The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-08
FJEL 7HAI ILEASfS ETE AND EAR.
Maine Islanders Reaping a strange Harvest
Cast Up by the Sea.

SHEHr ISLAND, PESoBsCor BAY, Me, April
6-nescendsrts Of the English and French
voyase'S who came 70 Maine more than 200 years
ayO are still living among the islands 4 PenUbscoI
Bay, where they earn a prrcarons living by raising
sheen. catching FISH and digging clans Their
houses are built from the fiat stones iha, are found
on the shore. laid up On mortar made from burned
clam shells ana beach sand and rooted over with
poles and mattel masses Of long seaweei. They
aye a primitive and pirahcal people Who earn what
they car from the sac Of sea products and mako
up any delcit which may oyerlake them by steal
ing from NeG neighO)rs on the mainland. PreSi-
den, Eliot Of Harvard and other students OF Down
kasl economies have esunsted that one Of thess
isla4d Asf.nils can support himself and family
for a cash outlay OF not ~reding $50 year and
Ave comfortably.
When asked about the sccuracy Of this learned
hypotAe,is tie rei iens, most Of whom tABs
no thought for the morrow, reply that the theory
y, true beyond doubt, but tie urgent question
for iAen 10 4sciteIs how - get the $50 To such
frivolous qle>aJ Is a. this the wise college men re.
turn no answer, but Whist the schools could not
teach the island residents are learning for them.
themselves Within the past three years they
lave been building big -er houses. wearing better
clo,he> and more Il then, and putting on tho
environments Of c higher civilization than ever
before. This sudden access Of prosperity is dus
g. the collection and sale II what is locally known
as rainbow drftwood," = Kind Of fuel which
not only gives on, heat but which furnishes a
rrSnalc assortment Of flame thallSvery pleasing
20 he eye. This is not al In addition 70 the
irdesoent unts thu, illuminate the fireplace and
c,ruscate through the apartment the wood is -
. musical turn, and emis splu,ter.ng and eN-
plosive sounds which reminds ,hos. Who hear
them Of most everything from battles on land
and sea N the de tonaion Of champagne cotks
The wood has t@en dniung abou, the hay
and coming ashore On tie lslancS al odd lines
for a dozen years or more ana The inhabitants
have t-rn using IL for fuel I"csuSe II wss easier
10 TICK ur wood IN the Shor" than II vas 70 so
10 the woods sTI cut II rs ior the ts,he;ls
qualities that we're concealed inside the masses
Of WOODY fbre. nobody ever gave them = thought
The poor fisherman D, S. utterly dull and praru-
ca, thA, be would have gone on boiling tomcods
with wood worth go a rord for years to come
Il spme yachts Oh TIE way from New York had
not ca LED at tie ISLANDS ihre- year ago and t's-
covered now nLrn ieauiy Was gong T. waists
( the surulG ~pur;oS-, q Sust"nsuCe A. soon
as the yacatSm,u saw the - .rHi a.nb"vs C"Illnr
ABOUND tie black BEETLES and hearg the musical
.~i'Thr.Hs among a." heaps 81 slowing stones
l.HN WA. b N''.F ~ " iI ~ |H' f"A -
-s.-a' all the w., they could get. PAVING $40
= cord ~ the dry and fior 81 g. 50 . cord for
such ~ ws- wsi"tNu.ke. -" "nf an SPAN
ll.turbel iae trade nj q lii'i" IN 1895 but us
E,g men ,.lr.i-l ~. i1', oil the vorI they
r.uI! rnd. and lest var they sold u for SIS =
corr r.i. ysGr ne Irl0- Las roae Lp 60 s2oa
cor! anu TIE fishermen iFvr Fought fifty q ilf
range ant are f'ylrg thei' tumor.S over coal fires.
Most : tie Nnl.rD fuel = aged SiHtS floCb5
snu elylngs that Nrrr C.wIF. U'U I"nOlrCot
BIyar from the srNu'le irtV - ffiN yeArN ego.
y o. up-' about with he u.-. ~. currents IN
=, II beol~r- vsterSussed md went g. tle brttor.
where IL 'ufm.N great hers Vat lnf'g'L nav
CHrpr -. tie State pas e. . law 'HiHI' Ing The
mi! owners =. rE~l any more waste INTO the ryer.
The Gg,t'nmcTi las si"rt S-upb a year tnr
two a.. AIDES M dredging u.' the rlsuu'l Tbs
Irgr,' wood Was ~, IN d" SruNs Or" iOv ed 10
ne m { q The rFnr Hnr 'rrTrc wa" nc BAY
y .a-e the salt water ertsG"" ilu 'l-irrLeC Hor1
coils rsr.r..r. q. UNrr mud WIN salts u Sn'a
,rd var. - rnuNra'u"s - .ulIr" and chlorine
NN..r 90 us, p, calm 10" hrr,"ri w'"o lies on
To, rir n.' 0l'er heavy storms great heaps
tflt afs ga>t on i.' stands