National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-13

THE MENHADES FISHERY.
a Protest From the Virginia Coast
Fishermen Against the Sewell Bill.

a Protest From the Virginia Coast
Fishermen Against the Sewell Bill.
On Wednesday last the Senate committee
on fisheries held two sessions to consider
Senate bill 22T, introduced by Senator
Sewell, of New Jersey, entitled "a bill for
the protection of fisheries on the Atlantic
coast.n The committee consists of Senator
Palmer, Of Michigan (chairman); SEN
ators sewell, of New Jersey; Dawes, of
Massachusetts, Stanford, of California;
Morgan, Of Alabama: Harris, of Tennessee
and Gray, Of Delaware.
The bill as introduced provides "that IL
shall not he lawful for any person, by day
or night, TO put or in manner use any
pursc-net, pound, fyke, weir, or other APP
pliance for the capture Of menhaden upon
the high seas within two miles of the At
lantic coast, or In any arm of the sea, or river
along the coast within the jurisdiction of
the United States and not within the iuris-
diction of any state for the capture OF fish
to be manufactured into oil or into fish
guano or other fertilizing material. Any
person violating the provisions OF this act
shall, upon convictions, be liable to pen
atty OF 81 600, of which one-fourth shall be
paid to the person upon whose informa.
ton the conviction shall be had, and the
remainder shall be appropriated to the
United states commission of fish and fish
cries"
a large number of gentlemen were pres
cnt upon the session Of the committee, rep
resenting those engaged In menhaden fish
ing along the Atlantic coast, from New
Jersey to North Carolina. Judge John
Booker, Of Hampton, Va, being introduced
by the Hon. II. Libbey, presented the petit
tion of James S. Darling, who represents
THAT he is citizen of the town Of iiamp-
ton, county of Elizabeth City, state of Nir-
ginia; that he is now and has been for the
last eight years engaged in the taking aud
catching OF the mcnhadcn fish, for the pur-
pose of manufacturing the same into oil
aud fish guano; that his place of business,
consisting of factory, drying floors, quarters
| for bends, boats, nets Nc., Is situated at
| the mouth Of Back river, on the Chesapeake
| bay, in said county and state; that the cost
| Of said apparatus was $4,000; that he en-
ploys lG5 men, who are trained to this bust
| ness and untitled for any other occupation,
al Of whom huve families, and II deprived
of their present employment II would leave
| lP5 women and children almost destitute
| Tie petition also shows that Mr.. Darling
| eXpeuds annually in the county Of Eliz-
| ateih City, Va, the sum Of $H0,0 600, by which
| expenditure many of the poorer classes are
| greatly benefited Judge Booker, in n
| very able and convincing manner, demon
strated to the committee that the passage OF
the bill would entail great suffering aud
wsnt upon a needy class of our citizens,
who make their entire living by fishing,
| lie also made 1t plain that there was no
| necessity of its passage, as no injury was
| being done to the fisheries at any point
along the coast.
| The committee will give the subject an
other hearing next week, but the opinion is
| expressed that they will almost unani-
mously report against the passage of the