New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-08
THE TRAPPING OF EELS.
Peculiar Industry IN Oneida RiCer-
Smoked for the Market

A --sr bur very interesting New-York industry
which B.. threatened with total extinction Is the
itching OF eels in eel traps n the Oneida River. At
Cau-hde1h1y- For many years the residents OF
this pretty -itte village have built their eel traps.
OF weirs year after year. without any fear CT
r1oIes-atior. but now they face to face with
threatened lawsuit. which, Il successful. viii to
tally destroy their livelihood The fight against
them Is being made by farmers living along the
river bank between CaugndenhCy and Oneida
Lake and along the western end OF the lake who
CHIN that the building Of the traps causes rise
n the river sufficient IN many instances 20 food
their low lying ll1ds along the water front The
suit II brought VIII doubtless be against the
state as the fishermen are permitted BY law 20
build these trzrs. 5ut the ultimate result would
be should the suit be successful. that The State
would forbid their use. This phase OF the cues
ton IS troubling the fishermen very much. and this
can be easily appreciated when II IS stated tnat
C,auzhdeuhoy has been bunk up practically on eels
there befrr no other business IN the village except
farming on a limited scale The fishermen claim.
and With apparent truth. that as their traps are
never over fifteen inches IN height. II IS impossible
for them to cause rise IN the river sufficient 70
food lands lying two and three miles further up
the river let alone the western shore OF the lake
II IS probable that the excessively high waters OF
the last two years II that region have had NEST 20
do with the flooding OF the low lying lands
There are fourteen OF these eel traps, valued az
about 81. 100. owned at Caughdenhoy, and the man
ner OF building them Is follows Heavy stakes
are driven into bed Of the river until they are
lust about even with the surface during d ne
dunn height OF water. They are driven III such
way that when completed they extend from snore
n shore IN the shape OF immense w. WITH
the omen portion facing up stream When II TINS
shane II makes two traps When only one $ 20 BE
H,.ffr the shane is ~. with the open portion Up
stream A framework o. plaEks IS then built
around these stakes A. the two lower tips OF the
W. a small opening is LETT which IS l2-er occU-
pied By the trap itself. This Is usually made %
lattice work built either rectan guar or rounded
and with The lower end Of larger diameter than
the upper From the sides OF the mouth long Iatns
run back into the trap until they almost meet n
the centre leaving only narrow opening about
four or FIVE inches n diameter between the ends
Of the laths During certain seasons OF the year
the eeis migrate down stream 70 Lake Ontario and
thence 10 the ocean and II IS then that the fisher
men reap their harvest When the eel reaches the
side wall it follows slowly along tais until ir finds
a narrow opening which seems 70 present a way
OF escape but upon Vrisgiing along IT a few feet
finds itself IN the large end or the with
uleans o.: escape
For many years each fisherman did al his own
work from the making Of the trap the market
ing OF the product. but a few years the trust
fever seized even them. and they held meeting
and decided that they would combine, hence there
the finish product is sold and the money equally
divided whether the fisherman catches one eel or
one Thousand n THIS way the losses and prcfils
are fit.la-d ll N. same irufpELllii-
All the ecis caught a-e smoked. none being sod
fresh As sucr brought ashore t1ey split
from the head the went and the vIscera
which the eel immersed in strong brine
tOr twenry-four hours On removal from the ortns