The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-12-21

thesc fails in great numbers, and, as
oven the salmon could not ascend
/ hightcr except with the water at Il
medium height they gathered in great
numbers below the falls, extending
some distance below the eddy SO
plcntifully that it was said 1T seem
ed rs though a person codld almost
walk across they backs, at least the
water was perfectly black VIII them. :
The first settlers held Tnlt was
termed fishing right in different
advantageous places In TIE river as
/ far north as here, and suits at law
have in some instances been success
full within few years at different
points in Massachusetts based upon
the old fishing rights held by fam
lilies since the very earliest residence
of the white man. In the eddy below
Bellows Falls a number Of old resi-
dents remember the remains Of the
old "cheyal de-frise' as 1t was term
ed, erected by those who claimed the
first fishing rights here, to assist in
the drawing Of the large shad nets
The structure was located about two
thirds of the distance from the mouth
Of Saxtons River to the lower end
OF the falls, a little east of the center
of the river, almost directly opposite
the north end Of the Liberty Paper
companys mandatory. II was built
of logs about 80 feet square and at
Ordinary water arose about four feet
above the surface. II was filled with
heavy stones and in general appear
ance looked like the log cribs above
the dam, except that 1t had large
post set strongly IN the center rising
about six or eight feet into the air
This was used for a windlass upon
which to wind the ropes OF the large
shad nets. The stones of this struc-
ture have been seen within few
years when the water was extremely
low, but 1t is said the logs were drawn
away one year upon the ice after the
disappearance of the shad In this vi
entity rendered the contriyance OF no
further value.
The shad nets were often nearly
half a mile long, and from to 20
feet deep. TO each end of the net
was attached long rope, as long or
longer than the net itself The net
would be- taken mp the river. upon
one side. the length Of the rope. then
striking out into the stream the fish.
ermen would row across playing out
the net, then return TO the cheval.de-
frise with the other end of the rope
and wind up the long ropes by means
OF the windlass as rapidly as possible
q. lgt -
the stream. Shad in great numbers
were caught in this way. Drawing
nets in this manner was continued
later further south than this point
and one record in the river shows
over 2O00 shad taken at a single draw
ing of the net
On the top Of the large rock in the
river at the lower end of the falls.
known as The Nine Holes" is a drill
hole put there by an owner OF fishing
rights TO draw the nets from, and an
early deed refers to THE rock with
drill hole used by the shad fisher.
men. Solomon llapgood. one OF the
early residents. used to tell who for.
merly owned the different rights
about the eddy. Few. If any, now liy-
Ing have ever seen the drawing Of the
nets. 80 important matter cen.
fury and more ago
a very old man, known as Or. XII.
burn, over so years ago used to tell
present citizens OF the manner in
which the indians used to take the
salmon in his childhood previous to
the building OF the dam here. Their
operations were confined largely 10
two miles or so above the falls. and
at the time OF year when the salmon
were passing up the river Above the
falls here for over two miles, as far
as the Millikin place. the river was a
rapids and hard to navigate Two In
dams would carry their light bark