Evening journal., 1901-05-03
FISHING FOR THB
Willy MBNHADRN
Rapid Growth Of the Indus
Try in Chesapeake Bay
Recently

The rapid growth OF the menhaden
fishing industry in recent years Is
made apparent by the increase in the
number of steamers that are sent every
Spring to the shipyards and repair
shops along the lower water front for
overhaullng and repairs, preparatory
for the fishing season, says the Balti-
more Sun. Many of these small steam
ers are now at the shipyards
They are of neat design and all are
distinguishable by the crows nest
on the foremost, from which the
schools Of FISH are seen ana announced
20 the men on deck by the lookout.
after the fashion of the whaler, who
sings cut There she blows!'
The schools Of menhaden are indi-
Gated to the lcOkouts I'm many instances
by the presence of gulls. sharks, blue
fish and either predatory fish and
birds that feed upon Them. In the
same nets that haul up thousands OF
menhaden there are often hundreds OF
delightful bluehsh and others that
make food for the crews. The surplus
of these edible FISH is thrown back
into the sea.
Menhaden are never found in fresh
water Their oil Is of considerable
value. Il is regarded as being clear
profit, the scrap paying for the eX-
penses OF the catches. The oil is used
principally In leather dressing rope
making and for painting.
The Chesapeake feet OF menhadeu
steamers now numbers twenty-five. all
OF which make their annual overhaul
ing I'm the Baltimore shipyards. The
presence of so many of them here now
suggests the near approach Of the sea-
son for the hardy crews of the fleet to
be ON the seas hunting for the men
haden. Already the steamer Dorothy
r. Wacker is in the vicinity of Cape
Lookout, at the mouth OF Cape Fear
river, hauling In the seines filed with
the first of the seasons catch.
The menhaden Is a North American
fish of the herring family. Great
schools Of this species appear late In
April or early in May on the Atlantic
coast near the Cape Fear river, and
begin their peregrinatiOns northward.
BY November they have reached the
vicinity Of EastpOrt. Maine. and then
they disappear until another season.
Great quantities are taken in nets
along the coast and in the Chesapeake
bay They are dumped into the holds
Of the vessels. which. when filed
steam away TO the fish oil and scrap
factories. This year, Il is said factor
les for the disposal OF the FISH will be
established along the coast at intervals
of about sixty miles In order to save
the vessels from long trips 10 and
from factories. when the catch Is made
at distant pints The scrap" or ref
use from the menhaden. after extract
ing the oil. Is used as fertilizer
In some inland waters, where there
are no factories. the menhaden is
caught and sold TO farmers for fertil-
i2ing A single menhaden before the
oil is extracted Is reckoned equal in en-
riching land to a shovelful of barn
yard manure. and $500 are considered
sufficient for an acre The odor arls-
ing from the decomposing FISH on
shipboard and in the factories is we'll
nigh uncomfortable TO even an ordinarily
Indifferent nose. and the vicinity Of a
fish factory Is noticeable far cut at
sea and for a long distance on land If
the person is TO the leeward.
In addition TO the steamers used I'm
the menhaden fisheries there are a
number of sailing vessels engaged In
the industry inside the capes Of the
Chesapeake. the steamers principally
MUiklnk OuL NU ctdt lOlAOWAnk Nllt MlA-
grafton of the fish as far out as forty
miles. In the Chesapeake Industries
including factories and vessels employ
ed, fully a million dollars is invested
Each steamer carries a crew of about
twenty-five men, divided into night and
day shifts. The work is carried on
without regard to the race. color, OF
previous condition of servitude" 0f,the
twenty-four men In the two shifts.
Forty men are now ON the steamer
Wacker as she is making an extra ef
fort TO make a large catch at Tn,
opening of the season Over tw,
Thousand men are engaged in th'
Chesapeake menhaden fisheries an,
factories. There are dull seasons. bu
the increase Of the business proves 10
Importance and profitable nature. Sew
eral new steamers have been added q
the home feet this season.
Chose Site FOR COlOrrd Uoilege
Dover. Nav 3-Chief Justice Lore