davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08

he went about his work of superin-
tending the Grating of the fish and the
loading of the wagons that were to
transfer the catch from the tug to the
company's ice lockers. He sang as he
worked. The nervous tension of a day
gone wrong had been relieved and all
was again right with the world
Aside from being illustrative OF
dominating roughness and brutality in
the lives of deep sea fishermen. this in
cident is explanatory of that cost OF
supplying the fish markets which can
not be computed in dollars and centSs
it reveals the price paid by the Of
ficers of the steam trawler in keeping
their men in that degree of SubOrdina-
ton which will insure proper cO-opera-
tion in the performance of their work.
Referring again to the incident re-
lated above, I recall certain parts of
conversation 1 had with the mate on
the homeward trip. previous to the fight
on the dock, which may throw some
light on the underlying causes which
led up to the battle. / had been ask
ing him about the hardships OF his life.
1--WE miSsa da sleep vera much" he
said II got seek bambinO up on da
hill. two vera small; dey maka cry
and holler some time all night wen I
get home from fish. Dat keep me wake
Up all night. No sleep. Vera bao!
Mex day i geta mad queeck. bout not
ing: and maybe den 1 drink a lit too
much a wine, to make up for sleep. Den
I am mean man Alright Get mad
Ikea bull for nOtingi Vera badH' with
a self-deprecatory shake of the head.
The transfer of the fish from the
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08

the great bag was suspended and held
there, washing slowly In the swing OF
the waves. Then the crews real work
began, landing the catch and sorting
1t in the bins on the after decks.
The transfer of the fish from the bag
to the deck of the tug is accomplished
by means of dip nets attached to long
handles. 1t requires the strength of at
least two men and frequently that of
three to lift one of these dip nets when
they are filed with squirming sea life.
The larger fish are often gated by
means of long spiked poles and thus
brought aboard. When a big seine is
well filed with fish it requires from
40 minutes to an hour for the men to
empty it. After the bulk of the weight
has been taken out of the bag, so that
the boom and tackle will stand the
strain, the net is hoisted bodily aboard
and emptied of it's remaining burden
within a few minutes. In rough
weather the labor of emptying the net
becomes heart breaking task; the
pitch of the boat hurls the men about
the slippery deck with a seemingly
malignant violence; the net washes
and swings about in unknown and
incalculable angles, the fish spill
from the mouth of the bag in
quantities, and the team work Of
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08

the men is necessarily disturbed.
AS the seine is being lifted thousands
of sea fowl begin to gather from every
quarter until the air about the boat is
a veritable feathery turmoil Their
shrill cries, lusty for the spoil of the
hunt, mount to deafening clamor as the
net begins to show above the sea and
the glistening sides of the enmeshed
creatures begin to flash in futile efforts
to escape. The birds converge quickly
above the bag and SO thickly do they
mass for the coming feast that their
wings frequently interlock and throw
them helpless in the water The fish
ermen with difficulty keep them from
plunging into the very mouth of the
net. The smaller fish, washed from
the net from time to time, reappear
in twinkling under the onslaught of
the feathered host. For perhaps half
an hour the fish which are thrown
aside by the trawler are snapped up by
the hungry gulls, INJURIES, terms and
hell divers. Gorged finally, the birds
retire to greater distance and only
pick up the tidbits forwhich they may
still have zest.- There is something
positively revolving in the lusty eager
ness with which the fisher fowl await
the helpless prey in whose capture
they have played no part.
This incidental feature of the trawl
stands out very prominent in my mem
DRY of the day spent at brakes bay;
so inseparably associated with the lift
ing of the net is the thronging of the
birds that 1t becomes an integral part
of the fishing.
While the transfer Of the fish from
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08

