The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-06-22
HONEY f|:I|Tzi''' 4. HAS !.
WIRELESS. FISHING
MAYOR OF BOSTON HAS NOVEL
PLAN, WHICH HE WILL PRE-
SENT TO CONGRESS.

u
better and buster Boston. is also ia
nous ms the finest singer of that popu-
lar melody. Sweet Adeline." He has
now got into tho spotlight in a new
way. He proposes fishing by wire-
less.
The idea has aroused great deal
of enthusiasm among the captains OF
the harbor fishing boats OF Boston
and the seamen of Gloucester. Their
enthusiasm is sordid. however They
approve of the mayors plans because
| It may mean money in their pockets.
Mayor Fitzgerald believes that his
| scheme will contribute 10 reducing the
high cost OF living. He insists also
| that his plan is practical. His friend.
| Congressman Murray. of the Boston
fishing congressional district. is go
ing to bring the scheme before con-
/ gress.
/ Mayor F.tzgerald's plan is this, To
begin with he wants the United States
government to appropriate each year
a sumcient sum of money TO finance
his plans. This money Is to be called
L the wireless fishing fund. The money
is to be judiciously distributed among
the captains of transatlantic liners
1 and other steamers carrying wire
L less outfits, and to wireless telegraph
companies which control land sta
tons. The captains are expected to
send the news by wireless the mo-
ment they sight a school of fish. thus
giving the fishermen a quick tip.
n In his office in the City hall in
A Boston, Mayor Fitzgerald was very
willing to discuss his fishing by wire
less scheme. He was even eager to do
L it. He paced up and down the exc
cutive chamber delivering a message
which he believed was of vital i'm
portance to the country at large. He
had just returned from trip to
South America
"As a member OF the party of the
Boston Chamber of Commerce. / was
sailing southwark few weeks ago,
aboard the good ship Metapan.' said
the mayor "A warm morning sun
shone down from the heavens as !
came on deck The Metapan was
gliding along In a smooth sea Off the
Carolinas
Suddenly saw a silvery fash on
the green waters. Using my marine
glasses l beheld a, great school of
mackerel 1t was IL wonderful sight.
They fascinated me. / followed the
school for some time, as the fish kept
running along the top OF the water
with the wind.
II put down my glasses and be-
gan to think. There were the fish.
but where were the fishermen? 1
thought Then an idea flashed across
my mind. Why not notify the fish
ermen?
Il went Immediately to the hur-
ricane deck and into the wireless
room. There I wrote out this message;
School mhckerel running south by
east. Fishermen take notice.
ITO this 1 added the latitude and
longitude and told the wireless opera
hn
shore station, to have 1t forwarded to
the nearest fishing port. / don't know
whether 1t reached the fishermen OF
not. but / gave them the tip anyway
This set me to thinking.
II worked out a plan by which the
United States Government should pay
the captains OF steamers. or the wire
less operators or somebody to keep
fishermen Informed OF the whereabouts
of fish as soon as they came to the
top of the water. The more l thought
about 1t the better the plan unfolded
itself to me. OF course 1t would re-
uuire a Government appropriation and
d distribution OF the money was one
: of the problems to be worked out.
, II think now that the government
8 should not only pay the captain OF
9 the steamer or wireless operators for
their services. but should also pay for
the message to the wireless and tele-
graph companies, 1t would only be a
matter OF n few thousand dollars to be
appropriated every year, and / should
: favor calling 1t the wireless fishing
80 fund.
when I got home from the Pana-
ma canal / was so full Of the posi-
: bility OF the idea that / had long talks
! with my fishermen friends here in
> Boston. They thought the idea, a
practical enc. You know, / used to
: live in the old North End. so that
am acquainted personally with most
: Of the fishermen OF that district
$ "Of course, 1t might not be .appli-
3 cable to every kind OF fishing. l am
convinced. however, that IT would be
: practical for fishermen who fish for
! pollock. herring, fiatfish. and porgies
, quite as we'll as for mackerel THESE
: are fish which always school on top
OF the water. Fishermen waste
lot of time sailing around waiting for
; school Of mackerel to appear. This
, time would be saved IL my plan OF
fishing by wireless is adopted. Elk
} pert fishermen tell me that when fish
are schooling they always run with
, the wind, 80 that It would be an easy
, matter after the fishermen receive
wireless report for them to locate the
schools, even though the fish might
have several hours start.
1T have become so enthusiastic over
this chance idea that have placed
the matter in the hands Of Congress-
man Murray, with view OF putting
: the scheme before the government at
Washington ! hope 1t will come up
before congress very soon. so that an
. | augmentation can be made. Not only
would fishing by wireless help the Ash
ern1en, but am quite sure IT would be
: q great help In solving the problem OF
the high cost OF living. because with
! my plan in operation more fish will
when Congressman Murray was
asked for his opinion of this plan he
was quite as enthusiastic as the mayor.
1T is something brand new. and it's
. practical" said Congressman Murray.
: las soon as l get back to congress !
/ shall draw up a bill Immediately.
The old salts of Rosfon and Glon-
: cester expect to retire from a seafar-
: ing life very soon II Mayor Fitxgerald's
plans succeed. All along the coast on
. Cape Hatteras these men go after
I mackerel early in the spring season.
: From there they work North Wire
less stations are located all along this
coast, and In every port there is
2 telegraph office in direct communities
3 ton with thine The reports of the
mayors wireless fishing service could
- be postad in each of these ports, and
the fishermen watching for this -fn~
formation could go in pursuit of the
fish.