The Washington times., 1895-04-22
Complaints Against a Practice Of
the Government Commission.
FARMERS BUY IT'S CATCH
Sells For Less Than Regular Fishermen
Charge That the Proceeds Go Into the
Pockets Of Oficials-Chief Clerk Gill
Says the Thing Has Been Done For Years
Money Goes to Pay Seine Haulers.

The fishermen OF the Potomac, and es-
pecially those in the neighborhood of
Bryant's Point, are indignant at the United
States Fish Commission engaging in the
sale Of fish. This sale by the commission
OF the fish caught in its seine at Bryant's
Point it is charged, seriously impairs the
business OF the local fishermen, reduces
| their revenue, and is conducted, they say,
| on the principle of underselling those
legltimately in the industry.
III. T. -. Hayden, one ofthese fishermen,
called at The Times office Saturday night
and made a complaint concerning the
above points, on his own behalf and that
of his fellow fishermen.
The specific charge of Mr.. Hayden IS that
The United States Fish Commission is en-
gagged in the fish trade at Bryant's Point;
chat Capt. L. Harron is in charge there;
that the commission sells shad and herring
in The Washington market and to thc farm
ers selling in one day 70 900 herring,
shad and other fish aud realizing in
season over So, 600.
THREW AWAY THEIR FISH.
MI HAYDEN said that he and his brother
had many time to throw away their fish,
as the market at Alexandra and Washing
ton was oyerstocked By the United states
Fish Commission. Also that the com
mission sells for So a thousand, while
he fishermen should receive 81 thou
sGud he said further that Nh Weich
who attends TO the sales for the commits
sion on shore. sad tHas he handles aH the
money for the sale and that the receipts
for the commission for 1892, 1898, were
between three aud four thousand dollars.
capt HlTroG hesays, has Daenags inn or
! 8. week ormore, catching more fish than any
Of the fishermen, ana if report be true, is
selling fish for less money than any other
fisherman" This complaint was referred
/ 10 Grief Clerk Gill, OF the Fish Commission
| in the absence of Commissioner Macdonald
/ from the city.
/ CHIEF CLERK GILL'S STATEMENT.
Mr. Gill said that the statement that the
/ Commission sold the fish caught in the seine
/ was true. There was 10 secrecy, whatever,
! in the transaction. The fact that the
! Commission was using q seine TO catch
! shad had been known to Congress for years
! ana the subject was discussed when the
! Commission was Investigated by a Seuate
/ committee in 1S90-91.
The sales Of fiSl are made to pay the eX-
! penses Of the seine-haulers, and for that
! purpose only. If the fish were given
| a way the fishermen would complain, and it
! would be q very questionable policy to
! throw them away.
Mr Gill, without reference to the books,
] says that the statements Of Mr.. Hayden
! appear to be very much exaggerated
| Mr. Gill quoted from the testimony given
! before the Senate Committee to show that
| in three consecutive years the revenues
1 from the safe of fish exceeded the eX-
| penses Of the seine-haulers by about $40,
! aud that this was carried forward to be
! applied TO the next years expenses. Capt.
! HarrOa testified that the average take
! OF the seine was from TG0 to 600 shad
FIsHERMEN's BEST CUSTOMERS.
| Mr. Gill cited statistics to show that the
shad taken in the river was only about
! one-seventh of the number used by the COM
mission, and that the rest was bought from
/ tiia fishermen and gililet men. the COM
nilsson being thus one OF their best
customers.
By using its own seine the government can
secure million eggs for $22 or $23, while
! a milton eggs bought lrom The gliaet men
! and other fishing shoes costs he govern
meut from $50 TO Ss5.
Gar. Gill said that The Times could at
| any time obtain all the Information it
wanted on the subject at the office of the
1 commission. They sell their iisi through
| q commission merchant of this city. The
! price obtained ana asked from the sarmers
aud everybody else is merely the wholesale
| DriCe