the seine to the sorting pens on the
after deck was being effected. the
members of the crew accompanied the
movements of their toiling bodies with
strange musical cries, set in crude
rhythm to the swing of the sea; toll
songs expressing the joy of the hunter
in the abundance of his spoil. The men
who sorted the catch began to address
the fish they handled in whimsical
terms of approval or condemnation, as
their peculiar fancy prompted; the dog
sharks and ''stingarees" were viciously
flung aside with explosive malediction
for having burdened the nets with
their worthless bodies. while the highly
priced edible creatures received a bless
ing of extravagant appreciation as they
were consigned to their respective bins
and crates. The ardor of these Medi-
terraneans in their work was a child
like thing. 1t was as though they were
playing rather than toiling.
Sorting the catch is the most strenu-
Gus work of the trawler. To the OBJ
server it is the most interesting fea-
ture of the fisherman's day. The men
handling the dip nets throw the fish
into the sorting pens until the finny.
squirming mass rises about the knees
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08

boat to the wagons on the wharf COM
pleted the days work for the trawlers.
1t was nearly o'clock when the last
box of the catch had been lifted from
the bins to the dock. The men hurried
OF into the deserted streets. most of
them climbing toward the lights on
Telegraph hill. "At 5 o'clock tomOr-
row" the mate bawled after his de-
parting crew, experimenting the order
with a volley OF Italian commands.
Casting a last look at the crates of fish
ranged along the wharf ready for load
ing-his contribution and that of his
fisherman fellows to the city's food
supply-the big Sicilian, too, slipped
away into the shadows. climbing the
slope to his six bambinOs and his well
earned rest.
He and his crew had taught me a
new and lasting respect for the man
who fares out to fish; respect for the
courage. the self-reliance and the va
liant good cheer the trawIer puts into
his arduOuS toll.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08

expensive net. doubly precious with its
burden OF living weight. Hidden rocks
and the prevalent coast fogs add their
element of danger. always threatening.
Cold winds mean suffering. and the
long hours of this labor rasp away at
the fisherman's nerves until it becomes
presumption to expect patience or good
will Of him in his dealings with his
fellows. There is, however, something
about the work, a certain freedom and
eXhilaration, which keeps a mans
spirit buoyant and eager. for it's task.
It seldom occurs that the seasoned
trawler deserts his nets for some other
and easier mode Of life.
It was o'clock on an extremely
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08

the boat, awaiting the lifting of the
net and the casting aside of the 1.-THE
that would be theirs.
At II o'clock the boats began to ap-
proach each other obliquely, prepara-
tory to raising the net. The other tug
swung slowly around us and passed us
the hawser 1t had been pulling. The
rope end was then fastened to our
winch drum, after having been fed
through a hosting tackle suspended
from boom that extended out to the
rail of the tug along the after quarter.
The hawser we had been pulling during
the drag of the net was already SINH
larly attached. The maneuvering of
the tugs had closed the mouth of the
net by twisting one wing of the open
ing across the other. These prelimin-
aries arranged to the satisfaction Of
our mate and skipper, the hosting of
the great seine with its unknown guam
tity and quality or fish was begun.
Steadily and very slowly on account
of the weight of the bag the winch
wound up the hawser which was passed
to the fore deck and. piled up there so
that it would not interfere with the
sorting of the catch on the after deck.
In perhaps five minutes the ends of
the net appeared above the tide and
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08
Casting the Net

Our sister tug came scuttling over to
as 70 take line our mate heaved over
to them For a moment the two yes
sells hung close, heaving erratically on
the sea, the men of the crews exchang-
ing chaf and greeting. while the cook
of our tug flung certain supplies across
to his fellow FLASHER" of the other
crew. This second tug. by the way,
does not leave the fishing grounds at
all except on Sunday, when the run
down to San Francisco is made for the
sake of providing social diversion for
the crew, Sunday being day of rest
for these flsherfoik. To the end of the
line which our mate passed over to the
second tug is attached the end of the
heavy rope hawser which carries one
wing of the big net slowed carefully
in the stern of our boat. The hawser
having been made fast to the winch
drum or windlass of our sister trawler
the two tugs began to steam slowly
apart and at the proper moment the
cumbersome net was cast overheard
and allowed to sink slowly to the bot
tom. We were steaming against the
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08
The Independent Fishermen

