Fort Wrangel news., 1898-07-06
AN EIGnT-FO0T SHARK.

AN ElGHT-FO0T SHARK.
 John Fred Graham the Hero of Fishermen.
 Lard Bucket. John Fred's Appetite.
 Quite a crowd of men gathered on the water front down by the Mantol hotel Ia Friday evening. The irrepressible News man with note book and pencil Was there. The men were cncircled around q shark that was about eight feet long and weighed about 5OO pounds. The monster had rope tied around his tail. by which he had been dragged OIL Ia the dry rocks. The crowd talked and looked and looked and talked. but the history connected with the capture of his sharkship could not be secured from anyone present. \ superficial examination was made of the huge fish. His gills or air valves are pretty close to his bClly.s said one. Look at his mouth. said another. aS the upper laW Was pulled up and showed an op- cning as large as the top of water bucket. Turn him oVer.' said another and they rolled him oyer and the body shook and quivercd so that it was ap- parent that life Was not yet extinct. He Was a dark blackish color and appeared to the News man as if he had recently had q good square meal. in fact he had Il belly on him that suggested the idea that he might have been living ill close proximity tO brewery. The News man was thirstiug for the details con cerniug the capture and made haste to find the man. Everything comes to those who are willing to wait," and we were waiting, and of course the reward came
 Heres the man wot caught that shark. the man you are looking for greeted the ears of the writer as he was getting close to the sidewalk on the street. These words came out of q cab in. and the writer made haste to get in. Three men were sitting at q table which contained good spread. It was supper time.
 Where k the man that caught that sharky' asked the News man, and two of tine men pointed toward John Fred Graham. who is an employ at the War wick John Fred was eating-feeding his face--as some would say.
 The conversation of course was from this on directed to John Fred, and he was asked if he was fishing for shark.
 "Oh no." he said, Il Was fishing for halibut"
 We knew he was telling the truth. for no one possessed with an appetite, such as John Fred showed that he possessed. would eyer fish for anything he couldn't get into his stomach. In fact, he was "putting away" the grub with celeri- ty of movement that was beautiful to behold. and if tine other two men at the table hadn't known John Fred real well and governed themselves accordingly, they probably would have left the ta- blc hungry.
 Well" said the bold fisherman. "I was fishing for halibut, as l said. and the shark took the bait and the three inch hook got good hold. Two men in boat saw the fix l was in and they came to my aid, and we lowed him into shallow water then went at him with a club and when l got through using it, he was probably not as dead as he is now. but dead enough to satisfy me un- til l got my supper. Catching and landing shark of that size is exciting fun. l wish you could have seen it. and john t'rcd's eyes frightened up, showing plainly that he enjoys fun as much as any one.
 Well, lets see what they are doing down at the water front. The crowd was still there. The OcaSlOn pro duccd the man, and the man was holding a sharp knife in his hand and with the skill of surgeon was dissect ing the monster You have heard so much of what is found in sharks stomach that that organ was loudly called for The alleged surgeon was after it. Whack would go his knife, and every cut brought the vision of the lookers-on nearer to that organ which is so much used, and yet abused by man. It is found, and what do you suppose it contained? Poor thing, no wonder that he bit at a nice, well bait ed hook. All that that sharks stomach contained Was an empty three pound lard bucket-nothing more-and the News man was satisfied to go. The shark is good for nothing. He will lie on the beach where the warm sun of the day will shine on him, and in few days he will stink and sbrivel, giving forth divers and sundry obnoxious odors to the utter disgust of the inhab- itants of North Front street.
 After the Gold.
 The TOnQuin a DrOSpeDecting steam