The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-06-19
THE PORGIEs ARE HERE.
And Fishermen Say This Industry Is
to Be Revived.

Arrival of a Steamer Engaged in Porgy
Catching-Ihe Work of the United
States Fish Commission-Items of Gem
eraI Interest.
Before the second shower yesterday
afternoon the thermometer stood "A de-
grees in the shade at the end of Portland
pier. In less than an hour the mercury
had fallen IA degrees and it was cold
enough on the end of the wharf to make
an overcoat very comfortable. After the
second shower those who were fortunate
enough to be along the water front had
an opportunity of witnessing the most
perfect and beautiful rain bow that has
been seen arching over Portland in long
time. One end of this bow rested near
the upper end of Little Diamond island
while the lower end was at the other end
of Great Diamond island. The colors were
very bright and each stripe was much
wider than is usually seen hereabouts. ! 1t
was very beautiful sight and one which
was greatly enjoyed by those who saw it.
One OF the arrivals in the harbor yester-
day was the United States Fish Commits
sin schooner Grampus. She is now on
her way to the eastward with about $780,
COO lobster fry which she is to distribute
along the Maine coast In this distribu-
ton the lobster fry is liberated as nearly
at the place where the seed Holsters were
taken as possible SO that the entire coast
is treated with great impartiality. The
lobster fishermen have not looked with
great favor on this Matching of Holsters
for they claim that the fry is not brought
back to the point from which it is taken
in the seated lobster. In this they are
greatly mistaken for this is just what the
fish commission is trying to do and the
fry is liberated indescriminately from
Eastport to Portland and where ever
seed lobster is obtained there are liberated
certain number of young Holsters to
grow up and be caught in the years to
come by the very men who are now kick
ing against the work the fish commission
is doing. On the next trip that the
Grampus makes to this coast she will
bring over 1900, 600 lobster fry and as the
hatcheries at Gloucester are now doing
excellent work the whole number Of fry
liberated along the Maine coast before the
Matching season is ended will be enor-
nous.
The steamer Fish Hawk is expected
along here in a few days to aid the Gram
pus in this work. The steamer will prob
ably take her station at some convenient
point along the coast and be supplied
with eggs from the small boats and
launches which she will send out in
various directions.
The big cargo of molasses which arrived
here recently on the schooner Harold Bor-
den will be shipped to Quebec by the G..
P. r. R. 1t will take II cars to carry it
all.
There was large number of coal arriv-
ais yesterday AMI the aggregate amount of
coal that was brought into this port must
have amounted to several thousand tons
The tow boat Ice King came into this
port yesterday and took the schooner Flor
ence to the Kennebec where she will load
with ice
The steam yacht Siesta belonging to
Mr.. st. Clair arrived yesterday afternoon
after short trial trip. Portland now
has very handsome feet of steam and
sailing yachts and when they are all at
anchor off the club house they form a
very pretty picture.
The annual target practice at Fort Pre-
Bile has commenced and was kept up all
day yesterday. The defamation of the
heavy gun awoke the echoes about the
bay and a great many people journeyed
out to Willard to watch the effect of the
shots on the target which is moored out
side of House island.
1t was a reminder of by gone days to
see large porgy steamer steam in yester-
day morning. 1t was the Seaconnet,
hailing from Newport, R. l. She has been
after porgies for a month past and put in
at Sargent & Dennson's for coal. The
Seaconnet left Newport month ago and
has been along the Maine coast as far as
Matinicus rock. She put into the bays
near Rockland and wherever there were
indications of the festive porgy. The
sum total of her catch to date has been
1000 barrels, which will not pay for coal
consumed. There is a crew of 20 men to
pay off, too, but the captain is not dis
couraged and is going to the west ard,
he says.
From present indications it seems very
probable that an industry is to be revived
few years ago to many people. The fish
ermen say the porgies are here again
They have been getting quantities of
them along the coast in their nets, and
claim that in their best days they We're
never SO plenty.
These fish left this coast very abruptly
in '79 and no large body has been seen on
the coast since excepting the summer of
81 when they We're abundant enough to
cause two or three modern factories to be
built.
Most of the old factories have gone to
decay, but the people there are much ex-
schools now in ali the rivers and bays be-
tween Cape Ann and Eastport
Parties from Rhode Island are at Penn.
aquid beach, getting the factory there in
readiness, and if the porgies remain on
this coast this section of Maine will as
sumo quite an air of old time prosperity.
The manner in which these fish left this
coast in '79 still remains q mystery, for