The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-04-24
A FISHING FLOAT
VISITED, AND A SHAD BAKE EN-
JOYED
By John Rodgers Post and Its Guests
A Cool Day on the SuS-
quehanna.

The Eleventh Annual Shad Bake of Ad
miral John Rodgers Post G. A. Il. Pest of
Havre de Grace was held on Tuesday. and
the courtesy and attention shown the invited
guests of the Post, attested the fact, that the
reputation of the Union veterans of Havre de
Grace for cordial hospitality is amply de-
served. The keen Northwestern that ragged
over the romantic Susquehanna during Mon
day night, and the low temperature that
accompanied the wind storm, had much to do
in reducing the number of visitors but as the
day grew apace, the melowing rays of
bright April sun toned down the bluster of old
Boreas, and the temperature of the afternoon
was bracing and enjoyable. At two o'clock
the invited guests from Baltimore Hartford
and Cecil, among the latter DIR. John II.
lamar and II. II. Torbert of Elkton, under
the attentive leadership of Lieut.. Harry L.
O'Neill, j. $. Barnes and s. +. Cooling the
committee of reception, boarded the schooner
''Widgeon" in tow of a tug, and were landed
at the Osmond fishing floats, about three
miles from Havre de Grace. On landing at
the float commanded by Capt. Herman Os-
mond. Sr., the party paid its respects to the
captain whom it found in his berth disabled
by an injured knee, which the venerable
fisherman had received in fall in the morn
ing. AS Il testimonial of respect to Captain
Osmond the Post presented him with a hand
some oak rocking chair, which at the request
of the committee Mr.. Torbert presented the
captain with few appropriate remarks.
Captain Osmond has few, if any superiors in
age and service among the shad fishermen of
the tributaries of the Chesapeake. Born in
Bucks county, Pennsylvania in 1917, he has
lived in Maryland since his infancy. and was
up to 1857 engaged in the Potomac shad
fisheries. In that year he located in Havre
de Grace. and has for forty consecutive years
conducted shad fishing on the Susquehanna.
Sxty-onc years of his life have been spent on
this river and the Potomac. and it is safe to
assume, that what he does not know about
running float is not worth knowing. The
float now worked by him was built in 1857
and purchased by him in 1858, another one
of smaller capacity being also operated by
his son between him and the Cecil shore.
lIt StlHt llSnti ny MN Is oUU lillbulS VI
1900 feet long. and requires force of ilfty-one
men to work it, at an outlay in wages OF
about sixty dollars day The float is about
fifty feet long, equipped with two steam
windasses, and all the necessary equipments
for the business. The cold Northwestern
Monday night had caused perceptable fall
ing off in the quantity of fish being taken,
about ten thousand herring and thirteen shad
only being landed in the haul just completed
when the visiting veterans reached the float on
Wednesday. stiff Northwestern, a swift Sus
quehanna current. and a strong ebb tide were
the three unfavorable conditions existing on
Tuesday afternoon. and Captain Osmond
was in doubt as to the practicabiity of
managing an 800 fathom seine against
these untoward forces. His foreman
however, thought he could handle it, and
with her PROV pointed northward the
work of laying out the seine for the
third haul began from the large seine boat
manned by sixteen stout oarsmen. She
made slow progress against the current,
which was sweeping down the bay like Il
young mill stream, but the seine was success
fully laid out, and the stout staff lines
were slowly rewound by the two steam wind
lasses. But it was evidently hard work, and
the seine getting full swing in the current,
strained at the quarter lines, at intervals
overtaXing the engines. Suddenly, a quar-
ter line snaps from the intense strain, and in
moment, down about one.third her length,
the seine itself is torn asunder, and straight
ening out is rapidly carried down the
current, being prevented from freeing herself,
however, by the other windlass. The
boarding boat is hurriedly launched. and
propelled rapidly towards the disabled seine,
and in Il few minutes the work of rebcarding
it begins. The damage to the seine was not
material, but the labor of the afternoon was
lost, and the disappointed veterans were de-
prived the pleasure after all Of witnessing a
haul of fish, either great or small After
wishing Capt. Osmond better luck next time.
the visiting guests returned to Havre de Grace,
where at 7 p. m, they partook Of shad bake
in old Maryland style served at the Spencer
House Hotel by mine host Burroughs, form
erly of Cecil county, who dispenses a gen
erous and cordial hospitality, and runs
hotel in every sense worthy the prosperous
and growing city of Havre de Grace.