Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-06-23
FISH AT THE FAIR,
Walter Wellman Writes Of a
-. Romantic Industry.
OCEANS PRECIOUS GIFT TO MAN.

The Wonderful Scope and Variety of thu
Worlds Fisheries-From the Equator to
the Arctics - Lofoden in Norway and
Gloucester In Amcrica-What a woma.
Did.
WORLDS FAIR, June 49, Especial. -
One of the most surprising features of the
exposition is the fisheries building and
the exhibit which it houses. In a forme,
letter l described the beauties of the salt
and fresh water aquaria and the charm
their countless inhabitants exercise over
many thousands of visitors every day. One
can understand that, for the privilege Of
seeing all varieties of live fish disport in
their native element is one which people
do not often enjoy. But I confess I was
surprised at the interest manifested by
the throngs of exposition visitors in the
main building of the fisheries, where NO
live fish are to be seen. Every day I saw
streams of people going in and out of this
structure, and finally I determined to sea
what it was that exercised such fascina-
ton over them within.
After a tour of the building Iam no
longer amazed at the popular interest in
its contents. I never before realized the
important part which fisheries play in the
commerce of the world, never understood,
as do now, the almost infinite variety Of
hsh products and their value as food, in
the arts, and in medicine. Above and be-
yond all this there is a glamour of TO-
nance about the fishing industry. 1t must
go to sea in boats, must bear the dangers
OF the deep, has in it that which develops
character and feeling, with now and then
atragedy in real life, and is, withal, con.
tinuously and inevitably picturesque.
Everything that industry and science
have rescued from the depths of lake,
river and sea is shown here; inhabitants of
deep sea grottoes, the coral animal-sea
that blossom miles below the
surface of the ocean: specimens of sub
aqueous plant life SO marvellously delicate
n richly beautiful that the microscope
alone is able to reveal all the charms Of
their hlm-like tracery. Very interesting
u the exhibit of the United States Fish
commission of the methods employed by
1t deep sea work, in propagatiug fish
and stocking our rivers and lakes.
A feature Of the show which every one
stops to look at is an extensive model of
the seal fisheries of Alaska over which the
great lawyers are now contending before
the international tribunal at Paris. The
seal-catching trade is classed With the fish.
cries, though the seal, strictly
speaking, is not q fish. This strange
Creature, whose skin represents !
about the highest type Of comfort and
elegance in the winter garments of civil
cation, is an amphibian. He lives princi.
pail" il the water, but uses the land for
breeding purposes, forming thereon at
certain seasons of the year vast settle.
4ents CALLED "rookeries." It happens that
the seal Of the 42egrth Pacific ocean make
their r9okeries Oh the Pribylov Islands,
$$hieA belong t9 the United States. and
Canadian fishermen insist UPON
capturing the animals While they
are en- route to and from the breeding
places. That is what all the trouble Is
about between the United States and Eng /
land. The models, prepared under the
direction Of Professor Elliott, of the Smith.
%sonian, are Of PAPER mache, colored, and
accurate, for Professor Elliott is the great
est authority in the world on seal life.
They show the queer habits Of the seal and
U00 ASVuOU VI Al1l1uk GuSlus Ou6 uOOSl /
is that of a seal "drive,n and includes hun
dreds Of mimic seals which the natives are
driving fsaid5 g sl2 e oyer the s. ground e tie il:
2i1s Ct sA I{{a1glat So ! Eze es5eEr2 Sf e @sss:
the full-grown seals, the males believing
and fighting, have hauled up out st thl
:Sse e ths DR., ~ ls e A. tks Pribyloy
acres acres R Ri9f ht VIZ i Az iss =! tes@s & thsst al;
IA size: A third model IL not a very pleas.
Cit one to look Upon. 1t shows the Aleuts
ID the act Of killing the poor creatures by
With big clubs as they lie helpless upon
the ground.
The great Fisheries building is filed
with lust such illustrations. From almost
every country in the world come the boats,
tackle and appliances of fishermen, with
figures of the fishermen themselves,
models showing methods employed, pict-
ures Of fishing cen and stations, and an
infinite variety Of fish products.
Norway makes what IS probably the
most interesting of these displays. The
Mortimer are famous fishermen. The
theater of their operations extends from
Christiana in the south to the limit of the
polar ice pack north Of 6pitzbergen. These
Norwegians start; early in the year for the
Arctic ocean, driving their little schooners
into the ice with an intrepidity which
hstonishes the Arctic explorers who, fitted
with steam vessels and all appliances for
fighting ice, are afraid to follow. Fisher.
men from Tromsoe and Hammerfest every
year accomplish feats in the northern
! waters which would add to the fame Of
Arctic explorers, but the N~orwegians are
I, after fish, seal, walrus, elder down, whales,
!! not glory. Almost every year some Of
these little craft go north of Spitzbergen
i and reach a latitude that is within 500 geo
graphical miles Of the north pole. Occar
sionally one is nipped in the ice up there,
and the master and crew, unless rescued
by other fishermen, must pass the long
Arctic winter in improvised huts and sub
list upon such game as they may be able
10 take before darkness sets in about the
irst of October. Sometimes they do this
successfully; others, their bones are found
n the spring where starvation or scurvy
eft them. ~ e,.. .
The N%orwegians show here specimens OF
he craft: and the weapons with which