The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-02-04

senes tunt WINE tne deer ana the fnoose,
the trout and the picksrel have all re
coived attention SO that they are protected
by the laws OF the state the succulent
bivsIve who has sacrificed himself for the
delsctation Of the devotees OF the clam
| bake 10 In danger of extinction. Before
the lawmakers adjourn, the case OF the
neglected clam viii have been heard, and
II the wise men Of the Senate and House
can agree on the right kind of q law the
clam will be protected The cry for leg
islation for the protection of the clam
comes from all parts OF the coast OF
Maine, but there is wide divergse in the
manner suggested to bri ng about the de.
sired result. What finds favor in one
countris not received with approval in
another. The committee on shore fisher
les will give the whole subj ect careful at
tentlon. The chairman of this committee
is senator Chamberlain of Lincoln. Mr..
Chamberlain is well versed In matters
pertaining to the fishing interests OF the
state which may be said to include the
digging Of CLAIMS. Beside this MIR. Cham
berlan has served several terms in the
two branches Of the legislature and will
STE that the matter receives the careful
attention that il deserves for the preserva-
ton of the CLANS is a thing % he desired
Ia the mnd flats along the coast are
buried hundreds of Thousands OF dollars
worth Of the bivalves. Maine clans arr
shipped extensively to markets outside the
state. The Maine CLAIMS are put up In
cans and sent to the uttermost part Of
t. earth. Besides all this the clans are
a nutritious article of food for Maine peo-
pie and an attraction TO the summer visi
tors who leave SO much rooney ut the sea
side resorts. As an illustration Of the
trade which is done in CLANS one instance
mentioned by Mr.. Chamberlain may be
taken. From ons little harbor in Lin
coin county there were recently shipped
in two months $500 bushels of CLANS,
worth $500 ana all these CLANS were dug
in the immediate vicinity of the port
from which they were shipped. From
Scarboro large quantities of CLAIMS are
sent TO the Boston market. The canni ng
of CLAIMS is a growing industry. Burn
ham and Morrill,, the Portland firm who
operate extensively IN the canning bust
ness put up large quantities of CLANS.
Others in the business are the Larry
Brothers of Friendship Libby 81 Son of
Scarhoro Underwood 8; Co., who operate
extensively In Hancock and Washington
counties &. G. Farmer of Bristol,
Pickett " Son of Boothbay Harbor u
1horndike and Xix of Rockland.
| A definite proposition of close time is
That from Hancock county where many
petitioners request that close time be
established from June TO October. There
are two parties among the clamming
experts on the close time question. Those
who advocate a close time In summer say
that that is the spawning time when the
CLAIMS should not be disturbed. Those
who want the close time In winter say
that then here is great mortality among
the baby CLAIMS which freeze to death
The flats are dug over, the full grown
CLAIMS picked up and the little ones left
TO perish. On the other hand 1t is main
tanned that the raising of the tide soon
covers the little chaps up again and that
they do not suffer from exposure to the
elements
The present law in regard to the CLAIMS
gives to towns the right TO reserve 10
their own people the privilege OF digging
over the flats. Senator Dru:nmond has
put in bill which has been favorably
acted upon in COMMITTEES extending this
law to include cities SO that the Portland
claIu may be looked after by the city
fathers
1.-The committee is disposed to give the
matter careful attention" said Mr..
Cham perlain, land will try to frame a
law which will be just to all sections of
the state and still do away with the dan
ger of the depletion of the clam supply.
The close time would be only on CLANS
dug for shipment or canning purposes
1t would not apply to CLAIMS dug for CON
sumption at home so should the close
time he in the summer months it would
not interfere with the business of the
hotels
There is prospect that strong at
tempt will be made to undo the works of
the last legislature In granting s20, 0OO
annually for ten years to the University
i
mittees meet this afternoon.
MIR. KEEFE'S CLAIM.
Representative Francis Keefe. the sue.
cessful contestant for the Eliot seat. has
presented to the legislature a claim for
STAB, to reimburse him for the expense he
was put to In getting his rights. The bill
looks large at first glance. but IL includes
good deal more than the cost Of the
contest before the House Mr.. keefe's
| Slain was based on the fact that the
count Of the ballots was not correct Con-
ssqusntly he began proceedings by a
movement for a recount. The kittery
town clerk refused TO give Mr.. ksefe and
his counsel access to the ballots and thus
1t became necessary to appeal TO the
courts. After hearing at Alfred Judge
Savage Issued mandamus ordering the
q. ~. Toe - 81.