While the steam trawlers provide the
great bulk of San Francisco's daily
supply of sea food, the scores of little
craft that put out every morning from
Fishermans wharf bring in their aux
Hilary contribution of from one to a
dozen crates each These are the in
dependent hshermen-Greeks Italians,
Frenchmen, Cinnamon and all the folks
Inclined to harvesting the sea-who
own and operate their own boats and
dispose of their catch usually by hawk
ing 1t about the streets Sometimes
they contract to supply the smaller
markets, and during stormy weather
when the steam trawlers can not op-
crate in the open sea these hardy in
dependents cast their nets in the shell
tered pockets along the coast and sell
their catch at a handsome profit to the
larger markets temporarily compelled
to patrOnize them. They fish with
pocket nets, net traps. line travis and
dozen other cOntrivances known to
the resourceful toiler of the sea. The
majority of enterprising fishermen op-
crate from power launches, provided
with reels and apparatus for dragging
and hauling the nets. and built with
an eye to both speed and safety In
rough weather Even in a stiff sea
these launches may be seen dancing
about outside the heads. advertising the
sturdy spirit of the independent fisher
man and giving evidence Of a diligence
in his toll which is not easily dis
couraged. Some Of the less enterpris-
ing individuals. perhaps unfortunate
ones. still operate with the old fash
toned catboat and rowboats. Despite
these handicaps they manage to earn a
modest living when the run of fish is
good.
The pocket netter is the most sue
cessful operator of this little fleet OF
Independents. His method of working
is to cast long net. hanging several
fathoms deep from cork supports, in
such a manner that a school OF fish
swimming near the surface or the
water is epmeshed One end OF the
floating seine is first planted" and then
the launch rapidly carries the other
end in a sweeping circle about the
schooling fish. The net is then slowly
reeled aboard the launch, the bot
tom OF the mesh trap being hauled
first in such manner that a gigantic
has the advantage over the steam traw-
Ter in that he is not compelled to keen
outside the three mile limit" which
the latter must regard. Dragging the
bottom of the sea with net is unIaw-
full when carried on within three miles
of the shore line.
Ffshermans wharf has been a rem
devious for these Independent. sturdy
toilers OF the sea from the time tho
present water front was constructed
The little fleet that cradles against its
spfles, however, is dwindling in recent
years The steam trawler Is forcing
them out OF their former profitable
busineaa
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08

cold and foggy morning when the crew
whom l accompanied piled into the tug
at the foot OF Vallejo street wharf and
cast off the ropes for the run up to the
Marin county banks. Once outside the
heads OF the gate, with the intermit-
tent blare of the fog sirens dying away
at our stern, the eight or 10 fishermen
who made up the crew crawled down
below deck and finished their broken
nights sleep. I sat propped up in the
stuffy, hot little pilot. box with the
skipper, while the tug pelted through
the rough seas for three hours on her
northward course. At dawn we reached
Point Reyes, where we met another
tug in every way similar to our own;
this sister tug was to assist in drag
ging the big net. two boats being
necessary to accomplish the trawl. The
big Sicilian mate bawled command
down into the fo'c'sle and the crew,
with an answering volley OF shouts,
tumbled out on deck and jumped to
their stations; the days work had be-
gun. In moment all was excitement
and activity
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08

were stuffed beyond the ability to talk.
Even the voluble south European
tongues must perforce remain silent
while this gormandizing went on. Then
followed a long pull at the wine jugs,
and another and still another. Now
that hunger was satisfied and the
mouths were empty the tongue of joke
and gibe was loosed. How the chaff
few! How the laughs crowded one
upon the other to echo out along the
troughs of the sea, answered laugh for
laugh by the croak of the gulls and
the INJURIES that pitched erratically
and in ever increasing numbers about
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08

tide so that the weight of the water
would properly open and distend the
big mesh bag. Once spread along the
sandy bottom of the sea, the net is
held openN and in proper position by
means of an arrangement of sinkers
and cork floats. For the thrse hours
following the casting of the net the
tugs steamed ahead at good speed
across the bank. Below seas the vora-
cious mesh mouth was gathering it's
spoil. accommodating every conceivable
specie of sea creature, not by the
score, but by the hundredw and
the ton, heaping them pellmell and in
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08

discriminatory into the farther recesses
of the gigantic seine where the strug-
Cling turmoil of glistening bodies be-
comes inextricably entangled and held
until the net is lifted.
Meanwhile the crew was eating
breakfast. A large basket of fried
sanddabs Drowned and curled with fry
ing, was carried out on the fore deck
Every man helped himself. stripping
the Taking flesh from the bones with
his fingers and filing his mouth. Great
loaves of French bread two feet in
length were brought out; each man
broke off a chunk with his raw, wet
hands and guarded it wolfishly where
he sat. For a time the many mouths
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08
Rough Men and a Hard Life

