The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-21
CAMPAIGN T0 BOOM
 NEW ENGLAND FISHERIES

In the campaign to boom New Eng land, the boomers should not forget the fisheries of New England. Gov ernment statisticians have figured out in dollars and cents the value of these fisheries They will tell you the large number of vessels employed, the army of men who make their living through the industry, and number of pounds of each variety of fish caught each week, month and year, the amount of capital invested, and the earnings of the industry This is one way of com putting the value of our fisheries
 There is another. And this other is much more important to the ''Boom New England" movement. Tn other words, it's fisheries have for New Eng land a value which no statistAcian can estimate even. And that is the value of picturesqueness, of fascination Beautiful valleys, wonderful hills winding rivers, rushing streams rocky coasts, are all great attractions for the tourist. But, as a matter of fact, almost any landscape has some artistic merits. A community needs more than these tofattract visitors.
 Great industries, noisy factories, busy mills, are a source of pleasure and wonderment which tourists enjoy. But these, too, can be found almost anywhere in America. zsS
 Moss covered ruins, Or spots g1ori- fled by tradition and crowned by his tory are Meccas> for tourists it is true, but what spot in the world can be found attached to which there is not some tradition, about which does not shine a halo of some historic incident. Even the youngest towns of this con tinent can boast suchI
 New England offers all these to the pleasure seeker. But she offers more. She offers her fisheries. This may hC1 has sri iC Taf 1Ic
 There is nothinig artistic about slaughter house, although a roundup may have something of the pictur- esque. But a roundup can be viewed in our West but once in a while.
 Glance at our fisheries. Who has not felt a thrill when watching an out bound fishing craft, with roofed can vas, plunging into a white capped rolIicking sea ;L or a similar craft, with all sails set, coming slowly into port |at eventide? Who can resist a chance to accompany a weather beaten fish erman as he goes hauling his travis; or~ forbear to watch him as he baits his lines?
 There is fascination connected with the world-o1d trade of the fisher man which adds a mysterious attrac- ton to any landscape.
 Noisy smoking factories and mills with their tired looking workers have rather a depressing effect. But view @, modern fishing port, even that great est of all modern fishing establish nents, the Boston Fish Pier! Here are healthy, cheerful workers, somehow or other tainted with that same fas- cination which encircles the lone fish erman. This pier, the largest in the world devoted entirely to fish, built on sanitary principles and administered according to up-to-date business methods, has some mysterious attrac- tions which similar business plants do not. If you doubt it, pay it visit and see.
 Thus we come to tradition and his tory. Probably no other industry in the country has more traditions, more unchanged traditions than our fisher ies, and our history is intimately con- nected with them. While modern ma chinery has revolutionized 6&lmo ost every other industry. the metf1ods of the fisheries have changed little. The individual fishermen are almost the last of the old school of individual master workmen. The history of our fisheries began with the history of our country. Our first schools were built through money provided by them. Fishermen have aided our navy, and recruited our army in our wars. Fish ing is our oldest industry.
 Thus then aresour fisheries an as- set to New England. To be sure, in dollars and cents they are worth mil lions year. But their true value cannot be estimated. When you boom the fisheries, you boom New England.
 Meats are again rising in price. It is sort of between seasons in the edible line. Fresh vegetables @Btil1 show 8