The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-07-13
MHNHADEN STATISTICS
U. S. Fish Commissioner
Mcdonald on a Great
Jersey Industry.
OUR STATE AT WASHINGTON
Veterans Claims-Public Buildings
Senator MCPHERSON ON
Ferrybo t Lights.
OUR STATE AT WASHINGTON

July IL, lSy2 III need not
be said hat the menhaden fisheries are
quite an important industry In New Jer-
key. The statistics prove this. To COM
ply with a request from the Senate Com
mitIee on Fisheries. Commissions
Mcdonald of the Fish Commission has
prepared an interesting statement on the
subject. The statistics for New Jersey
are as foIlows:-
Number of factories in operation, Z;
value of plant, $73. 500; cash capital, $49,-
600. Port Monmouth has four factories,
Tuckerton two, and one is at Somer's
Point. The number of hands employed
in the factories is 90, while ITO meu are
engaged in the fisheries. Three steam
vessels Of the value OF 81, 600, and having
invested in apparatus and outfit "a, 1850,
are engaged In fishing. as we'll as six sail :
ing vessels. valued at $500, with ap-
paratus and outfit amounting to S., $50
In additioA, nine sailing vessels, value
$3.50, and outfit $3.50. are employed trans
porting the catch" Number of men-
haden handled last year.. 27,25 900; of the
value, to fishermen, of $50. II. From this
yietd there We're manufactured So, T6S gal
Ions of oil, value SET, 2l4, and 2,47S toni OF
scrap were prepared, value Sal. 035.
Such are the figures presented, but, in
addition. the Commissioner speaks with
authority on several contested points. and
as we'll gives some instructive informa-
tion connected with the industry.
Very little is known about the spawn
ing habits of the m~enhaden. says Com
missioner Mcdonald, aud there is no
definite established breeding ground on
AM Nntfhnrn cnuat Tho faf1ura RI lind
breeding grounds in-shore has LED to the
adoption of the theory that they breed Ia
off-shore waters along the coast from
Georges Bank TO Florida Keys. There is
nothing to indicate that spawning takes
place on the grounds in which menhaden
usually are seined. The most potent in
f1uence on the migratiopS of the men
baden is believed to be the temperature
of the water. There has been no falling
off in the supply of mennade except
locally, and apparently in consequence of
the low temperature of the watsr.
WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION.
1t has been estimated that tue number
OF menhadeu taken in seiues and other
forms of net during the last season was
about zoo, 900, 600. There is no means of
determining exactly how many are de-
stroyed by birds, whales, porpoises and
other predaceous animals, but the num-
her is believed to be far in excess of that
n u - Az ASb4aS
of q shark 100 whole menhaden have been
taken, and bone whales have been known
to consume several barrels at q mouth
full. Schools several miles la length of
porpoises have been seen in the act OF de-
stroying schools of menhaden, and it is
scarcely to be doubted that they alone
onsume more a the entire fishing
feet. Competent observers have seen
sharks covering acres of water in the
midst of menhaden schools in which the
fish were huddled together like iocks of
frightened sheep. and the destruction
caused by these voraeious animals prob
ably exceeds that brought about by DOR
poises. The swordfsh aud the sailfsh-
are also active and powerful enemies.
The pollock, the cod, the striped bass. the
blue1sh and osteers are very destructive
to the menhaden. Prot. Baird estimated
that the bluetsh alone probably destroyed
1901 COG, 900 fish during the season OF four
months On the New England coast alone,
one-quarter of which are probably men,
baden.
MILLIONS OF EGGS.
The m~enhaden, although not much
larger han the herring. is said to havs
five times as many eggs. The herring
has about 81. 900, and u menhaden taken
III NarragaDsett bay contained at least
$50. 900.
As to the question as to whether the
present method of fishing has caused a
noticeable decrease in the abundance of
~menhaden or food fish. the Commissioner
says:-
In the abundance of menhaden on the
coast of New England and the middle of
Atlantic States. but these have been
caused by fishing. The variation in the
abundance of menhaden has never
rel >ched the extreme noticeable in the
case OF the mackerel and other species.
Takinc one year with another, there IL
no evidence of an actual diminution in
the species"
The Investigations Of the Fish Com
mission have shown that the capture of
food fish by menhaden fishermen Is, as a
rule, very limited or rare. The capture
of food fish, however, has been so excep-
tionable that the influence upon the gem
appreciable.
A NEW JERSEY SOLDIER.
The Hous Committee on Military
Affairs recommended The passage of the
Senate bill directing the Secretary of War
10 set aside the special order Diminishing
from the service for absence without
leave First Lieutenant Henry Lane, Com
pany It, Thirteenth New Jersey, aud to
grant HIM an honorable discharge, as of
date April Z, 1868. This Is y correction Of
one of the injustices worked by buried
military Judgment, as the officer was on
duty Will MS regiment In the Held. aud.
had been for months when he was digs
Honorable dismissed for "absence with
out leave"
Tn House Committee on Public Buildg
ings have prepared q report in support of
the PROPOSED public building for Eliza
, beth. They sag: Elizabeth Is a rapidly
growing city OF 10000 Inhabitants, having
1DcleiseI to that number from Is, 229 In
1880. ltsspoStai receipts in 1891 were above
$4,000, against expenses OF only about
one-halt that amount. The city is already
an important railroad and manufacturing
centre, and rapidly developing AZ such.
The extent Of the Federal business at
Elizabeth justifies, and its convenient
transaction requires. the erection there of
u public building. Your committee be-
lIeve that for $1e0, 600 a suitable site can
be secnred aud u building erected thereon,
which will be adequate Tor the uses of the
post Office and other Government purposes
1cf many years to come"
FERRYBoAT LIGHTS.
Senator McPhelsonr has secured a
favorable report from the Committee on
Commerce on his bill to SO amend exist
ing law MS to provide that the lights for
ferryboats and burgess and canal boats
when IN tow of steam vessels shall be re.
gulated by the Board CT Inspectors of
Steam Vessels. At present the SECTION
amended only applies to ferryboats,e out
it is considered in the interest of safety
to require regularity i'll lighting barges
and canal boats when In tow. 1870
Several of the granger statesmen in the
house have of late been making H. wofui