mile and half long. and twenty
four feet deep. 1t i made Of f2-thrrad
cotton tarrri MARINE. We employ
eighty men. The Seine il pulled in BY
hand have seen 80 porpOiSrS in
the net at one time. but when il was
brought ashore only twenty ti-h were
secured. They often plunge clean
through the seine. They weigh from
four hundred to one thousand two hun
drrd pounds. and TO see a school IF
them in the net plunging. -nOrtlug and
making peculiar whIstiing noise. i
grand sight Porpoises die either by
drowning OF for want of their native
element within two hours after we land
them. We generally harpoon them
with long steel prong on the end of 4
pole. which the 'tar-heels call
killer
The porpnises are then skinned very
deity. in pretty much the same way n
a hog is dressed In fact. their nature
is about the same A. swine. the sailors
calling them putting pigs. Last year
We attempted and succeeded in curing
and smoking the meat just the same a.
dried beef and sold TWENTY-FIVE thou
sand pounds of it The meat : CON
sidered a delicacy in Europe. 'tit for the
royal table 1t resembles vcni~on in
taste, and in texture is fine. tender and
, not thready. We remove all the fat
and bone before curing II. The fat or
blubber which is ATTACHED to the skin
is rendered into an oil that il much
superior To sperm oil. This is called
body OIL and il used As lubricatOr in
tanning and for machinery. There is
valuable oil distilled from the marrow
Of the jaw-bone called 'porpoise-jaw
oil, which is used for fine watches and
the most delicate kinds of machinery.
About four ounces of this oil are found
in the average porpOise. 1t is very eN-
pensive and worth about sixty dollars q
gallon.
The skins of the pOrpoise. the aver
age length Of which are ten feet. are
dry-salted. packed and brought to this
city, where they undergo the tanning
process, which requires about seven
months before being fit for the market.
We spoiled hundreds Of skins before
We succeeded in tanning them properly.
There WIS, in fact. but one man in this
country who knew the secret. He
wanted ten thousand dollars for il,
which We would not pay. and by
series of experiments We have sue
ceeded in producing splendid water
proof. fine-grained leather. far better.
finer and more durable than French
calf-skin. Here's pair of shoes |
have worn for a year" said Mr..
Sparks, land there's not a break in
them. The ordinary calf-skin can be
tanned by some processes in four weeks.
The bone of the porpoi>e is used as a
fertilizer. and the inns are boiled up into
glue stock.
The pOrpoise. it must be remem-
bered. is one of the most voracious de
stroyers Of food fishes that swims in
the sea. A good. healthy porpoise.
with an unimpaired appetite. will eat
one hundred mackerel day. II thus
reduces the supply of that fish for our
markets, and. of course, enhances the
price.
The big trap seine to catch the por
poises was invented by John A. Cook.
one of the firm. 1t has great OPEN
ing in the center. leading into a big
trap. The highest number ever caught
1t one haul was one hundred and twen-
". We have captured thus far ?, los,
and expect 70 go at it again. The men
who handle the seine are hardy race
Of North Carolinians, inhabiting the
sandy stretch on Cape Hatteras. The
seine in put into the ocean from the
beach just as soon as a school of the
fish is sighted. 1t is laid right across
their track. In a little while the ami
mails are in the meshes and beating
against the wall of knotted twine. The
nsneriifen tnen plunge IN the sea up TO
their necks. and amidst the powerful
lashing OF the waters the porpoises are
hauled in and safely landed on the
beach.
Many escape before the shore end
OF the net can be got into shoal water.
but none of them leap over the top. as
was supposed they would do. The
people we EMPLOY are water-locked.
isolated from civilization. hardy and
brave and of tender natures. They are
extremely hospitable, but their wavs
snd customs are of a hundred years.
They dress in primitive and picturesque
garb, are apparently happy, and care
nothing for comforts and luxuries.
In addition to the new industry of
catching the porpoise, tanning his hide
and selling his oil, the firm has started
A shoe manufsctory in Philadelphia.
where the hide. Of the pigs of the sea-
are turned into wearing apparel for the
feet. ..Porpoise-leather shoes" said
Mr.. Sparks, IBID fair TO take the place
OF French calfskin shoes. Years ago,
IN England, when an occasional por-
polse skin would tind It's way into the
lanyard. and thence into the shoe
makers shop, pair of shoes therefrom
was looked upon as curiosity. and
generally sold for a big sum of money.