Lack of sleep. the disappointment in
cident upon a poor days haul and the
nervous tension under which the men
labor at times often breed strange and
savage feuds among the fishermen.
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-28

bcrs of the patients family from school
for at least two weeks. Exclusion Of
insects and animals from the room.
''Disinfection OF tho secretions Of the
nose and mouth and OF the stools and
urine. Disinfection OF all articles which
might have been contaminated by the
patient.
"EumIgation OF premises after recov-
cry"
In stating It's expectations the service
says several circumstances must be con-
sidered, which are grouped thus.
Tile disease Is already disseminated
over A wide area. Experience with other
widespread contagious diseases. such as
scarlet fever for the control OF which
we have to depend solely on isolation
and dlsinfection. has demonstrated that
we can hardly expect to eradicate such
disease by present methods. but that
much may be done In the way Of limit
ing its spread.
Epidemic poliomyelitis presents un-
usual difficulties In the recognition OF
even typical eases in their early stage and
OF abortlve cases In all stages.
''1t will be difficult to estimate the ef-
feet OF preventive measures. since the
disease often fails to spread In commnni-
ties where conditions seem most favor
able for an epidemic"
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-28
MEXICAN VILLAGES
To BE OB[|TERATED
Big Elephant Butte Dam Will
Wipe Ancient Towns OFF
the Map.

EEL PASO. Texas. Nov. 21.-Prepara
tions are being made by the govern
ment to remove nearly 1000 people from
their homes in order TO mako room for
the great Elephant Butte reservoir near
Engle, n. NJ.
Six Mexican villages. ranging in pop
ulation from 80 to 100. will be inundated
when the water is turned in,
Among tho towns to be obli,erated
is Perajo, once an important station and
distributing point on the old Santa Fe
trail, with Il population then OF 5000
Some OF the towns are among the most
ancient in America. their origin run
ming back several centuries. From Per-
ajo the trail entered upon the famous
Jornad del Muerto Journey OF Death),
whore scores died with thirst In the
old freightIng days.
The government Is now engaged in
buying up the farms and village prop
crty OF the native residents and by the
time water is available, the great basin
Of 10000 acres will have been deserted.
The ranchers will be allowed to ill
their land until driven out by the wa =
ter. government agent, who returned
here yesterday after spending three
weeks In that region. stated that he
met but one American during the time
and that the most primitive conditions
prevailed everywhere.
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-28
HUNTING FOR BODIES
IN FACTORY EMBERS
County Prosecutors Detectives
Obtaining Evidence TO Be
Used in Inquiry.

NEWARK. n. j.. Nov. 27-Only one
unidentified body remains I'm the morgue
here tonight. only one employee Of the
Wolf Manufacturing company is still
missing. and 1t now seems that last
nights estimate of the dead in yester-
days factory fire will stand at twenty
five. Five additional identificatlons OF
bodies at the morgue were made today.
No bodies were found i'm the burned
building today, and Chief Ashley is
convinced that no more VIZ be found, He
will keep his men at work until the
ruins have been turned over brick by
brick,
All approaches to the scene were
crowded with moving mass Of hui
manlty II was estimated that 100000
sightseers pushed against the police
lines.
While the firemen were digging among
the ruins, detectives from The county
prosecutors office were making exami- =
nation of their own to determine re-
sponsibiity for the loss OF life. Photo
graphs and measurements were taken
to be used in the official inquiry that
Will be held later.
The factory WAS old. and the city
authorities take the stand that they
cannot be held accountable for any lack
of fire escape the inquiry may reveal.
They say they have jurisdiction only
over new buildings and additions OF al
terations to those already, in use.
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-28
VETERAN Of MEXICAN
WAR DIES SUDDENLY
General James Cakes, Famous
Frontier Soldier, SuccumbS
to Heart Disease.

