The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-12-24
Sardine Season Closed.
100000 Cases Of "Litile Fishes Billed in Ile''
Put up In Cannerles.

EAsTPoRT, Me-, Dec. 16. The sardin
season closed yesterday in Maine and i
will be four months before the manufac
turers are allowed to open for CANNING
herring-or sardines.
The season has been shorter than til,
average. While the time for opening il
April ID, very few fish were put up befor,
July in this city.
| The cause of the delay was due to the
scarcity of fish and refusal of the employees
! to begin work at the wages offered. Al
| the Boston and New York markets were
overstocked with sardnes, packed the
previous season, they were sold below the
cost of manufacturing.
Herring were soon found in quantities
in nearly all the weirs and could be bought
at the low price of 81 per hogshead, which
was considerably lower than usual for the
opening
Gradually the stock of sardines in the
markets and stored here disappeared, and
after the question of wages was settled
several large factories opened, and a few
have continued up to full time, Tuesday,
| Dec. Is.
| But the pack this year has been below
the average and will be fully two thirds
| less than that of the former season.
| There were about S75, 900 cases of various
kinds of fish packed on the Maine coast
during 95. This year it will fall short
nearly 300, 900 cases.
| There were about 300, 900 cases of sar-
dimes packed in Eastport, Lubec and the
surrounding bays up to Oct. l. Last sea-
sons pack was more than 700, 600 cases.
This year it will reach about $50, 900.
| In one of the large factories 300 cases,
or ~, 600 cans have been packed in one
day, but there are many who do not aver
age 100 cases.
| Perhaps at no other season for 20 wears
(When the first herring were canned) have
fish of all kinds been so plentiful and SO
easy to catch, as during the past three
months. In the bay on many occasions.
large schools of herring have been seen
and several docks have held hundreds of
small sardines for hours 1t has been a
big fish season and proved profitable for a
large number
The packing of sardines here employs
more than :, 900 people, who find it diff
tcult to support themselves for II months
with less that six months work. Yet
this has been the case this season The
employees have been idle during this time
about six weeks, caused by another re-
ductlon in few OF the factories. but the
difficulty was settled, and the men re-
turned 10 work, to finish up the short
season.
There are is factories here, and about
as many at Lnbec and North Lubec,
where a number from this city have work
ed for many weeks.
Frying fish in oil, the former way, was
tiled this year with success, and fried sar-
dimes 1ind prominent place in the mar
kets, in place of those baked
The recent experiment of preserving
herring in glass jars also promises to be
profitable the coming season. and the fish
will be put up in larger quantities to meet
the demand
Another change this season was the
opening of 'smalF' factories where the
few people employed took especial care in
| their work. The sardnes canned in these
places are superior to the fish put up in
the average factory. Next year several
other experienced sardine packers will
enter into this industry, as the demand
was greater than the supply for the past
season in the small shops.
During the season one factory was re-
duced to ashes in few hours, and on the
site where Dan McCollough's factory was
burned year ago larger one was COM
pleted in time to open with the Others