Evening star., 1914-03-29
Former Oyster Inspector De-
cIares 1900, 900 Herring
Were Made Into Oil.
RECEIPTS FOR MARKET
NOT MORE THAN 2,o00,0 600
Price Advanced From 1915 to Sc a
Barrel-District Authorities May
Investigate Conditions.

Monopoly Of food fish by fertilizer fac
tories engaged in the manufacture Of fer
tflizers and oil at different points along
the Potomac river Is responsible for the
big shortage in supply of herring mar
few seasons. This is the charge made
by John T. Jones, a former oyster in
spector in the employ Of the District
government.
Statements by Jones to the effect that
these companies have utilized as many
as 100000 herring In a single season
in the manufacture of fertilizers. thereby
causing decrease in the supply of food
fish of this character brought to the
local market and consequent increase
in price. may be Investigated by the
District authorities with view to seeing
what If any steps can be taken to
remedy the situation.
Big Rise in Price.
Sailed herring, which formerly could
be bought at the rate of 1915 per bar
rel. are now bringing as high as Sc
a barrel, as a result of the heavy catches
of fish for fertilizing purposesS 1t Is
claimed. Last year receipts of herring
at the District wharves amounted to less
than this number during the same period.
company along the river destroyed less
than this number during the same period
while many concerns, it is alleged, used
much larger supply In the manufacture
of fertilizers and oils.
With a view to remedying conditions,
the United States engineer office, several
weeks ago. dispatched the tug Castle
along the river to notify fishermen that
they would have to keep their nets
within certain bounds out of deep water.
This action. it is believed, will have an
effect in curtailing the catch of her
ring at the mouth of the river and al
lowing them to come up the river to
their spawning grounds in fresh water.
What. if anything. can be done to pro-
tect herring on the spawning grounds
is now being considered by those in
terested. 1t is not unlikely that steps
will be taken to interest Maryland and
Virginia authorities in the matter.
Big Fertilizer Consumption.
According to statements made by Jones.
the smallest factory in operation during
the spring Of 1912 used 100000 herring.
AS a rule. the factories send their own
steamers directly to the fishermen, it is
stated. The fish are not "culled" or
taken to the raw box" where they are
cooked and then ground up and pressed
to make the fertilizer and OIL
This takes place during the months of
April and May, until the opening Of the
season for the catching of elwives. on
the first Of June. The fish are paid for
by the factories at the rate of $3.50
thousand. In a single day as many as
eight steamers have been unloaded, it is
claimed.
The oil is pressed out. averaging from
five to seven gallons per thousand her
ring. The fertilizer. ground. averages
one ton to twelve thousand herring.
Although there will be from two to
four gallons of oil more per thousand
from elwives than from herring and
other food fish, the profit is nearly the
same on each. Oil from the herring nets
the dealer from 5 to cents more on
the gallon, as it is much richer. Both
oil and fertilizer is shipped to brokers
in various sections of the country and
sold by them to be used in the manu-
facture OF soaps. paints, etc.
Were the operations of the fertilizer
companies limited to the manufacture of
fish having no food value, the scarcity
Of food fish. 1t is claimed, at this and
other markets on the Potomac would
soon become a thing of the past.