Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-30

group of stars there or not.
READY TO HAUL THEIR NETS.
Fishermen Preparing for Their Annual
Campaign on the Potomac.
SCENES ALONG THE RIVER FRoSr-sHoREs THAT
WILL BE 'F1sHED' THIS sUMMER-How THE
CATCH Is DISPOSED oF-BENEFIcIAL EFFECTS OF
THE LAW TO PROTECT THE FISHERIES.
With but little ice during the winter and no
severe freshet this spring, the fishing season
has opened unusually early. Already the itin-
Grant fish-peddler is heard on the street calling
'Fresh shad and herring!' The prospects for
good catch. some of the fishermen say, are
good. Along the river front it is expected that
the fish will arrive in abundance as soon as the
large nets are sent to the fishing shores and the
fishermen get to work. There are a number of
what are known summer-seine haulers at
work now and they supplying this
market with a large quantity of fish.
1t will be week or ten days before the large
haul-seines will be in operation. Just what
shores are to be worked this season is not vet
settled 1t is not thought that there will be
more than ten at the most where the fisher
men will take their chances to reap a harvest
Last year seine was hauled at an extra large
number of shores and some of the haulers lost
money. Some of the shores rent for from
81, 500 to $4,000 in addition to the fee charged
for fishing them, SO that with the payment of
the expenses incidental to the prosecution of
the work. the cost is so great that good catch
mas TO be made to meet expenses.
SHORES TO BE FIsHED.
Stony Point, Fairy Landing. Monkeys Point,
Gums. and Windmill shores will be fished and
possibly few Others Then there is Tent
Washington, White House and other shores.
Some of them will also afford the fishermen an
opportunity of trying their luck Now that
the large selneS are soon to start there is de-
mand for hands Fishtown has walked up. and
business has begun in earnest. During the
past week there have been some large arrivals
in Fishtown from the small seines on the lower
Potomac. The fish caught now run larger than
those caught later in the season and bring bet
ter prices. not because they are large but be-
cause the demand is larger and they find ready
sale. The hucksters who peddle first in the
summer and winter put in few spare weeks
now disposing of fish from door to door.
THE PRICES OF FISH.
The principal fish caught this early in the
season are shad. herring, white perch, yellow
perch, catfish. jacks or taylors and cells. Shad
are selling at $50 to s35 per hundred, while
herring will not bring more than cent
apiece. Rockfsh, Soc to 75c. per bunch; white
perch (small siZe). sc. to Csc. per bunch; yell
low perch. Sc. to 25c. per bunch; catfish and
eels. l0c. to Csc. per bunch. jacks, sc. to 10c.
each.
The fish arrive in oyster boats that have
given up the oyster business for the season.
and are usually sold under the hammer at
whatever prices they will bring. Shad and
rocktish are always in demand, and bring good
prices. Large perch also find ready sale. Cat
fish and eels are sold at cheaper prices because
the demand for them is not SO great. That
gives the wharf hands better chance and
there are but few of them who fail to carry
home a bunch of either catfish or eels when
their days work is finished Jack fish. or tay-
Tors they are sometimes called. resemble the
shad and are often sold as such to housekeep-
ers by dishonest hucksters. They are also
called hickory shad. They are very bony fish,
and consequently bring small prices.
THE SMALL BOY on HAND.
At the fish wharf the small boy has already
appeared with his pin hook and cotton line
He thinks that the fish wharf is the only place
where he can catch fish. Many small boys
who start from home in the morning to attend
school find themselves ON this wharf before
noon. The truant hides his books under his
vest, and with old stick for fishing rod
enjoys the day until it is time to return home.
During the present week there has been a num-
Der OF such boys on the fish wharf who have
succeeded in catching stray mullet yellow
perch or smelt.
THE PROTECTIVE LAW.
The law passed for the protection of fish in
the waters of the Potomac within the District
of Columbia is still in force The law was
passed in March, 1885, to run for five years. SO
that the fish in this part of the river will be
protected for at least another year. The first
section OF the act provides: That from and
after the passage of this act, for a term of five
years. it shall not be lawful to fish with fyke-
net, pound-net, stake-net, weir. foat-net, gill
net, haul-selne, or any other contrivance. sta
tionary or floating, in the waters of the Po-
tomac river within the District of Columbia"
The second section provides: THAT any per-
son who shall offend against any of the provis-
ions Of this act shall be deemed guilty of
mlsdemeanor, and upon sufficient proof thereof
in the Police Court, or other court of the Dis
trlct OF Columbia. shall be punished by fine
OF not less than $40 nor more than 500 for
each and every such offense and shall forfeit
to the District his nets, boats, and all other
apparatus and appliances used in violation of
law. which shall be sold; and the proceeds of
such sales and all fines accruing under this act
shall be paid into the treasury: Provided, that
nothing in this act shall be construed to pro-
hibit angling or fishing with the outline, or to
prevent the United States commissioner of fish
and fisheries, or his agents. from taking from
said waters of the Potomac river in the District
| OF Columbia, in any manner desired fish of any
KIND for scientific purposes or for the purpose
of propagation"
THE FISHERIES BENEFITED.
This act many of the fishermen say has been
the means of greatly benefting the Potomac
fish. because the spawning ground is princi-
IHally between Fort FOote and the Chain bridge
! During the next session OF Congress an effort
will be made to have the act renewed. Under
this act all seine-hauling within the District
| has been stopped with but very few exceptions
| The police carefully watched the river and
captured three or four persons caught violat-
| ing the law. Violations of this law are gener-
| ally committed late at night when the officers
| are not supposed to be about. but in several
Instances the officers were ON the alert and
law-breakers were captured. The police boat,
Joe Blackburn: will start out on patrol dnty
| shortly, and will prevent any violations of this
| law. The boat can make good time, and it
will be almost impossible for persons in row.
boats violating the law to get away from the
| officers on the boat.
BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
| PROFIT SHARING BETWEEN EMPLOYER AND