The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-05-18
CHICAGO'S FISH SUPPLY.
How It Is Affected by the Finan-
cial Stringency.
Hard Times Have Caused the People to
Economic on Their Meat Bills
Where tho Fish Are Prin-
cipally Obtained.

The report of a shortage of 10000, 900
bushels in the oyster crop of Chesa-
peake bay does not disturb the equa-
nimity of the Chicago dealers.
''Our business is mostly in fish this
winter" one of them declares. Hard
times have caused people to eeono-
mize on high-priced oysters and meats
and turn to fish as the staple food.
Fish are very cheap and plentiful.
Chicago eats 2O,000,00 pounds of lake
fish and 100000 pounds of ocean fish
annually The lake fish were caught
and frozen last fall, and so long as
they remain in ice continue as fresh as
when taken from tie water. How
ever, if anyone demands a newly
caught fish, the Mackinaw fishermen
are sending down choice trout daily
taken from the straits.
GAS to oysters, the crop of Balti-
more and New York might totally fail
without embarrassing the public in
the least or raising the price of the
bivalve.
''The Gulf of Mexico produces fully
as fine favored oysters as are taken
anywhere. Many people like the gulf
oyster best. New Orleans could easily
supply the world with oysters, as its
coast environment is enormously pro-
life in oysters, delicious crustaceans,
and fishes. These gulf edibles are
sent north in refrigerator cars which
have conveyed dressed beef south.
They also come by express. The fail
ure of the fish and oyster crop would
be great boon to the gulf coast
trade"
The fishmonger mentioned that the
Pacific Goldfish had invaded the Chi
cago market to the detriment of the
Maine-Massachusett namesake. There
is no difference in the appearance of
the rivals. but epicures think the Pa
citic cod the chOicer. The Pacific cod
is now shipped to Massachusetts, sailed
and sent out as Atlantic cod. No one
can tell the difference.
A popular fish in Chicago is the red
snapper taken in the Gulf of Mexico,
and called by many the gulf cod. 1t is
Il handsOmer fish than the cod and of
much finer flavor. Large fleets engage
in the catch of this fish and it is fore
ing it's way into all the markets of the
world.
Brook trout weighing from two to
five pounds are plentiful in the local
markets. They come from private fish
ponds where they were taken out and
frozen last fall.
The finest yellow perch are taken in
the Detroit river at the st. Clair Flats.
MuscallOnge reach the market from
the interior lakes of Wisconsin.
The lake trout varies in color, both
of skin and flesh. The flesh is yellow
from the southern to the northern
waters of Lake Superior. In the
northwest corner of Lake Superior the
flesh becomes red and the skin fac
smile of the brook trout. This latter
variety, which is the finest of trout, is
believed by some to be a brook trout
from the Nipigon river, which in times
past left the stream and bred a deep
water variety of itself. 1t is scarce in
the local market. There is a suspicion
that the local dealer sells it as large
brook trout.
Eels mostly come from Fulton, n. Y,
where, on the Oswego river, is the
largest eel industry in the world.
Ocean fish are not popular in the
west, nor are lake fish popular in the
east. The condition is natural.
Crawtish come from New Orleans.
where they are the staple food of the
French people. The crawfish makes
the most delicious bisque known to the
enicure