The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-03-16

as guests. They lave come here for
years, spent their money freely aud en-
joyed themselves at their tavorite pas
time. J~ohnfCoffin, ex-edftdr of the Asbury
Park Journal. lately interviewed the
proprietors of our leading hotels on this
subject. and procured the names of aud
the amount of money left with them an
surprised to. find that each season
would average $4,000. This does not
include the great majority who stop at
boarding houses and cottages; these
would easily figure as much more. We
also have the important item of bait,
boats, tackle, etc.. which would swell the
figure to the enormous sum OF at least
$751; 600 and that is only our own town.
The past two years have been, however,
seasons Of acknowledgment, and many an
old face Will be missed the coming season,
owing to the circumstances that they are
called upon TO face and will seek other
waters where pounds are unknown. This
unless some change is made at once.
e YEARS ACC.
Ten years ago the entire coast from Sea-
bright to Barnegat 1nlet was a veritable
paradise for the salt water angler. No
better stretch of beach existed. From
June till november the waters swarmed
with scaly prizes. bluefsh could be taken
from the beach any day III profusion. Now
Uu6 CdpLQTG VI Ole IL .I6SHIQGu dS u ralG
stroke of good luck. kinghsh, weakfsh
and other valuable varieties of game fishes
crowded in every stream and were ready
for the hook on presentations; but these
days of pleasure are now known to mem
DRY only.
The pound men argue that the exis-
tence of their nets a have nothing to
do with tie present scarcity of striped
bass, as they are never caughE. Their
argument is as misleading on this as on
all other questions, and the absence of
striped bass from the nets Is easily under
stood. The bass is endowed with more
cunning than any of his fellows, aud Is
too willy to be taken in any such manner.
He is at all times an inshore feeder, and
what angler has not seen the silvery
CLEAN of his side as he darts through the
unaertow in pursuit of his prey? Meet
ing as he does the great succession OF nets
stretched along the beach, it IS small
wonder that he takes himself to waters
and feeding grounds where he will not
encounter what undoubte lily seems to
him a snare aud an intrusion
In view of all these facts. is it either
right or consistent that the public sit idly
by and allow this wanton destruction TO
continued? Is It right that the masses
should be deprived In the future of such
excellent food 30 bountifuliy supplied by
our Creator? Is it right that our thou
sands of fishermen shall be driven from
their homes and from the possibilities Of
earning an honest living? Is it right that
our hotel keepers shall be deprived of
their legitimate revenue? Is it right
that the angler Ito whom the hun
Of the reel and the swirl of
the rod are indescribable music).
shall be deprived of his innocent and
glorious pastime? And all that the
plethoric purses of a few men shall be
sweIled to enormous proportion. For,
into this business. as each pound repre-
sents nan thousands of dollars In value.
know of no subject where economic
Importance is SO uisfegarded by our au-
thorities. II is only to be explained by
ignorance of actual facts. Could our
lawmakers but witness for one week tine
enormous waste persisted iu, the pound
would be abolished.