Evening journal., 1898-02-08
PATROL BOAT ARMED.
STURGEON FlSHERMEN'S DEAD
LINE" ON THE DELAWARE.
LATTER OWNERS RESENT THE
ATTEMPTS OF THE JERSEY
TIES TO PoACH ON THEIR FISH
ING GROUNDS.

ING GROUNDS.
"A dispatch from Camden says: The
conference between the committee or
the New Jersey Sturgeon Fishermen's
Protective Association and Governor
voorhees, and Attorney General Grey,
did not terminate in a manner to allay
the fears of the fishermen, that the
State Of Delaware in its sovereign
power is trammelling their rights as
American citizens in the pursuit Of a
legitimate avocation.
Governor Voorhees,, after listening
attentively to the grievances of the
fishermen's committee, advised them not
to invite a warfare between the sister
state, but rather to use the good offices
of the Fishermen's Protective Associa-
tion of both states towards an amicable
and satisfactory settlement by arbitra-
ton.
The delegation from this county was
headed by Senator Richard Miller and
Assemblyman Crispin, who represented
the great tsturgeonflshing industry along
the shores of the Delaware river and
bay to the extent Of 100000 Of invest
ed capital.
The differences which the Jersey
fishermen claim need adjustment exist
in what the Delawareans allege is their
exclusive territory, l. e., the right OF
the fishermen from this state to catch
sturgeon south of an imaginary line
from Bombay Hook to Cohansey creek.
The fishermen here have been thor
oughly aroused to what they maintain
is a fagrant imposition on their rights,
inasmuch as the fishermen from Della
ware invade the waters on the Jersey
shore each year and carry off thou
sands of dollars worth OF sturgeon and
shad without any interference or mo-
lestation from the residents of this
state, while, on the other hand, the
Jersey fishermen have been kept
fenced Off" and threatened with arrest
the instant they crossed what the
/ lDelawareans choose to call the dividing
| line. 1t is this obvious injustice that
has aroused the ire of the Jerseymen,
and when they gained audience with
the governor they were prepared and
anxious to accept any proposition from
| the chief executive except one advOcat-
ing peace terms.
Governor Voorhees, and ---torney-
General Grey on Saturday met dele
cation of the Sturgeon Fishermen's
Protective Association, at the Office oil
the latter official in Camden The meet.
ing was held for the purpose of deter.
mining the rights of the fishermen, ,whC
are engaged in this industry and tC
avert a threatened war between The
States of Delaware and New Jersey
The fishermen of the former state con
tend that the Jersey fishermen have M
I right to invade the waters Of the Stat,
of Delaware below an imaginary lin,
from Bombay Hook TO Cohansey Point
In the delegation present to stat'
their grievances were eX-AsSemblyma1
James Strimple and E. e. Somers. o
! Pedricktown: James Smalley an,
George ID. Shannon, Of Pennsgrove, ant
Luke CARL, of Hancocks Bridge. Ac
companying the delegation were Sen
ator Miller and d.Assemblyman Crispin o
Salem county.
| Governor Voorhees, listened to tn
grievances Of the fishermen and mad
some suggestions to the delegation, ad
vising them to present the matter il
full to him in writing, accompanied b.
explanatory charts Of the surgeon-tish
ing district, and informed them tina
he would look after their interests a
far as lay in his power. He also prom
ised the delegation that he would pa.
them a visit during the sturgeon-fish
ing season for the purpose of seeini
the development Of the business dur
ing the past few years.
Captain Shannon, who is the foremos
sturgeon fisherman in this section
states that Delaware wants to be mon
arch Ofthe river and bay. He says the,
have provided a patrol boat, with arm
ed men, to arrest the Jersey fishermen
for encroachments upon the present oh
noxious law, which prohibits non-resi
dents from casting their nets in Della
ware waters. and which law the Jerse
fishermen claim has been lying on tn
shelf dust covered, for a dozen years
until some of the grasping fishermen
from Delaware saw a chance to mo
nopolize. the fishing interests by havip
the law enforced and driving Jerseyme
ont OF the business. tH.