The Portland daily press., 1896-10-30
ALONG THE WHARvEs.
Something About the Fishermen and
Their Luck.

Their Luck.
Mackere1 Caught off Portland wednesday
Night-The Old Schooner BAamhall-
Freight Bates Going Up-sailors Scarce
Other Items.s
A rainy day usually has a paralyzing
effect on the water front, but yesterday
seemed to be an exception to the general
rule. There were large number of yes
sci arrivals during the day. the most of
them coming into port to escape the
threatening gale and the heavy sea
which was reported to be running out
side. Harbor Master Goud made several
trips down the bay to clear the channel
of vessels during the day, and was
obliged to haul many of them to better
or safer aIohorages. The harbor master
reported the Hogg island roads to be full
OF weather bound coasters, all of whose
names 1t was impossible to learn.
There were great many fishing ar
rivals also during the day, about $1,000
pounds Of fish being brought in alto
gether. Among these arrivals were the
Emma Jane. 10, 900; Cora E. Smith, TO-
900; Fanny Hayden, 10000; Ora Kilborn,
$1,000; Martha D. McLane, $4,000; 81. il.
Wyman 5000. and small boats 5000.
The fishermen have not had very
prosperous season this year, and although
it opened well for some, many of the
vessels have not made very much money
during the last month or two, owing to
hard luck and bad weather. At the be-
ginning of the season the mackerel
seiners went south to the Cape shore and
succeeded in catching large number of
fish there, and opened the season very
propitiously. TheE when these fish COM
menced to work northward the seiners
had very good luck on Georges Banks,
but with the exception of about month
of good fishing the season for she mack
erel men has been poor one.
The sword fishing has been very good
this year and many of the sohooners sal l.
ing out Of this port have made very good
money at this business.
Nearly all of this fishermen during the
last few weeks have been obliged to do
hand line fishing only. The weather has
been too tempestuous and uncertain to
allow the use of travis, and as a conse-
quence while the God and pollock are
very plentiful and are being caught in
large numbers the paddock catch has
been very small. These fish are reported
as being very scarce this year, and are
commanding a good price in the market.
One unusual thing for this timesof year
and in this season especially was catch
of about one hundred fine mackereI,
which were caught in q drag net off Port
land last nighu by the schooner Eva Bell.
These were the first maokerel brought
into this port for some time.
Yesterday was poor day for lobster
arrivals, although many smaoks and
steamers are repor ted to be on the way
here with cargoes, very few have as yet
arrived. Tiefethen got about 1900
Holsters on Wednesday night and has
more on the way.
All along the wharves on rainy, as well
as pleasant. days may be found any num-
Der of boys and men engaged in fishing
for smelts and pollock. Some of them
seem to have very good luck and secure
enough fish for many good meals at least.
Yesterday afternoon in the drenry drizzle
an old grey haired negro sat on theRend
of Long wharf and anRled for pollock
Unmindful of the rain or the cold the old
man sat with his feet dangling over the
end Of the wharf and hummed away to
himself some old fashioned song. He
was about the only person that could
find yesterday who seemed to be really
in good spirits or satisfied with the
weather, and the fsh were not coming
his way in schools either.
THE PALMER WILL GO TO
ANTWERP.
The big schooner William B. Palmer
of Bath has finished discharging coal at
the Grand Trunk wharf andiwill probably
sail for Baltimore Friday. Her crew was
shipped in Boston and arrived yesterday
morning by boat. The Palmer has been
chartered to carry cargo of wheat and
general cargo from Baltimore to
Antwerp. Mr.. N. T. Palmer, her
managing owner. was asked recently
whether there was much in the trans
atlantic trade for our sohooners. Mr..
Palmer replied that they would only get
the overflow from the English steamers.
He had, however, received several other
offers for his soho0ners but did not in
tend to take them up until the William
B. Palmer had loaded her cargo and he
could see how shs loaded. Bath schoon-
ars are swift and the Palm or schooners
have an especial reputation and certain
ly ought to do something in this new
line of work.
ACT OF ssREROIsM REWARDED.
An act of heroism, which was per
formed last winter by some of our hardy
down-easters has just received official
recognition, and the men who risked
their lives to save others will have some
thing by which to remem beI the event.
IL WAS on January 4, 1896. that the