The Washington times., 1913-08-19
LOCAL FISH MARKET
DEMORAL|zED TODAY
Offerings in All Lines Are
Small, Demand Is Limited.
and Prices Slump.

The local fish market was den,or-
allied today. The offerings were small
in all lines OF fish, both river and salt
water stock. The demand was limited.
and prices slumped or from the marks
set in the same period last year. Deal
ers say there is an abundance of fresh
and salt water stock at the principal
points OF supply down the Potomac.
Norfolk and along the Atlantic coast,
but that the lack of demand here has
cut Off the supply to a large extent.
Scarcity OF money is given as the cause
OF the falling of Of the usually heavy
demand for this season and the depre-
citation Of prices.
NJ, L. Odell, the oldest dealer in the
Eleventh street fish market in point of
years in the business, said today that
the fall in the price Of all kinds Of fish
had been remarkable. ]. H. Chivell,
another old dealer, admitted the lack Of
supply and the drop in prices, but said
he would not undertake to explain the
stagnant conditions Of the market
Scarcity of Sturgeon.
Mr. Odell called attention to the scar
city of sturgeon. twenty-five years
ago." he said, this market was glutted
with sturgeon, that sold to any takers
for Is cents apiece, including the caviar
or roe. Now they are practically ex-
tinct. The caviar Of a sturgeon today
would bring from 500 to $50 or more.
Occasionally small specimens of the
sturgeon reach this market. Today
they would bring without the roe, so to
$50 apiece. II is a wonder the United
States Government, through the Fish
Commission. does not take steps to
propagate this valuable food FISH and
again replenish the rivers with it,
Prices for fresh stock ranged today
as follows: Butterfish, scarce. IS to 81
a barrel Of 200 pounds; year ago they
SoI5nd sold for ~ Yea. fompSns; cents osH
10. medium 121a. large Is to II cents
pound: last years prices ranged about
the same. White perch, l21z to IS
cents. Black bass. scarce, l2h to Is
cents Trout $50 & se . sao4 e6aFrs barrel last st
is cents pound; selling last season this
time at to cents. Spanish mack
erel. IL to 1914 cents; last year Is to 20
cents. Croakers, scarce, &.50 to IS bar
rel: prices maintained as compared with
last year.
Froglegs Are Scarce.
Jersey weaks are reported to be stored
in large quantities along the Atlantic
coast in the cold storage plants, selling
at 81 to s. a barrel Last year this time
they were scarce and sold at $l2 to s14
a barrel. The catch this season has
been early and very large, which ex-
plains the tumble In prices.
Froglegs are scarce. and selling for
81 a. dozen. TIL same stock sold two
months ago for from 81 to N.25. Escol-
lops are IS to 75 cents. double that price
last year: loggerheads (sea turtles) so to
75 cents each. selling last year from $50
to SOS: swapping turtles. cents
pound: sliders. Is TO 20 cents each. me-
diurns, 25 to 35, and large, 70 cents-lO
cents higher last year, and clans,
choice stock. 50 cents to 81 a hundred.
They are scare by reason of the new
law that requires takers of clans to
ship daily their catches. Heretofore the
catchers did not ship until they had
taken several barrels. Last wear they
sold for SIS to 20 cents hundred.
Soft crabs are In good supply. selling
for IS and IS cents a dozen. Hard crabs
are IS and 90 cents barrel Last sea-