Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-23

In every northern city carp can be
found on the menus Of many restau-
rants and good hotels. At the Wal
wine GAUGE Is quoted at 65 cents per
portion, just the same as fresh mack
eralL Kansas City and Memphis are
| also large users Of carp from Havana.
Carp we're introduced into the ILL
nois river some fifteen years ago. but
are already largely in the majority
and may soon claim sole occupancy
of that river. They were planted by
| the United States fish commission,
but have increased in numbers so rap
| idly as 20 threaten the life tenures
Of all other fishes there.
Carp do not eat other fish as a rule.
as is commonly supposed. but they are
enormously prolific. are voracious
| eaters ard grow very rapidly Like
| the English sparrow. they monopolize
| the territory and the other fishes are
| starved out. They eat moss. as do
other fish. but being pugnacious they
keep the Other fish from the feeding
| grounds. They also dig deeply into
| the mud. stirring up the water and
making II so muddy and thick that
other varieties of fish which require
| clear water die on quickly.
| Carp grow twice as fast as do other
| fish. At eighteen months they will
frequently weigh three pounds IL they
have plenty to eat.
Buff:lo are higher priced fish than
| carp. the latter retailing in the large
Il
| Buffalo are favorite dish in the south
and large quantities are sent from
| Havana to Memphis. st. Louis Lexing-
| ton. Atlanta and Vicksburg. Crop
I pics. sunfish and catfish come next
| in point of demand.
There are four wholesale dealers
at Havana These men own tug boats
and lease extensive fishing grounds.
one man. Capt. John A Schultz. him.
self owning 1000 acres and leasing as
many more Mr.. Schultz has been in
the business for forty-two years and
is reckoncd to be worth fully 100000.
| Each of these wholesale dealers own
a large market. which is stationed at
| fishermen come daily with tug boats
of fish. freshly caught.
At these market boats the fish are
packed in boxes. leo pounds of fish
and 100 pounds of ice being placed
| in each box. Catfish are always
skinned. Other fish, when shipped
east or north. are sent away whole.
but for the west they are dressed. that
| Is they have their heads taken
of and intestines removed. This
is one Of the peculiaritics of the trade.
| The freight on a car load of fish from
Havana to New York averages S235
per load.
Dealers own many boats and employ
many fishermen. Quater boats. or
, quarters for provisions and cooking. are
| sent out to the grounds. which are not
always IN the Illinois river. some ex-
cellent grounds being located in ada
cent lakes and creeks. These men are
paid good wages and like the life. AS
n other occupations some save money
and others are always in debt. IL de-
pending on the man. IL Is claimed
| though that when a man once becomes
4 regular fisherman he seldom goes
nto any other occupation. There are
also private fishermen who dispose of
their catches TO the dealers, but the
| after are not numerous.
Fish are caught in seines and set
nets. never by hook and line except
by amateurs. The state guard the fish
rigidly. and inspectors watch every
catch. to see that all fish are of pro-
per length and size, others being re-
turned unframed TO the water. No
| seines a; all can be used during the
spawning season, this is from April Is
| 20 June l.
The fish heads and intcstines are
l Used for fertilizers for garden patches
and as food for fowls. being much in
Il demand. Seines are from so OTTO 500
Yards long and eight men are required
20 make a haul. Usually 5000 pounds
If fish is an average haul. Seinc3 are
from 12 to % feet deep. although
AXE seins are deeper than those used
in the river. Seines cost from $500
70 $3.50 apiece and are made largely
in Chicago. although some are manu-
facutured in Joliet and St. Louis. Set
nets are made at home and sell for
about 81 each. Capt. Schultz has 800
l nets and four scines. All seines and
nets are tarred twice year in order
| 20 preserve them. Over $50 barrels
of tar are Used each year for this pur-
pose ut Havana. IL being shipped from
| Jacksonville. where il is produced by
the gas company. Two hundred men
are employed thu year round in fish
ing within ten miles of Havana.
II is said TO be a fact that quite a
portion of the Chesapeake bay. or
| diamond backed tarrapins. which
are served in fashionable res
| taurants in Washington. Baltimore.
| Boston and New York. come from the
| Illinois river ct Peoria. Pekin. Havana
| and other points in this state. The
price. is usually $50 PORTION with
diamond backed terrapins and many
| hundreds OF Dozen are annually sent
Il ~ eastern cities