The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-20
FISH FACTORIES
MAKE FORTUNES.
The Industry Builds Up Several
Towns on Northern
Neck.
AN UNUSUALLY GOOD SEASON
New Machinery Enables Fac
tories to Dispose Of Large
Quantities of Fish.
AN UNUSUALLY GOOD SEASON
rsp.c,ai 10 III. T,mes.pYspa.ch.,

Especial to The Titnes-Dlspatch) /
HEATILSVILLE, VA. Nov. 19-The
myrlads Of met,liadcn fish, which APP
pearcd or the mouth OF the Chesapeake
Bay about two weeks ago, have all gone
south, and nearly all the large fish fac
tories of Northumberland and Lancaster
counties. have closed down for the sea-
son, This Is about two weeks earlier
than they were closed last year.
Taken ez a whole, this season has boon
n very prot1tablei one to tho factory own
ers Good catches were made oil during
the summer and early fal,a until about
this first Of October. when nearly all the
fish went north. Several factories on
Carriers Crock and at other points out
out" then. Many OF these were ., apo Do
to secure fresl1-crews for their steamers
about the first OF November, when tho
| fall bunkers came down the coast, on
| their way to southern waters, and thus
70! In about two weeks OF excellent fish
| Ing. The fish that have been caught THIS
month, are said to be the finest ever
| la ndled here, and have put the factories
| far ahead.
Many OF the factories claim to have
secured twelve gallons of oil to the thou
sand fish. This is an unusually large
output. Menhaden fisheries in this sec
ton Of country seem to be on q STEADY
boom. To-day there are more fish iac-
I torres In Northumberland county than
ever before. 4 few years ago there were
scarcely any factories In the county; now
! the banks OF the Wicomco River and
! the small creeks emptying into It. arc
| crowded WITH large fish factories. These
| factories are furnished with the most up
| to-date machinery. A few years ago. Mr..
| Norris who owns stock In some OF the
| T., 9ot,S Ear tnrfe - fY ha-
! cured a. patent for a dryer. Since then
3mephaden$ fisheries have gone ahead Won
derfulty. as more fish scrap can be dried
by these machines in one day than could
b. dried in a week by the old method OF
| drying by the sun. Tho enhaden5 fish
lag industry is, by far, the best paying
business of the Northern Neck.
Many small fortunes have been made
| IN this bus ness in the past few years.
| Many OF the most prosperous little towns.
| In the county, have been built up by 1t.
Reedyille. situated on the banks Of the
Wicon1ico River, in the lower end O
| cumberland county, may be consid-
cred as having been built up almost en-
| tirely by nenhnden fisheries. A few
| years ago, It was small landing place.
with a store and q few dwelling houses,
n ear the water; now 1t Is one OF the
most hourishing little towns in the North
| ern Neck, several OF the finest fish fac
tories in this section Of Virginia, being
] situated in and near It Il.
| Northumberland county leads all the
/ other counties OF the Northern Neck in
4 menlladen fishing Her fish factory stock
is always above par. and people from al
! over the country are anxious to secure
] 1t at almost any price.
Now. the bird season is open, nearly
every little place in Northern Neck Is
being visited by sportsmen from Balti-
more. Washington. and other near by
1 cities. cartridges are very plentiful in
this section, now. wing to t he protection
given them by law. About FIVE years
ago, nearly all the cartridges OF this
section had been killed out by trappers,
and ono ce uld walk through the fields
for days, ana see scarcely a single bird.
| Now all this Is changed. In the summer
time, youpg cartridges may be seen at
| oil times c: Tie day, hopping along the
| roadsides; and the merry call Of old
"Bob White',Sis heard as often as It was
| in past years Quite a party OF sportsmen
| are at present lodged at the hotels here.
/ Material Is being hauled here for the
1 vault which is shortly to be placed III
( tic large brick building, owned by J.
W. Jones. Cape Charles where the L..
| E.. Munfnrd Banking Company Will soon