The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-21

he Red Mud n y nd Ihe'e "~e'
Them F,,. 80 the yIrg n ansSay

ITEM 4 ~. 80 tile Nirg n ans ray
WASHINGTON. April 13-The yciio"
waters OF the Potomac have begun 10
Weld their annual supply OF shad. and toe
bosom of the river from the capital 10 us
mouth Is dotted with selnes OF all kinds
while thousands OF NOR are busily en-
gagged in the harvest. which this year y
unusually promisir <. The run Of ohad III
the Potomac generally lasts for six weeks
end during that time a great many OF the
esculont fish are .aken, the catch some
days in the vicinity of Alexandria. the
chief shipping point for some OF The larg-
est operators amounting to several thou
sand fish. ON Tuesday last an operator
at High Point took 300 shad and 1000
herring.
This fisherman. however. operates the
LARGEST seine In the world. he having more
than eight miles OF ret, and in working
this immense plant he uses two steam
boats very much ike the New York har-
Dor tug When not engaged In manipulate
ing the nets. the tugs convey the hsh 10
Alexandria in a huge barge making TWO
trips daily. The people of this city anu
In fact OF Virginia and Maryland. declare
that no shad equals those caught IN the
Potomac I'm point Of flavor or briliancy
of scale when taken out of the water.
"Tlis rcd mud OF the Potomac makes
'cm rat" was the way an Old-time iisner-
man expressed himself when questioned
by a reporter Of The Sun one day this
week.
II is a most interesting sight TO novice
to witness the hauling OF the seine Inc
p30rer class o. fishermen have no steam
boats like the big operator at hish
Point. and they depend upon an assistant
at the oars TO propel their craft slowly
w1ilc ward By yard the seine is hauled In
and arranged IN the stern Of the boat.
Now and then there Is a CLEAN as OF
bar of silver and a lusty shad IS tumoied
from the folds OF the seine and cast
among his fellows 10 die. sometimes
thr4e or four are caught together, but
oftener they are I'm pairs or simSiy' anu II
Is this fact that makes the operation ias-
cinating TO the onlookcr The river AT
tide time IS full of small boats. some IlS-
ged with sail and the others with no olheT
method Of propulsion than comes through
the combination Of strong arms ana sew
eral pairs of oars.
Across the mouths Of the many creeks
or email tributaries OF the Potomac are
thrown "A large number OF selnes, anu
these are usually among the most pro
ductive Of all the nets placed during the
season. The shad seem to want 10 reach
fbo head waters Of all streams 10 deposl
their spawn. and thousands OF them are
taken at the entrance 10 lne uoHth 9iin''
streams which enter the Potomac Tor
twcr,tv-fve mixes below this city There
IS no excuse for any man being me VINO
cares TO work while the run OF shau Is
on. and frequently partnerships are
made and a boat leased with no reauy
money in sight. but faith in the never
failing shad to bring the firm out safely
I'm the transaction.
The market price varies conslderanly'
and is scarcely the same two days IN
succession. The best Of the fish 20 10 Ne"
York. Boston Philadelphia. and chicago
All of the largest fishermen have repre-
sentatives at Alexandra. and the historic
old town smells Of fish I'm manner thal
reminds the metropolitan visitor OF hunt
sr's Point or Barren Island.
There are several places on the Potomac
below Washington where feature Is
made of plankcd shad. and on sunday
duriae the season a steamer carries sew
eral hundred persons to the chief or THESE
planked shad at any time nils "a long
feu want" but when the shad IS caught
before your eyes and is on your plate
within twenty minutes Drowned DELICIOUS
=, annette Is never absent
The herring catch Is unusually Dig ,hlS
season and peddlers hawk this excellent
nan-nsh about the streets at price, thal
would be a godsend TO the zen ;me hl poor
Of the metropolis.