The Portland daily press., 1895-01-14
WINTER FLOUNDERING.
Only Three Men Now Catching the
Queer Fish.

At the head Of the dock between Port
land Pier and Custom House wharf, the
large rock sloop Twill ght is hauled up
for the winter. She presents an interest
ing appearance, because leaning against
her shrouds is great pile of what seem
to be bean poles, and hanging around
the mast, about half way up, are five or
six great founder traps, each trap hav-
ing five large wooden hoops, about five
feet in diameter, connected with netting,
and with long wings" made Of netting
hanging down below.
The cabin of the sloop is large, and
very neatly and comfortably furnished.
There are hunks on the sides, and a
stove, and table and chairs. The place
is cosy and warm in the coolest weather,
and in this one room two men are living
this winter, while they carry ON the bus
mess of Misunderstanding in the harbor.
Their names are Sewall Curt and Us.
Farnham, Mr.. Curt has a family on
Great Chebeague, and spends Sundays
with them.
The catching of founders in large
quantities and shipping them to New
York, began in this harbor about Is or
20 years ago, when man came here from
New Haven, with proper traps and en-
gagged in the business for the first time.
He made money at it, and gradually the
fishermen on the islands began to catch
founders during the winter.
About eight or ten years ago there
were 10 or Is men in the business, and
founders were SO plenty and brought
such good prices in New York that good
money was made This same Mr.. Curt,
in one winter cleared $500. But gradual
~ the founders decreased and the num-
Der of fishermen with them. till this
winter there are only three men engaged
in the business, the two who live in the
Twill; ght and Il ben Cleaves, who has set
his founder traps for many years.
2 Messrs. Curt and Farnham began fish
ing the 2sth of Novem Der, wi tn 80 traps.
worth $6.5 apiece, total of S195.
They have caught even less fish than US
ual thus far this year, and have only
about paid expenses, BECAUSE the big
storm of December 25th, that destroyed
SO many lobster traps all along the
coast, played havoc among their found
er traps. These traps, besides the big
hoops and the wings leading away from
the hoods, about Is feet on either side,
have leader attached. 1t is piece of
netting about 60 feet long, that is kept
upright by stakes, the bean poles" on
the stoop. and extends over the flats and
leads the founders as they are swept
along with the outgoing tide down into
the trap.
Their traps were set on the flats up
near the dry docks, on the outer side Of
the breakwatter, and around by Fish
Point. Tie storm of December 9th, be.
sides sweeping away and losing five of
the traps, tore and badly damaged all
but three or four of the remainder. 1t
was followed so quickly by cold weather
that the ice formed. and it was not till
three days ago that all the traps could
be reached and taken up for repair. Lit is
difficult job in winter weather to do
this, Where the ice hadn't broken off
the poles, and the traps were worth tax
ing up, the poles had to be pulled up
with a lever and chain, worked over
the edge of the BOAT tSgas
Though this boat is a large sail boat.
and wide and deep, in attempting to-get
in their traps last week, during the
rough weather, they nearly filled the
boat with water, and had to give it up.
The traps they have brought in are
hung upon the mast to dry and be
cleansed, because they become foul with
eel grass and mud.
Altogether the storm destroyed just
about half their traps, or the damage
was equal to half the value of them.
and since then, a period of over two
weeks, the bad weather has prevented
them from catching any fish, and they
have simply tried to save and repair
their traps.
1t will be seen that the catching of
founders on the mud flats in winter
with these traps, the only possible way
60 secure these fish in paying quaint
ties, is attended with a great deal of
difficulty.
The price of founders varies very
much in New York. The above fisher
men sent a barrel there just after
Thanksgiving, and there was SO little
deman for them that they realized only
II cents from the transaction. On the
other hand the circumstances might be
such as to bring IS or Sc for a barrel.
Butsat the best there lis very little
money now in foundering in this har-
Dor, because there are very few fish. TO
the east of here there are very few
traps used, because the people don't
know about them, but a good many
founders are speared in the mud during
the winter.
Mr.. Curt, who is a veteran at the bus
mess, works on the stone sloop in the
summer, in fact is captain of her, we
understand, and simply catches houn-
ders in the winter as side business. TO
occupy the time when he cannot work
on the sloop. His partner, Mr.. Farm
ham, is engaging in the business for
the first time, with a view of learning