The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1951-10-26

ness on the world-famed Fulton
Market of New York. Some of the
biggest and busiest men will take
much time from their work to dis
cuss the ups and downs of the fish
business. Henry G. Chesebro who
used to hunt in North Carolina
has been dead for three years, but
the firm of Chesebro, Robbins and
Graham now goes on, occupying
three stalls of the market. 1t is
owned by Henry B. Robbins, a
public spirited figure, and is ope:-
ated by him and the company
treasurer, M. LaMotta who has
been with the firm 81 years. The
firm was established in 1887, as
Chesebro Brothers, and has been
operated since 1910 under its pres
ent name. 1t produces sand distrib-
utes all types of fish, including sal
mon, halibut, swordfish, and even
frog legs from Japan. 1t is also a
direct importer of South African
rock Holsters, and advertises as
''The largest fishing clearing house
of America"
No name was better known for
many years than Caleb Haley &
Co. established 90 years ago. The
older heads have gone on, but the
business still operates in one IF
the most prominent stalls on the
market, under the ownership of
Bill Smith, he is surrounded with
an active young staff of experience
ed men. We have found that those
who occupy the stalls in the prin-
cipal market building lead the field,
and those with memberships in the
marketing association are usually
most dependable dealers to tie to.
1t is quite an enjoyable visit
to talk to the dealers on these
markets. Here we see fish from
every part of the country. Bust
ness goes on with much hurry and
hustle and shouting, and which, to
the uninitiated would appear to be
utter confusion. But by the middle
of the day, just about everything
is cleaned up from the vast ship
ments that apepar on these mar
kets each morning, and in the
afternoon, things are dead as
door-nail, with the office force be-
hind their doors, checking up the
days work. The fish dealer comes
to work early in the morning,
sometimes as early as five s'clock.
He is on the phone almost con-
stantly, dealing with buyers, keep
ing shippers informed, shouting or
ders to the men on the floor. 1t
looks like a hard life.
The fishing business has chang
ed almost completely from the
practices of 40 years ago. In those
days the leading dealers were
bankers also. They lent a great
deal of money to their shippers
all through the south, usually with
no more security than a simple
note, or letter pledglng the sea-
sons catch. Just about all fish were
shipped on consignment to the
dealers. Roads and trucks changed
the picture, in most places bring
ing cash markets to the fishermen's
doors. Fewer and fewer fish were
shipped on consignment, and the
distant dealers began buying ship
ments outright. Now only a few
kinds of fish are shipped on con-
signment to the dealers and then
MOSTLY rock, founders or shad,
or other winter fish, these being
sold on a commission basis.
Now Baltimore, Philadelphia and
New York have continued to be
the best markets for these fish,
and they will most likely continue
to receive the bulk of North Caro-
lina's catch for many years to
come. North Carolina shad, in par
ticular, are considered the best
shad in America: and naturally
the big cities both demand ana
command the best of everything.