Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-05-26
THE FISHERIES EXHIBIT.
4 NOTEWORTHY DISPLAY ON AN
ISLAND AT JACKSON PARK
The Fish OF Many Countries shown,
With Effective Expeditions Of the
Various Features Of the Industry.


TO fish and fisheries, while not
one of the largest is, accord
ing 10 the New York Tribune, one of
the most picturesque in the more i'm
portant group. When the choice of
location WAS made about the only place
for it was an oblong island shaped some
thing like banana, and comprising q
little over four acres of ground The
chief of the department, Joseph Will
lam Collins, was pleased with the site,
and suggested the foundation outlines
to the architect, Henry Ives Cobbs, of
Chicago. There was room in the mid
die of the island for structure of rea-
sonable dimensions, built ON angular
lines. The principal point was how to
utilize the ends of the island. 1t was
finally decided to have an annex at
either point, to be connected with the
main building in each instance by an
arcade. This feature of the arcade,
with its low column and sloping roof,
WAS carried throughout the plan of the
structure, and the result is most at
traotive building covering an island in
among the lsgoons and reached by little
bridges, under which are already skip
ping the gondolas, propelled by cleo
tricity, which are to prove novel fea-
lures during the summer season.
The Fish and Fisheries building,
which by it's arcades is curving struc-
ture, is 800 feet long and l65 feet wide
in the centre. The annexes at the end
Of the arcades are circular in form, and
1876 feet in diameter. The total floor
area is 8. acres. The general fisheries
exhibit is in the main building. The
west annex is devoted to angling eX
hibits, and the aquarium is in the east
ern end. The glass fronts of the aqua
rum make a total of 575 feet in length,
and 5000 square feet of surface, with a
water capacity of l40, 600 gallons The
tanks in which salt water fish are ex-
hibited contain 40, 900 gallons. This
is real Atlantic Ocean salt water, which
was condensed for shipment to one-tfth
its bulk and restored at the tanks with
fresh water.
On entering the main building one
finds himself i'll the midst of the Cana
dian section, to which are devoted 1000
feet of floor space, and the specimens
are interesting from the start. There
are some magnificent representations
of the Quinnat salmon and, in fact, all
species of fish that inhabit the waters
of the Canadian Coast. The boats used
In this industry are also represented,
4 l.. Il l..
employed In the collection is the du-
plicate of boat used for fishing pur-
poses, exhibited i'll London i'll 1883,
and subsequently presented to the
Prince of Wales for his Use as yacht
Apyramid constructed upon the founda-
ing fish, with II superstructure of vari-
Gus forms and kinds of fish products in
cans and other receptacles, forms what
is called the Canadian trophy. 1t is
surmounted by the figure of angler, life
size, who appears iii an easy position,
Ms if walking, with his iishinc-rod over
his shoulder and his catch hanging 10y
his side. This section also possesses
models of all sorts Of fishing boats. \
small white whale, handsomely mounted
in p glass case, is another interesting
specimen.
The Australian exhibit Is attractive
from the fact that it affords view of
specimens of fish which people living
in this latitude are not accustomed to
see. In this court is cluster Of rocks
over which three beautiful specimens
eff the great Australian seal are repre-
scented as climbing. The birds that are
common to the fishing grounds of Aus
tralia, some of them of magnificent
plumage, also appear. The exhibits Of
alcohol fishes are many, and some of
the specimens are rare. In this section
there is a model of lighthouse. 1t is
constructed of fish products, upon a
foundation set with pearls gathered on
the Australian coasts
The space allotted to Norway, 5000
feet, is the largest awarded to any
country. The fisheries of Norway are
world famous, and all manner of de
tails in the shape of appliances and
devices are worked ont in the presenta-
ton of models of boats, the tackle EN-
ployed, etc. 1t this section stands Il
full-sized hut of the kind occupied by
fishermen at the celebrated cod fishery
grounds on the Lofoden Islands This
industry is carried on winter and sum
mer with great success, although the
grounds are north of the Arctic circle.
The American exhibits are in many
instances striking and exceedingly in
structive. Although the people ofthis
country have heard much of the great
fishing industry of New England, few
have any true conception of its magni-
tude in commercial sense. A large
section is devoted to the disply of
Gloucester and across the front of the
pavilion the almost incredible state
ment appears in big letters and figures
'140, 323, 2l2 pounds of product last
year; 451 fishing vessels hailed from
Gloucester.
Rhode Island makes a good showing,
especially in reference to the Menhaden
fisheries and the models of boats used
in making the catches In this section
is exhibited the boat in which Ida
Lewis performed her heroic rescues on
the coast. 1t may be incidentally
mentioned here that boat used by
Grace Darling appears in the transpor-
tation department in connection with
the exhibits of Great Britain.
Inland fishing is represented by
Minnesota, where number of mag
nificent specimens of the fish which in
habit the waters of her many lakes and
specimens of the migratory birds which
feed upon those waters are to be found.
California makes good showing, also,
of specimens as well of pictures of