The Republican journal., 1892-12-01
An Interesting Exhibit.
THE STORY OF THE FISHING INDUSTRY AT
THE CHICAGO EXPOSITION.

n
THE CHICAGO EXPOSITION.
An interesting historical exhibit in two
series will be disposed in this section and
in the great central hall of the Fisheries
Building, as part of the large collection
Of models and full sized specimens OF
various types Of boats and vessels engaged
in the fisheries. About thirty models of
fishing vessels will illustrate the evolution
of the fishing craft from 1926 to this year
Of grace for the presentation of history;
these are worked up from the architects
plans, and the rugged models are complet-
ed according to the sailors plans, point
considered as important as the construc-
ton. A collection of drawings, paintings,
etc., will be added, with the rugged and
sectional models, and different kinds of
plans. The typical architectural series is
to begin with the ancient form Of the
Sparrow hawk that was driven ashore by Il
gale in Barnstable Bay, where in 1865, after
having been buried for more than two
centres, this old time craft was unearthed
to add another light to the perpetual torch
procession of history. Such types as the
Burgess craft Fredonia will fill out the
scale at the more modern end The forms
called SHOWS and ketches were some of
the early types of fishing craft. The first
marked Improvement in the American fish
ing vessels was the invention of the schoon-
Ell RIG early in the eighteenth century, and
the second event of consequence in the
history OF the nations fishing fleet was
the change from blunt to clipper schooners,
in which again recent important moditica-
lions have been made.
\ full series of small boats will illus
trate the varied types from the Esquimau
kayak to the deliberately finished and
sometimes magniticently fitted pleasure
boats. constructed with all possible work
ing perfection and elegance The con-
struction of vessels is to be illustrated in
representations of ship yards, boat manu-
factories, and tools by means of speci-
mems, models, and photographs. A
syonptical series of fishing apparatus of
the principal types, from the primitive
forms used by the Indians and EsquimauX
to the highest specialized types developed
for angling, will be presented in models
and other varieties of illustration. The
models of fishermen will be a striking
feature, and some of these are to be shown
on full sized specimens OF sections of
vessels and boats, with their apparatus,
to illustrate special fisheries or fishery
operations.
The spear is believed to have been used
first in taking fish; next the hook and
line: and finally, the net. One OF the
interesting features in the fisheries exhb-
it will be the different forms of aboriginal
apparatus. The Indians of the Northwest,
who, like the ancient Ichthyophagi, exist
almost solely upon the animal life of the
sea, and who, on the entire coast, have
the upper limbs better developed than the
lower ones from the use of the paddle,
will be represented by a distinctive series.
The Makah Indians, inhabiting the region
OF Cape Flattery, whose tribal name is
knenuit-chechat, are the only ones south
of Alaska who actively engage in whaling;
but they did not acquire the art from white
men, and still employ the apparatus and
processes which have come down to them
through untold generations. These whale
men are equally skilful in the management
of their canoes, made of cedar and in the
manufacture Of their own fishing appara-
tus. All their whaling implements used
in capture are held in special regard, and
handed down from one generation to an
other, with the belief that it is unlucky
to part with them. The largest and best
canoes Of these fishermen are made by the
Clyouuots and Nttinats ON Vancouver
Island where the Indian models his grace
ful canoe by the eye, with little recourse
to absolute measurements These are
the tribes who believe their ancestors were
the otfsplings OF star that fell from heaven
and some animal. Their method of whal
ing, at least, is entirely different from
that of other men. They wear bear-sl
cloaks (arUleitluitl). and show themselves
extremely fearless in making long voyages
at sea and in attacking the whale
The different kinds OF seines in the order
of development, and traced back to the
sweep net-ancient sagena. the oldest
form of which any distinct record is known
will constitute another great SERIES as
representing the enormous apparatus
developed for capture in this form with
the two divisions of fixed and movable
nets. compared with which the fabrication
among the ancient Greeks and Romans-of
which Ossian says that fisher might re-
hearse Il thousand names, ''intractable in
smoother verse lis made to appear in
significant. In commercial fishing on Il
large scale. nets are sometimes used which
are a mile in length hauled in by a wind
lass, sometimes worked by a steam engine
instead of the power of horses or men. A
trawl-line is made to carry thousand
hooks. Dynamite and other explosives
are used in fishing, and device in poach-
ing is the explosion of torpedoes beneath
the water The most important use is
made of the hook and line, of nets, and
weirs The greatest increase in CONNER
cial fishing in the latter half of this century
has been i'll deep-sea fishing, attributed
principally to the comparatively new pro-
cess of trawling, for which one form of
invention, chiefly in use in the open sea,
is referred to as a kind of sea plough, or
apparatus going on wheels, which, with
the mounted net, rolls over the ground,
simply pressing down the marine vegeta-
ton that is important to the fish, without
tearing it up by the roots. The vessels
used in recent methods of fishing are built
larger than those of any previous time,
and carry ice in great quantities, although
attended by steam-cutters which convey
the catch directly to port, The wonder
full Appliances for sea-diving will be a
series to attract attention. the develop
ment of apparatus of all kinds completely
illustrating the vast increase in the APP
probation of the golden mines,'' as the
fisheries were called, with good reason
by the Dutch, who in going a. fishing rails
ed themselves to opulence. Harper $
Weekly.
Christ's Questions.
In the course of his first sermon preach
co this autumn to the Edwards Church.