Semi-weekly herald., 1912-12-09

prey ali diDiS VIC SoaSt' VI @'N''
foundland and even to Greenland. The
Gloucester fishermen in particular go
to western Greenland for large halibut
which are brought home to be smoked
in fIitches. The winter fshermenI
drive quite thriving trade in frozen
herring which they take along the
coast of Newfoundland and sell 20 lish
crmen further .outh to be used as
bait The frozen herring trade which
began as an experiment in 1876 has
now developed into an important
lranch of the fish g industry. The
whale fishing industry, while not as
important as in former years because
of the number of substitutes which
have been found for whale products,
is still in existence in New England
and there are crews of stalwart whal-
ing men who go out each year. All
though their methods are somewhat
different from those employed in the
previous generation, the work still
calls for long exposure in the coldest,
stormiest weather and each year
whale fishers are turning their az
tention to some less strenuous call
ing.
In connection with the fishing in
dustry of New England mention must
be made of the manufacture of all
classes of fishing implements, includ-
ing boats and vessels of different
kinds. The modern fishing boats con-
tain many conveniences unknown to
the old fishermen who were content TO
of exposure with few comforts. Now
these boats are supplied with special
life-saving jackets that are not cum
bersome, with clothing that is warm
and water proof and as light in weight
as possible. The arrangements for
providing warm food on short notice,
US well as comfortable sleeping quar-
tiers, is feature which makes same
of the old "Northeasters" scornfully
sneer about SISSY babies although
they seem to fully appreciate the add
ed comfort.
The fishing business in New Eng
land must be divided into two classes:
= nat of catching the fish and that of
preserving and shipping. The catch
ing of fsn varies according to the
species to be secured and there are "A
growing number of foreigners employ
ed in it under the direction of Amer
leans. Around Gloucester large per-
centage of the fishing hands employed
in the nearby waters are Portuguese
who have built up good sized suburb
to this old colonial town. These men
are usually industrious and sober and
live with their families in attractive
homes of their own. A large propor-
the FISH packing establishments. Us
! ually a fishing vessel will be under
, the direction of an American skipper
with large percentage of the hands
made up of foreigners.
II is claimed that there are fewer
| labor difficulties among the New Eng
LAID fishermen than in any other in
dustry. The chief reason for this is
that it is almost entirely upon CO.
operative basis. The owners of the
vessels furnish the supplies and the
men give their labor and the proceeds
Of the catch are evenly divided If
it is a good haul there is fair profit
for each. If the luck is bad it is
shared by all alike. There are of
course few unskilled laborers who
are paid small daily wages, but the
true fisherman is not hireling. He
prefers to depend upon his Fisher
mans luck" and is a happier and more
Independent man because of it.
| The handling of the fish after the
catch includes number of kinds of
industries. By common consent Glou-
cester is known as the great salt fish
center of New England, and Boston
as the fresh fish market In various
towns and villages all along the New
England coast are scattered establish
ments for canning, sailing and smok-
ing fish, but to a large extent these are
under the control of companies hav-
ing their central offices in either Glou-
cester or Boston.
The sailing of fish is an industry
employing thousands of men and
women. In some vessels ice is taken
on board and the fish are packed in
ice until they are brought ashore after
which they are packed in salt. The
older method, which is still most gen
orally used, is to open the fish as soon
as caught and pack them in salt.
Then, when they are taken on shore.
the surplus salt is rinsed off and they
are put upon the flakes" to dry in
the open air. These flakes are racks
OF wood built in long tiers. The
salted cod fish is laid upon these and
turned over once or twice until it is
dry enough to pack, the time varying
from eight to twenty-four hours, ac
ccrding to the weather. Incidentally.
the salt used in the dressing of these
fish is almost all imported either from
Spain or Algiers. 1t can be secured
from abroad cheaper than it can be
y,,anlfurtnrnI /, a