The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-09-23
NO MORE RossINc NESTS.
The Government: Puts . Stop 10 . very
Profitable Industry.

The Govesnmcnt: Puts . Stop 10 very
Profitable Industry.
After having been despoiled Of their
eggs for forty-ive years, a regularly
as the laying season came round, the
sea birds that inhabit the Farallones
have been taken under the protecting
wing of the United States.
No more win the pretty spotted and
mottled eggs grace. the tables OF those
who are fond Of them, or enable the
cheap restaurant to advertise "four
fresh ranch eggs, scrambled, for ten
cents"
The edict has gone forth that the
birds must be protected, and protected
they will be, for Uncle Sam has habit
Of doing such things thoroughly when
he starts TO do them at all, and there
is no reason to suppose that he will
make this case an exception.
A year or more ago rumor reached
the ears of the powers that be at WASH
ington that the great natural aviary on
the island was being destroyed, be.
cause during the nesting season thou
sands Of eggs were taken from the
rocks and sent to San Francisco and
interior towns to be sold.
In due time representative Of the
Smithsonian Institution, deeply learned
in bird lore, went to the Farallones
and made an exhaustive study of the
subject.
His report was evidently against the
continuance Of the industry, for after
the customary red tape had been un-
wound Head Keeper Beeman Of the
island lighthouse received curt com.
munication from the Lighthouse De-
partment stating that in future no egg
collecting, except for the use Of those
who made their homes on the desolate
pile of rocks, would be allowed.
Thus perished one of the most pic
turesque industries of the Pacific
Slope and one that furnished the peo-
pie of San Francisco with an article of
food not enjoyed by any other seaport
in the country.
The stopping of the egg-picking
brings to mind the experience of the
first man who embarked in the busi-
ness-none other than John A. Rus
sell, the veteran and widely known
clerk of the local board of supervisors.
1t was in the latter part of 1850 that
Mr. Russell, then lad Of eighteen,
came down from the mines with
goodly sack of gold dust and nuggets
that he had accumulated by delving in
the earth.
He was looking for a profitable in
vestment, and not long after his arrival
here fell in with the cook of the only
pilot boat that at that time stood
guard at the entrance Of the Golden
Gate.
The man had seen the millions Of
sea birds nesting on the rocks, and
drew such alluring pictures of the
money to be made by landing the big
eggs in this city, where at that time
chicken fruit was not over-plentiful,
that young Russell at last consented
to furnish the sinews of war for the
enterprise, the cooks contribution to
the assets of the firm to be his labor
and experience in gathering the eggs,
getting them to this city and finding a
market. A stout sloop was purchased
and an outfit made ready at total cost
Of about $4,000.
When the egg season arrived the
expectations of the partners were
more than realized. The first cargo
that arrived sold like the proverbial
hot cakes at the prices of early days,
the big, looking eggs tickling
the fancy as well as the palates of the
pioneers.
Within few days contracts with
number of hotels had been made at
lucrative rates, and the sloop made all
haste back across the twenty three
miles of water that intervened between
the gate and the lonely rocks, at that
time inhabited only by seal hunters.
Several cargoes of eggs were landed
at an average profit of $500 trip,
and the vessel and her fitting out
were soon paid for.-San Francisco