The Opelousas courier., 1901-07-27
GOLD HoARDED BY FISHER FOLK
81, 200, 900 of American Coin Hidden in
Newfoundland Coast Villages.

Newfoundland Coast Villages.
1t is Estimated that fully $4,000, 600
in American gold is boarded up in
Placentia and Fortune bays on the
south coast OF Newfounl land. This
money has been saved by the fisher
folk and is hidden in the most unlike
ly places. f
Except1he very poor, there are few
amohg the inhabitants Of the little
hamlets who have not d nest egg OF
bright, yellow American coins set aside
for some emergency. Before the dis
astrous bank failures in the colony III
the autumn of 1894 many ofthe coasters
lodged their savings in the three banks
in the city, when they made their semi
annual visits to St. Johns in the
spring and fall; but so heavy were the
losses by the collapse, and so bitter
was the lesson Taught, that since then
wild horses could not drag them to Il
bank. Every man into whose possess
| sion a bank note, check or government
order comes hurries at once to ex-
change it for a Yankee eagle, and this
is as huriedly put away into the
| secret hoard, which in some cases
amounts to thousands Of dollars.
In Placentia bay most of this 0
cry Is obtained through the frozen
herring fishery, which is prosecuted
during January, February and March.
In a good season., with the herring
| abundant and the weather frosty
enough for ~congealing purposes, about
80 schooners from New England will
load with the frozen fish, 100 barrels
being an average load, and from Il
to $3.50 a barrel being paid therefor.
In a bad year like that which has just
ended, when the herring are scarce
and the weather mild, the price runs
up to SIS some times. Every American
captain brings from $4,000 to $1,000 in
gold with him when he comes after
frozen herring.
OF all this stream of gold compare
lively little finds its way out of the
district. The herring fishery in mid
winter has only been in existence IN
that bay for IS years. Prior to that
the people were idle during these
months and they now regard this VEN
ture as a personal and private one, not
to be COMPOUNDED with their regular
vocation as cod catchers or their deal
ings with the St. Johns merchants,
by whom they are fitted out for the
latter enterprise. Accordingly, all the
gold gained in the herring fishery is
set aside and the wedding doweries
of the girls of the district are almost
invariably furnished out of these
boards. In many cases, too, men.
seemingly but ill-supplied with the
worlds goods, have been known to
produce $4,000 and $500 for the pur-
chase Of a schooner or fishing prop
erty, paying down the money in every
instance in United States coins.
In Fortune bay the gold is obtained
by the sale of herring for bait during
the summer months. All the Ameri-
can vessels frequenting the Grand
Banks in quest of cod have to come
into the shore for this bait, without
which it is impossible to eel the
cod. Herring and ice in which to keep
it fresh are chief items of outlay by
the fishing vessels, and probably
500, 900 is spent in this way during the
summer.
This batting business forms the main
stay of hundreds of the coasters, and
the prices sometimes run to an ex-
travagant figure, when the herring are
scarce and many vessels have to be
supplied. For half a century the
American vessels have been taking
this herring bait, and all this time
their gold has been piling up in For
tune bay, one generation otter another
availing itself of the profits of the in
dustry and having a goodly proportion
thereof.-New York Sun.