Arizona republican., 1892-06-15

How Schools of Fish Are Pursued, Cap
 tured and Slowed Aboard-An Accom-
 modating Member of the Finny Tribe
 Which Can Re Used In Many Ways.
 Pitching his voice high the lookout at the masthead of the menhaden steamer shouts out gleefully: "A schooll A schoolI' and immediately all is hustle and excitement on board.
 "As this is a new experience to you, sir, you shall have a seat with me in my boat"
 Thank you, captain; am only too eager to see the fun"
 The crews now take their places in the seine boats, while two of the party, known as drivers, go out in advance in little thirteen foot boats to learn the direction in which the school is moving, and to mark out its size. The jolly cap tain-a true type of the traditional Cape Colder, square built, sturdy, genial, his face bronzed by years of exposure to sunshine and sea breeZes and very intel lgent withal-takes his place at the in- side bow oar in one of the seine boats, and the mate corresponding position in the other, and by the time they reach the school the drivers describe the move ments of the fish.
 They now begin throwing out the seine, each boat going in an opposite di- rection around the school, the drivers in the meantime splashing the water to keep the fish from escaping. Soon the boats meet, and all hands now pull at the purse line, the net and cork line The steamer is brought alongside, and after the fish are driven we'll together the net is fastened to the steamers side and they are baled into the hold by means of large dip net run by don key engine.
 The next thing on the programme is to prepare the menhaden for salting, to be used as bait-for which there is great demand. This is a simple process, but to me its novelty invests it with partic- ular interest. The head of the fish is taken in the left hand of the workman, and with peculiarly shaped knife held in the right hand he cuts slice, longi- tudinally, from each side of the body, leaving the head and vertebre to be thrown away or occasionally to be pressed for oil. The slivers are salted and packed in barrels.
 This opening act of the days drama ended, Captain Williams invites me to accompany him into the cabin, and the jolly skipper there entertains me with some interesting points about the fishery.
 "It's queer how many different names the menhaden is known by" observes the skipper. Fact is, it has more ali ases than veteran criminal-more nick names than there were colors to Joseph's coat, Besides the more common name of menhaden it is known as pogy, bony- fish, mossbunker, hardhead, whitetish, bunker, oldwife, bugtish, cheboy. ell wife, alewife, fatback, greentail, wife and yellowtail shad. It's about as long as the common sea herring, but is deep- CT and more robust looking. Its aver age length is from twelve to fifteen inches. hardly need tell you that it is valuable as a bait fish, it excelling all others as such; that as food resource it is thought to have great qualities; that its chief value is as fetilizer and and that it is also valuable for the oil and scrap produced by cooking and pressing them.
 For illustration, here are some min utes l made in my memorandum book in regard to what was done in the year 1880, which was fair representative sea- son. That year the total weight of the catch was 576,000 pounds-equivalent to about 100000, 900 menhaden in number. Pretty big army, eh? Quantity of oil pro duced, 2,066,3 gallons, and of guano 6S,90i tons, having total value of $2,Oa,Gi Capital invested in steamers, etc., and their outfit and in factories, $2, ,3G2,Sll As compared with previous years, however, the yield of oil was small"
 About how long, captain, does the catching season last!"
 "Well, you see, as soon as the men, haden make their appearance in the spring, vessels start in pursuit of 'em, and continue capturing 'em till they dis appear in the fall. From the menhaden oil and guano factories along the south ern coast of New England, New York and New Jersey shores, the fleets of steam and sail vessels begin their cruises .l, al. E,l 4l