The Forrest City times., 1903-12-11
THE TRAPPING OF EELS.
Peculiar Industry That Is Carried On in New York state on the
 Oneida River.


 A small but very interesting New York industry, which is threatened with total extinction. is the catching of esls in eel traps in the Oneida river, at Caughdenhoy. For many years the resi- dents of this pretty little village have built their eel traps. or weirs, year after year. without any fear of nolestation; but TOW they are face to face with a threatened lawsuit. which, If success ful. will totally destroy their livelihood. says the New York Tribune. The fight against them Is being made by farmers living along the river bank between Caughdenhoy and Oneida lake. and along the western end of the lake. who claim that the building of the traps causes a rise in the river sufficient in many in stances to food their low lands along the water front. The suit, if brought. will doubtless be against the state as fish ermen are permitted by law 10 build these traps: but the ultimate result would be, should the suit be successful, that the state would forbid their use This phase of the question is troubling the fishermen very much. and this can be easily appreciated, when it is stated that Caughdenhoy has been built up practically on eels. there being TO other business in the village. except farming on limited scale. The fishermen claim. and with apparent truth, that as their traps are never over 15 inches in height, II is impossible for them to cause rise in be rfx- Rot fo dc Ir-fy two and three miles further up the river. let alone the western shore of the lake. It is probable that the excessively high waters of the last two years in that re- zion have had most to do with the food ing of the low lying lands.
 There are II of these eel traps. val ued at about sl 400. owned at Caugh- denhoy, and the manner of building them is as follows: Heavy stakes are driven into the bed of the river until they are just about even with the surface during a medium height of water. They are driven in such way that when completed they extend from shore to shore in the shape of an immense w, With the open portion facing upstream. When in this shape it makes two traps When only one is to be built. the shape is w, with the open portion up stream framework of blanks is then built around these stakes. At the two lower tips of the ''W'' small open ing is left. which is later occupied by the trap itself. This is usually made of lat tice work, built either rectangular or rounded, and with the lower end of a larger diameter than the upper From the sides of the mouth long laths run back into the trap, until they almost meet in the center. leaving only mar row opening about four or five inches in diameter between the ends of the laths. During certain seasons of the year the cells migrate down stream to Lake On tario, and thence to the ocean, and it is then that the fishermen reap their harvest When the eel reaches the side wall 1t follows slowly along this until 1t finds narrow opening which seems to present a way of escape; but upon wriggling along it a few feet, it finds it. self in the large end of the trap. with no means of escape.
 For many years each fisherman did all his own work. from the making of the trap to the marketing of the product; but few years ago the trust fever seized even them, and they held meet ing and decided that they would com bine; hence there is now only one smoke house among them all, while the fnis he'd product is sold and the money equally divided. whether the fisherman catches one eel or coo In this way the losses and profits are divided in the same pro- portion.
 All the eels caught are smoked. none being sold fresh As soon as brought ashore they are split from the head to the vent and the viscera removed. The head and skin are then taken off, after which the eels are immersed in strong brine for 24 hours On removal from the brine, they are washed with stifY brushes to remove the slime and sur plus salt. They are then strung on iron or steel rods, and are hung in the smoke house. hot fire of kindlings and later of corn cobs is first used in cooking them, after which the fire is covered with sawdust, which partially smothers it. causing a heavy and dense smoke. which soon cures the fish. Great care must be exercised during the carly stages. for if the heat becomes too great the fish will curl out of shape. Smoked cells keep shorter length of time than almost any other smoked fish. from five to twelve days being about the limit; hence they must be marketed as soon as possible after being removed from the smokehouses
 The Caughdenhoy fishermen drive to Syracuse with their smoked eels. and find ready market for all they can pos sioly bring in. They are unable to ex- pand their business. however. as they find it more and more difficult each year to secure enough to supply the local de- mand. Last year was very poor from financial standpoint. while this year so far, has been even worse, owing to the excessively high water which has pre- vailed in the river
 Gray an Easy Mark