The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1904-01-21
THE TRAPPING OF EELs.
Peculiar Industry THAT IL Carried on
in new York state on the
Oneida River.

total extinction, 10 the catching OF etiH
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, OF weirs. year after
year. without any fear OF molestation;
but now they are face 10 face with a
threatened lawsuit. which, II SUCCESS
lui. will totally destroy their livelihood.
says the New York Tribune The fight
against them ia 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
rise IN the river sufficient In many In
'tarccs to Good their low lands along the
water front The suit. II brought. will
eoubtless be against the state. as fish
rmen are permitted by law 70 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 II Is stated
that Caughdeuhoy has been built up
practically on cells. there being 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 is inches Ia height,
Il is impossible for them 70 cause a rise
In the river sufficient TO food lands lying
two and three miles further up the river.
LET alone the western shore OF the lake
Il Is probable that the excessively high
waters Of the last two years in that re-
gion have had most 10 co with the food
lng Of the low lying lands.
There are Il Of these eel traps, val
ned at about 81 400, owned at caugh-
ienhoy. and the manner Of building
them Is as follows: Heavy etafes are
lriven into the bed Of the river untii
they are Just about even with the surface
inrirg a medium height Of water They
are driven IN such a way that when
completed they extend from shore 10
shore Ia the shape Of an immense "w. I"
With the open portion facing upstream
When IN this shape Il makes two traps
When only one Is 70 be built. the shape
IS q ~" with the open portion up
stream. A framework Of plaEks II
then built around these stakes. AZ the
two lower tips Of the wv" small open
ire Is left, which is later occupied by ths
trap Itself. This ia usually made Of lat-
Ice work. built either rectangular or
rounded. ard 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 a mar
row opening about four or Ave inches IA
diameter between the ends tf the laths.
During certain seasons Of the year the
tels migrate down stream 20 Lake On
lario and thence 10 the ocean. and II
lie then that the fishermen ref their
harvest When the eel reaches the side
wall II follows slowly along this until
L finds q narrow opening which seems
to present way Of escape: but upon
wriggling along Il few feet. Il finds e.
self in the large end Of the trap. with no
means Of escape.
For many years eaeh fisherman dld all
ifs own work. from the making Of the
trap 10 the marketing Of the product: Z:
but a few years ago the trust fever
seized even them. and they held q meet
Ing and decided that they would com
bine; hence there Is now only onesmoke-
house among them all. while hehnished
product Is sold and the money equally
divided. whether the fisherman catches
one eel or 1000 In this way the losses
and profits are divided 10 the same pro-
i portion.
All the eels caught are smoked. rome
being sold fresh As soon A. brought
ashore they are split from the head 70
the vent and the viscera removed. The
head and skin are then taken ofI. after
which the esls are immersed IN a strong
brine for a hours. On removal from
the brine. they are washed with sun
brushes TO remove the slime and sur
plus salt They are then strung en- iron
or steel rods. and are hung in the smohe-
house hot FIRE d kirdiiurs au6
later Of corn eobs Is first used tn COOKING
hem. after which the fire IL covered
with sauduft. which partially smothers
H. causing a heavy and dense smoEs
which eonu cures the fish Great care
must be exercised during TIE earls
stages. for n the heat becomes too great
he fish viii curl out Of shape Smoked
fels keep a shorter length q time thar
almost any other smoked nsh. from fvs
10 twelve days being about the limit.
hence they must be marketed as econ as
possible after being removed from the
am0tehonses
Tho Caurhdenhcy fishermen drive te
syracuse with their smoked cells. and
ind a ready market for al they can pos.
sihly bring in They are Unable % cx-
pand their business. however. as the,
fnd Il more and more difcult each year
10 secure enough 70 supply the local de.
maud Last year vas very poor from
a financial standpoint. while this year
20 lar, has been even worse owing 20 ths
excessively high water which has pre-.
L