WASHINGTON, Nov, 9T.-General
James Oakes, who was retired in 1873
after thirty years Of active service in
the Mexican and civil wars, as well as
In Indian uprsings in the southwest,
sank unconscious to the pavement to-"
day near his home and died twenty min
utes later at a local hospital Death
was caused by heart trouble.
General Oakes was born near Lime
stone. Pa. April 4. 1926. and was edu-
Gated at the University of Pennsyl-
.vania and the United States military
academy. He served for time In > the
faculty OF the academy. but at the out
break OF the war with Mexico, accom-
panied General Zachary Taylor and was
breveted first lieutenant.
He later was assigned TO frontier dU-
ties against the Indians in northern Ari-
zona, and in 1851 reached the rank of
lieutenant colonel. being assigned to the
Fourth cavalry. He became colonel OF
the Sixth cavalry that same year. and
after distinguished service in the Ten
nessee and Mississippi campaigns. he
was made brigadier general brevet
March 30. 1865.
AT the close OF the civil war, he was
head of the freedmen's bureau al Austin.
Tex and later again saw service against
the Indians OF the southwest. lie was
retired at his own request on April 80.
1879. and had spent most of his time
since In New York, Pittsburg and Wash
inEton.
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-28
VATICAN JOURNAL
LAUDS THE KAISER
Emperor Williams Speech to
Monks Commented Upon
FavorabIy.

ROME Nov. 27.--The Observatore Ro~
mano publishes comments. evidently in
spired by the vatican. on the discussion
yesterday in the German reichStas OF the
speech made by Emperor William at
Koenigsberg on August rs pointing out
that the debate furnished proof of the
irrefutable truth contained in the ,em-
peror's speeches. both at Koenigsberg
and Beuron that the throne and altar
cannot be divided in Germany, religion
being necessary In the struggle against
error in modern times.
In addressing the abbot and several
Roman Catholic dignitaries in the Bene-
dictine monastery at Beuron, the en-
peror said:
1.-The governments Of Christian princes
can only be carried on according to the
will of the Lord. The altar and throne
are closely united. and must not be sep
arated.'
The vatican official organ in the course
OF its comment says:
1.-THE two fine speeches of the German
monarch were noble just and constitu-
tionally correct. While rreligion and
demagogy impcril the principles OF au-
thority and order. it was relief to
hear certain truths nobly vindicated bv
the authoritative and august lips Of a
poHorful sovereign
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-28

in politics, has twice been elected to
office in our city. and has served one
term in the legislature with honor to
himself and credit to the state. He
was the first bishop Of the Third ward,
but was honorably released Gre
this was done the public has never
been able to find ont. II may have
been that he did not collect tithing
enough to satisfy those in authority
over him; or it may have been because
of his political affiliation. George
Hales was installed in place of Marinus
Larsen. He is radical church Repub-
lican. and man of small education,
often failing to do right for fear of do
ing wrong. II is freely stated hat he
is by no means the choice of the people
of the ward
few months ago man died at
Mammoth and was brought here for
burial He was once a citizen OF this
place and had been member of the
Liberal party. | responded to re-
quest to say few words at his funeral
and incidentally [ mentioned his con
uection with the old Liberal party,
which ! said, had for one of its OBJ.
jects the abolishment of the practice OF
polygamy. | made this statement IN
the mildest language of which i was
master, but it was altogether too strong
for Bishop Hales, and be pulled my
coat.tail. bringing my remarks 10 sud-
den close.
A; the close of the meeting Hales
stood up before that house full of peo-
pie. MANY of whom were from Mani
moth and Eureka, and not members OF
the Mormon church. and said he knew
polygamy was revelation from God.
and that he (Haies) was ready to die
for it.
In closing. will say that nowadays
] am not around building any more
Mormon meeting houses. or attending
any more Mormon services. ] think
your readers. by this time, may be able
TO partially realize how it feels to be
outside the church in a Mormon com
munity. GEO. A. HlSho.
Spanish Fork, November %, 1910.