Year: 1872

Hundreds OF thousands of people OF both sexes are
born and are educated and live and die in the city
Of New York, and yet these people never know
where this mysterious fishing ground is and have
never visited the place.


For twenty five thirty years past the pier posts
and various fences in the metropolis have been
piastercd with small shabby looking shOwbls, hav-
ing badly executed cuts OF two persons trudging
along borne down by heavy loads OF sea bass,
founders, blue and black fish, which this same
shabby little showbill always informs the reader
have been caught at the Fishing or Cholera Banks.


A "Fishing Banks" excursion, OF all excursions
that leave the city on Sunday is the one which pos
sesses the least amount OF sOciabiity, decency or
respectability.


The mode Of procedure by which Fishing Banks
excursion series Of excursions are organized is,
to say the least, very peculiar one. Some small
ward politician or band OF small ward politicians
who are interested in local grOgshop trade, and
who have large acquaintance among the rough
element Of their own class and an extended one
among the factory girls or that class Of young
ladies who attend plcnics at Jones' Wood begin
operations by looking up some slow, ilashi0ned
and dirty river steamboat, to the captain or owner
of which they make proposition OF charter day by
day. This captain, we will suppose, is familiar
with the spots on the Banks where fish are most
readily caught. One dollar q head Is charged as a
fare for men on the round trip, and to induce wo.
men, no matter to what class they may belong, to
attend on these excursions the rate for women Is
reduced to fifty cents per female.


Then On arrangement is secretly made between
the Captain and the managers of these excursions,
whereby he should start early on the trip, and after
making number Oflandings, to take ON as many un-
wary passengers as possible. In this way the best
part OF the day Is wasted, and all the time couple
0fbars stocked with the worst kind of liquors, are
crowded by the thirsty fools who have already EN-.
barked. The idea is to keep the boat out long
possible, in order that money may be taken In
great quantities. by the managers of the boat, who
have charge Of the eating and drinking depart
mcnts


1t sometimes occurs, ''by chance" perhaps that
captain OF pilot in charge of boat will not find
good place to fish, and the boat will have to be
shifted from time to time at the urgent yells Of
the fishermen, who hang over the side Of the vessel
in swarms waiting for q bite. The longer they
stay on the Banks and the less fish that are caught
the more whiskey Is consumed and the greater the
profits to the grog shop managers Of the boat.


reporter Of the HERALD was detailed yesterday
to go on the usual Sunday excursion, and he Sc
lected one Of those Fishing Banks steamers to OBJ
serve the manner in which the affair was carried out
There were two large and dirty looking steamboats,





River side at an early hour yesterday morning
Both Of these craft were more than half filed,
although 1t was not more than eight O'Clock by
people of both sexes The rOwdy fishing element
predominated, and was to be observed both boats
in great numbers.


There were large number of married women
who had brought their growing children and babies
with them. II is strange thing that women who
are afficted with weak stOmachs will attempt the
Fishing Banks, but it is pretty certain that women
will attempt to do anything that the horrid mon
ster man may induce them TO.


A "band" of music was on board OF each Of the
fishing boats, and the HERALD reporter selected
the steamer from which the most noise came.
There was q great deal Of ''touting" going on
between the rival agents OF the rival
vessels, and people who had chosen one
favorite boat were wheedled by subterfuge to 60
on board Of the other dirty boat, an easy mat
ter, when 1t is understood that both steamers lay
broadside to each other and the end of the pier,
gangway connecting the two.


"his way for the Stick. in the mud-the best boat
that goes to the Fishing Banks step on board, yer
mother and father s upon the main deck" shouts
one OF these rOughs to young girl who Is making
her way to the opposition boat.


"But amt got no father and mother" she re-


"No matter" unblushingly answers the toutefT;


otis all the same. Yer feer is up stairs. and that's
better. This way for splendid steamer Stick-in-the-
Mud with pilot that's been to the Fishing Banks
for nMnetyeeht years This way for the stIckn-


'Don't go on that boat she's got smallpox on
board; she used to be the Quarantine boat. This
way, mann Tor the splendid White Star line. Here's
gets home before the other boat gets to the Banks
This way now; tins s, way, old hoss: Come along;
who yels at tile top of his voice to the people ON
the dock.


: The captain of one boat is 10th to leave until the
paddles Of the opposition begin to work. Finally
The bell Is r,lng for the engineer on the dlrest of
the two, and she moves down the bay and is soon
followed by the other. The whiskey Straight
gets Off first, and there is considerable feeling
manifested on board OF the Stick-in-the Mud among
the passengers who would like to be on the


There are about $50 persons on board OF the
stick-in-the Mud, and OF this 'number about
they get to the Banks. AS every man must fish
from the side OF the boat, either On the lower Or
upper deck, an instantaneous rush Is made by all
who are piscatorialy inclined to engage places.
This is done by fastening the fishing line to spot
on the hand rail OF the boat, just as man might
stick his pick in the earth Of his claim at gold dig
ging. There is o tacit understanding that no new
conner shall uniasten the fishing line once 1t is tied
by the has the
OF bait which he sells for fifteen cents bunch to
those desirous OF fishing. He also peddles lines
attached The deposit to &c left on line is seventy.
five cents, and when the line is returned fifty
cents being kept for the loan of the fishing line by
the scrawnyaced young man.


Behind the whiskey counter stands bullet.
headed individual who dispenses Jersey lightning
at fifteen cents glass, and poisonous kind OF
lager at ten cents glass This bar is crowded
twelve hours from the time of leaving the first
landing until the arrival home at the last stopping
place. Young men and bOys-a hard featured
lot-visit this bar every few minutes
and as much as seven and eight
hundred and q thousand dollars are taken in
by the managers at the bar and the refreshment
stand. The women, who are of the same class,
drink freely too and may be seen hosting glasses
OF brandy and whiskey to their lips early and often
The band consists of three dissipated looking Ger
mans, who are very often missing between the
dances, which are kept UP to keep the passengers
heated and thirsty for more drink.


IL 49, indeed, most demoralizing picture which
Ia presented on these Fishing Banks excursions,
and Is well calculated to corrupt the young women
and foolish lads who are induced to patronize these