Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-10
JERSEY COASTS SHARK
PERIL UNPRECEDENTED
first instances OF Activities Of Man
Eaters on Coast of United

n.
WASHINGTON. July denomination
OF the fact that the attacks by sharks
on two young men while in bathing
on the coast Of New Jersey. within
the iiSt Few weeks, are without pre-
cedcnt along the 5000 miles Of the At
'hntic coast OF the United States was
obtained yesterday from Deputy Com
missioner II. f. Moore. OF the Bureau
Of Fisheries.
Dr.. Moore's statement WAS as fol.
lows:
These unhappy occurrences arc. so
tar "a is known here ia the bureau.
the ilrst instances Of activities OF man
eating sharks on the coast Of the init
cd states. should say that the
chances are that such tragedies will
not occur again within the next ffty
years. though any such statement is
only based upon the past history OF
accidents Of this nature
DR.. Moore said that in all probability
the big fish which attacked one or
both OF the victims on the New Jersey
coast was a tiger shark. travelling
alone. He stated that these creatures
range back and forth along the coast
looking for food, which usually take
the form of fish, though when hungry
they viii attack anything. lie said
that tho probabilities are that owing
TO 4 scarcity of fish in the particular
environments OF tho accidents the
shark or sharks were undoubtedly raw
enously huui:ry.
Asked as to whether any action has
been taken OF is contemplated by tho
bureau for the prevention of a similar,
accident in the culture. the chief clerk
OF the bureau stated definitely tn; no
action had been or would be teen
such action being entirely without the
province of the bureau.
1T is up 10 th" state of New Jcr-
scy TO protcc; its bathcrs in any and
every WAY it can" said tho chief clerk,
The words of Pr Moore AS to tho
unusual nature of the accidents bear
out the claim that what has been con-
sidcrcd by scientists for years us Il
fallacy has become fact,
REWARDS OFFERED YEARS AGO
STILL AHE UNCLAIMED
More than Twenty-Five years ago.
Herman Oelrichs. through tho medium
OF The New York Sun. offered a reward
of $500 10 any one who could furnish
an authenticated ease OF "a man having
been attacked by u shark in temperate
waters. The reward remained un-
claimed. Six years later tire Forest aud
Stream offered It similar reward. with
IL like result. Other offers have since
been made, ono as recently as 1915, by
the New York Times, and even tho
United states government has never
Dccti apic 10 mn SlnSic intnCnttc
case OF this character. Hence. in view
OF two tragedies which have just oc-
CURED on the New Jersey coast both
beyond reasonable doubt authentic, an
explanation OF these culnuitics is
being sought.
The seriousness oi such Il menace to
the thousands upon thousands OF
batlicrs at great seaside resorts should
not be undcrcs,imatcd: nor, on the
other hand should il cause undue alarm
in view Of The long period OF unintcr-
ruptcd safety they have cujoycd.
have always existed in large
along Atlantic shores, many
OF them OF sufficient size TO innict Just |
such injuries as were suffered by the |
men who lost their lives. Prominent
among these arc the sand shark. dusky |
shark, brown shark. tiger shark and
mackcrcl shark. These attain TO huge |
size and are equipped With an array of |
terrible teeth. Usually when caught |
they all come under the head OF man
eating sharks, which give rise 20 many |
ideas. None of these crca-
lures will wantonly, or from hunger,
attack human being, according TO
the great weight of scientific evidence
ut hand concerning these species If
approached when cnmcshcd In a net,
or when brought aboard ship, these
animals are most dangerous, but this,
OF course, is true Of virtually every
animal when cornercd.