New-York tribune., 1903-01-11
FISHING FOR TUNA.
THE LARGEST FISH TAKEN WITH A ROD
SPORT AT SANTA CATALINA.

In California they do some remarkable things.
one of which is the making of towns and cities
to order, SO to speak. Along the beaches of
Southern California can be found little cities.
with hotels. stores, dwellings, and other build
ings, which have sprung into existence within
year So standing on sites which were for
merly mere patches of sand or woodland. One
of the most remarkable of these towns is 10
Gated ON Santa Catalina Island, which lies off
the coast not fa- ON the city of Los Angeles
The ocean in the vicinity of the island is noted
as being the home of the tuna, one of the
gamest fishes which taken with the rod,
while the water is SC clear that the wonderful
marine growth on the bottom be distinctly
seen at depth of from forty to sixty feet. The
island also contains one of the finest bathing
beaches in the world, while the water is of such
temperature that it car be enjoyed while
people in the Eastern States are wrapped in
furS-in midwinter.
few years ago the northern end of the
island bought by company which finally
| decided to establish full fedged town, al
though only one or two buildings stood upon
the Site Within one year the valley selected
for the community was built up along the oeach
| front with score of hotels and pavtlions. while
back of them were erected hundreds of tents
giving the place the appearance of a military
encampment.
AS already stated. the town site Is oWHeu oy
one company, and this corporation has absolute
control of the community, enacting its own laws.
providing the necessary police force, and as it
owns the principal structures it is also theatr-
cal manager and general amusement provider
The president of the company has as absolute
| dominion over the people as the Gar has II
Russia, but thus far the system of government
has been satisfactory and the place is steadily
increasing in popularity.
The tents are used principally in the summer
time The town is nearly deserted in the spring
except for the fishermen. About May the com
pany sends a gang of men to the island and in
| a few days they have erected the long rows OF
| tents, changing the appearance of the place as
If by magic This part of the town is slowed
| away during the spring in a large circus tent
which contains not only the canvas, but furnl
ture carpets, oil stoves, dishes and other house
hold articles which rented by the company
| with each tent They are equipped ana are
ready to be hired by the day or the season, SO
| that the visitor go to Catalina with merely
the clothes on his back and what he can carry
in q gripsack or trunk. Everything else is pro-
vided for him. There is a general store where
provisions drygoods and other necessities are
sold at the ordinary prices; a postoftlce and
telegraph office, while the town supports a
newspaper during the principal season. In ad-
dition to summer opera, band concerts are given
daily at the expense of the company.
! The tuna are caught both from sailbOats and
rowboats Immediately offshore, and some Won
derful specimens of this fish, as we'll as others
of the fnny tribe. have been taken Tuna actu-
ally weighing over 400 pounds have been caught
with the hook and line, although in some cases
the fishermen were obliged to play" them three
or four hours before the fish became sufficiently
exhausted to be drawn up TO the boat ana
gaffed. Frequently specimens are caught which
are twice the weight of and actually longer than
| their captors. They are to the Pacific what the
famous tarpon is to the Gulf of Mexico, and re-