The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-04-02

rings strike into the shoal water. and
here they are netted in large Seines-
The schools" of the fish are sur
passingly great, and in the spring,
deep water, the coastal steamer some
times runs through miles OF them, her
propeller crushing thousands of them
The coastfolk are ready for the Fishery
and every night finds them at their
post in the shadows. reaping their finny
harvest The herrings. as taken from
The water, are spread on Scaffolds erect
ed over the ships deck or unpaised
along the. strand. Here they are ex-
posed to the biting frost of a rnidwinter
night, which congeals them into a solid
mass. When thoroughly frozen they
are transferred to the ships hold.
which, as the space fills up. takes on
the temperature of an ice house and
be- ONES an actual refrigerator.
With herrings abundant and the
wea her down to zero, ship can be
filed in a few days, hut otherwise
weeks may be spent in effecting
lading. The freezing process calls for
the closest attention. and the maxi
mum OF endurance. for the whole work
has to be done by night, because the
fish have ito be turned over and over
again, so that every part may be 'con-
pIeteiy frosted and the sun cannot be
allowed to get at them, because its
warmth would undo the effects of the
cold. Strangely. to- sno, has the same
result. snowfall would draw all the
frost from the fish and leave them even
worse than when fresh, for fresh her
ring can be frozen. but those which
have once been frozen and snow
touched become fiabby and limp and
nave no commercial value.
At least LOCO Yankee fishermen are
to be found in the bay in the height
of the season, and the competition to
get loaded first and the strenuous tef-
forts of all concerned TO advance their
own interests, make the region a scene
of Overmastering endeavor. The coast
folk reap a rich harvest, because In adj
dition to paying them for the herring
SIPS d barrel they are also fed on
board the. American vessels. sometimes
as many as fifty men being so supplied,
and the nets. SeineS and other parapher-
MALTA are also brought along by the
United States vessels and given to the
settlers when the ship is ready to sail,
as it is more profitable to fill with her
ring The pace these app iances would
occupy Il Is clear, therefore, that this
herring fishery is a costly enter .JriSe
for the Gloucester dealers, and it needs
big prices to make 1t a profitable one.
Every ships company, from captain to
cook, enjoys a share in the proceeds of
the venture, besides his monthly wages,
and therefore nothing is left undone' to
fOuIWlI a rival
The herring fishery usually lasts I'M
til early in March, after " hich it is rare
ly possible to get weather cold enough
to thoroughly freeze the catch. In an
average season about $4,000 barrels are
taken. OF these about an eighth is
sailed The herring for sailing are
packed into barrels at once, with layers
of salt between them, and the cask
then filled with brine and tightly closed.
The frozen herrings are sailed in the
holds in bulk. The usual practice is
for every vessel to carry a deckload
of the barrels filed with the sailed fish
and to fill her cabin with the frozen.
For the trip to market all hands,
shippers included. live in the forecastle
which is elevated high out of water by
the increased weight of the stern. This
enables the vessel to ride the surges
more easily and gives the men drfer
quarters, for the bows are quickly coat
ed with ice from the frigid spray. So
quickly, indeed. does this form, and so
heavily does it weigh the vessels stern
that men have to be employed almost
constantly pounding it off with large
mallets fixed to long handles. Other
wise the vessel might founders a fate
Which does, indeed, overtake only too
many of them Stanchly built and
splendidly. equipped as they ares they
are sometimes unable to cope with ma
tdre s warning forces, and in such a
case there is no hope of escape for
any-s on board, while widows and
orphans in the New England seaports
weep for those who will return no more