The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1916-07-19
HUNTING NAVIGATING
SHARKS OFF JERSEY COAST
PRESENCE OF LARGE SCHOOL
OF MONSTERS BRINGS WARN
ING FROM AUTHORITIES.

! NEW YORK.-Armed shark hunt
ers in motor boats patrolled the New
York and New Jersey coasts today
while others lined the beaches in a
concerted effort to exterminate the
man-eaters which have moved north
from their customary haunts appar-
emily in large numbers. The village
authorities of Matawan, N. j., offered
reward of 500 for every shark
brought in dead or alive.
The belief that single shark was
responsible for the killing of four
swimmers in New Jersey waters with
in the past two weeks, two of them
yesterday in Matawan creek, shall
low inlet 16 miles from the open sea,
has been dispelled by persons who
actually have seen half dozen or
more of the monsters.
One theory is that sharks which
formerly fed on refuse thrown over
board from the many ocean steam
ships that piled before the war be-
gan now have become ravenous. Even
those not ordinarily classed as man
eaters, it is said, probably have been
driven by starvation to Turk in the
waters of the Atlantic ocast, warm
at this season, and attack human be-
| ings.
Three of the huge fishes were seen
today in Matawan creek and are be-
lieved to be bottled up there. Nets
have been stretched under a bridge
about a mile and half from the
mouth of the inlet to prevent egress.
A British sloop arriving from Ber-
muda was reported tonight to have
killed a score of sharks during the
voyage, one of them off the New Jer-
sey coast.
Bathers in Terror.
Terror has seized the multitudes
who have bathed at beaches along the
New York and New Jersey coasts
and comparatively few persons now
venture into the water. At Asbury
Park and other New Jersey resorts
wire nets have been strung around
| the bathing areas.
Little hope is entertained for the
recovery of the body of 12-year-old
Lester Stillwell, the other victim of
the Matawan creek tragedy. 1t is be-
lieved that he was devoured by the
shark, as persistent dragging of the
inlet and dynamiting of the waters
have failed to bring up the body.
Many conflicting reports were re-
ceived here during the day from va
rious points along the New York and
New Jersey coasts regarding the kill
ing of sharks, but only one appears to
have had any foundation. This was
the news brought in by Anthony Lun-
dy, captain of a fishing boat, who
said his party of New York fishermen
had dubbed to death a nine-foot
shark, weighing $50 pounds, while
cruising yesterday at Emerson, N. j.
A fisherman reported tonight that
he had vainly tried to kill with an oar
a seven-foot shark which became en-
tangled in his nets. He said the fish
tried to strike his boat.
Warning Is Issued.
Washington, D. C.-Indications
that there may be large schools of
sharks in unaccustomed waters along
the Atlantic coast brought warn
ing from the bureau of fisheries to-
day, and cautioned fishermen and
bathers to use the greatest care in
boating or swimming.
Records of the bureau show that
until this year there have been no
sharks in the waters where during
the last few weeks they have claimed
several victims. Bureau officials be-
lieve lack of food may have brought
them to the northern Atlantic coast
in great numbers