The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-17
9-FOOT SHARK LOST IT SEA.
WAS TRAVELLING TO VIEW YORK IN 4
BOX IN row OF 4 SCHOONER.

BOX IN IUH VT - - HUM En-
Auuar,u- wantsd u nsaly. Tor the sharks In
stock Are Tee Dimtnutive to Appeal TO Ewes
. achoorboJ-s ImnEipstIos-But the winds
BIew snd the Sea reese. and u Wss Lest.
Hard luck has been pursuing the Aquarium.
so the officials declare. Many valuable speci-
mems have died shortly after being established
In quarters there, and now to cap the climax
fine nine-toot sand shark consigned to the
Aquarium has been lost before 1t even got near
the port. II was intended to be the special orna-
ment OF the big floor pool, but 1t Is at present
enjoying the wider range OF the Atlantic Ocean,
whether under its own navigation or In the
special sea car in which it started on its trip
nobody knows. II the car has not been de-
stroyed by the waves and still contains the
shark that valued specimen may yet be picked
1p and sent on intact.
There are several sand sharks In the Aqua
rum now, but none OF any considerable size.
The big sturgeon overshadows the largest OF
them. People look at the sharks and then at
the sign announcing what they arc, and say In
disappointed tones:
Are those things sharksi Why. they
couldn't hardly bite a mans finger off,"
What has been wanted IS a shark OF sufficient
size 10 strike awe and admiration TO the souls
Of the multitude. Prospects OF getting such a
specimen brought joy to DIR. Bean when he got
word from Prof. Uric Dahlgrcn that q nine
foot sand shark had been caught in q net OF
Woods Holl. Mass. and would be brought on to
this city as soon as practicable. Two large
skates, Prof. Dahlsren wrote, would DO brought
on with it.
This was on Sept. 8. Prof. Dahlsren's eS-
petition was from the National Biological
Laboratory at Woods Hol, and the shark was
kept there until a water Car had been built for
the distinguished captive. This car was
about twelve feet long by four feet broad by
three and one.hAlt feet high. and was sufficient
y open to insure plenty OF marine ventilation.
were placed. not without some difficulty. and
the car. tightly fastened, wa. towed out into
the bay, and made fast astern Of Q schooner
which was 10 tow 1t 10 this port.
For several days all went well. The weather
Va good; d., aim nc J, 700 sooa, as mere was moi nSi
as she was by the numbering box in tow, as fast
as might De desired. sun there was no par:
shark would probably endure u moderate rate
OF truvel better than a rapid pace.
Two or three times every day the professor
dropped back in one Of the schooner's small
boats TO see how the steerase passenger was
getting along Apparently travel asTs ss, With sIa
sulashed about in its somewhat limited guar
tiers at a great rate. On the ntth day out Prot.
had Become hungry. One Of the large skates
was gone. On the following day the other had
ulSappcartl- lucE COu4Q not possibly naNo
made their escape from the car. Moreover.
as the shark seemed hvelier and more prosper.
S9s i bsso,s ever; !, ,bs WAS H net. hard M to sq nnioo Tess
for incident, but skates are easy enough to get,
and II they served to keep the principal prize
in good condition Prof. Dahlsren did not
By Saturday the schooner had worked It's
way IN light and sometimes contrary winds
along the sound nearly TO New Haven That
night there. was q great drop In the tempera-
tpEe; heFa!ded BY, a wind which soon became
would have had no difficulty, but the unwteldy
burden in tow not only dragged her stern
any accuracy. Prof. DahlEren IS q ~rrstrate
sailor. having spent much time on shipooaru,
carl in tow. but was unwilling to let bis prize
60 until IL became absolutely Necessary. After
the Captain had several times reported 10 him
he reluctantly consented to the cutting loose
OF the sea car.
morning. said the Captain. and as soon as the
weather lets up we can PICK II up. With this
so the shsrk Was set adrtft on the waters OF
the Sound. Through the night the schooner
guess TO the spot where the car would have
drtt,ed. But in the morning there was no sign
about, lacking hitler and thither while look,
outs swept the water with glasses: but It was ID
they hailed a -loop which reported having seen
a peculiar looking object drifting :toward the
Connecticut coast, just d,ter dawn Inc search
wa. finally given up. and the schooner put in
az New Haven. whence Prot. Dahlgren sent
word 70 Dr., Bean. superintendent OF the Aqua
rum. that:ths shark had been lost at sea. There
IS ONE chance. Prot. Dah!gren thinks, that the
car may have become so weakened by the
pounding OF the waves that the passenger gol
out. II not. It may have washed ashore, oil
may be still drifting about. with a very hungry
shark inside, playing the part OF a ptscatoriA
Flyius Dutchman. DR.. Bean u much disap
pointed oyer.the loss; He said:
"A nine-tOor shark IN that large floor tanl
would have been the best exhibit in tn,
Aquarium in a way. was very anxious to ge
one this winter. too. Prof. Dahlsren sent m,
word that that one was..a tne specimen. and h,
WAS IN excellent condition up TO the time OF tn
storm. As soon as l beard OF the loss ! sen
word TO other places asking II a good.sizeC
shark could not be caught and sent on, but III,
fishermen all say that the chances are verI
small. IL u too late In the season for sane
sharks, they say. so we shall probably have u
walt until next year"