Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1888-01-06
ruE "SARDINE" INDUSTRY,
The M, Down East Icrriar In-
dustry chat Has Driven tho M~dt.
tcrfancan Fish From tbc MARKET

studying the incidents OF herring fishing
aud the lives ani ways OF herring fishers
there Is extraordinary interest attaching
To the grvat sccondary industry growing
out OF herring tlshing itself. Years ago
the millions OF Us living away from this
reach OF shore but spcck upon the
enormous distances ~ American aud Gun.
edian coast lime had no better no.
ton OF the hcrring's importance e.
the affairs of life than that gainel from
glimpscs into unsavory tubs OF picked
herring, or the pungcnt omas assert
ing the prescncc OF the knotty pine box
OF smoked herring In the wonderfully
miscellaneous G ,rncr groceries OF our
youthtidc. But when u - remembered
that this product has nearly driven Frcnah
sardincs ont Of the American market;
that IN addition vast export trade has
been secured that the American con-
sumption of sar,lincs, in view Of thcir
gradual chcapcning from fifty ccuts 10
even rs low "a ten cents n box M retail
has rcsnlicd- aud that they have become.
instead of luxury 10 the rich, common
article OF food among all who labor aud
earn. the proportions Of this slnrlc and
generally unknown Industry can bc cash,
conprchcndcd. Millions ,ipoa uajilions
oi boxes, indeed, one might aimoAt say,
OF eases of 100 boxes to Tie oi,se, arc nm !.
nunlly prepared hcrc. There is NO ond
tn the supply, no dbnnu,ion OF dcn,and
nfd NO cessation Of annual inorcase la
number and capacity OF fact ,rics.
Here. then, j. tho herring fishers
home, nnil his mirket at home Each
factory has its "b1almrn. Those men.
who principally live NJ Eastporf and
Lnbec. are graduate Quoidy fishers
They have their ouoldy boats and crews.
and their dutits are TO scurry about
among the weirs ind keep their factories
supplied with herring NJ the lowest pol-
siblc price, but always ,,snpp led. The
u h are usually purchased as low ~ =
| per hngshead, but oftcacr at $50, aver
aging about 81. while excited bidding
over light hauls has run them up TO $50
Ten 'baskcis make n hogshcad, and a
hogshead Of herring will usually make
about fourteen cases G. 400 boxes) Of
safdincu. for which manufacturers fe
cei,c at the factory the average price of
! - per case
Undoubtedly as many people arc
wholly or partially dependent on snrdino
making as upon hcfringfshinQ. Wherever
factories are located, old and Young are
employed without distinction In the yafi-
Gus processes of the work. Iieanlar en-
ploymcnt - by the day. Is furnished to
but few; nearly aIl the labor is dvnc "by
the piece Tho arrival OF tho herring
sloops at all hours OF the day and night
for tho "catches ADD consequent buy.
ing Of herring are dependent onthc ever
changing tide---is announced by tho
shtill whistle Of the fact0ry. Then the
lninlct, which IL at every hour an ap-
parcntly deserted village, seems suddenly
fepopnlated. From every quarter, and
almost from miles away, appear erst In
visible hosts. The place seems bcwitehcd
and rs though oil is folks were mad. Half
dressed, frOwzy women. bold lad boys
and tho saucicsf, handsofnest girls YOU
ever bchcld ALI Join in a Wild endeayor
for precedence A. II 10y magic the old
shed Of q factory swarns with painting
racers aud fcr'sTfids with the hum Of
voice. and the merry chatter aud clamOr
Of welcomed toll. From the sloops the
herring are unloado by rope aud ta.kle
upon tho wharis one basket II a time.
tally being kept by both the boatmen
aud the - boss Of the cutting shed
Thcss baskets are hustled u the sled
with whoop and hurrab, aud while the
methods employed in sardinc packing
slightly vary At diGereSt factories, II you
followed the handsome herring through
different stages Of it, Transformation
inioa sardine, this is practically what
you wOuld obscrves
Under The cutting shcd are q largo
number Of cutting tables. around which
are gathered old aud Young Of ~ sorts.
though smart lads are IN the majority.
The herring are dumped upon these
tables promisruousiy. and the cutters
spring r. their work with wonderful
cclefity, their kni,es fasbi1g savagely.
aud ciery ''ciick' upon the raised edge
Of the table completing It's work ui on
one fish. To the right Of each u IS box
holding about one tn rd 81 = bushel. AMI
~ the left a barrel. Erere@t.me the knife
desccnfs the tail cni % y herring ni4s
into the box and the heal aud eotfsiit
into the barrel Cutters are paid about
fse cents per box Tor this work. The
speed attained ~ spme "a remarkable.
and there is no cesgafion ~ effort until
the last herring Is disposed ~. In the
meantime other 1rOces 81 are prOrfcgsing
The barrels 81 waste are csffed to fha
pres room. where 10 is boiled f0 a
jelly. coo'e,l. pro sed and Il low grade
oil extracted. while the residue b, cofnes
innd dicsy-ng. worth from efO - e.,
per ton. As lat as The caffere b0re.
arc allied, the Hsh are s0rfcd There are
two Sizes oils and 'mnsisrdt The
former are fbe smaller. delicate fsh
packed in 90. 100 h0xci ~ tlie case. and
= the latter o0mprisc fhe large herring
preserved IN frepsrafions of Frrnfh and
Gcrnau mustard Ifff 40 che case. Thag
are now transferred 90 the picking
room and placed ia ha'f hogsheris n
brine, where thcy iensin nfariy half Az
hour. and arc then "fakca " "Fiak
ing consists ~ paril sIly dying the fen
I This is done b5 Placing the herring in
eng.c layers uDou "Nakcs" about four
feet square. male Of triangular white
beech Elats held together IS lighi wooden
rims. This h done either in The sun or
~ gignti ovens After tho askiog
comes The frying' pr0coss The fsh
are piled upon perforated iron or wire
scrcca.liko faus two or three tiers deem
whom about a half dozen II these are
lowered into great cauidroDs n boiling
oil.
There they rcmaia Tor perhaps half an
hour. They are then "drlnsd thor.
ougily cooled and then c0nge,ed
10 the packing tables. At these YOU
viii find scores % the gcntics sex ia ali