USA > New York > Suffolk County > Riverhead > History of Suffolk country, comprising the addresses delivered at the celebration of the bi-centennial of Suffolk county, N.Y., in Riverhead, November 15, 1883 > Part 12
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Then again you have all around Long Island, trout ponds and trout streams, almost all of which are now private preserves. Who can estimate the money value of these fisheries? For example: Suppose you should apply to my friend, the Hon. Henry J. Scudder, of Northport, for the annual value of the catch on his trout pond, which is not only a source of pleasure to himself and his family, but adds a charm to the landscape which takes in his beautiful home. To estimate the value of the fish taken on that pond during a season upon the basis of value per pound in Fulton Market, would, I think, be very disgusting to Mr. Scudder.
Then, again, you have your oystering interest, for the enterprising citizens of Suffolk County have gone out upon the bays and harbors in front of their properties along the water line, and through a recognized principle of squatter sovereignty have acquired exceedingly valuable ri- parian rights. Ichthyologically the oyster is not a fish; but, commercially, oystering and the fisheries are commonly embraced in the same category. It would be about as difficult, I think, for you to ascertain the value of oysters, clams and escallops, taken annually in the waters of Suffolk County, as it would be for you to ascertain the value of the imported goods consumed by the people of that county.
I enclose a statement in regard to the population of Suffolk County according to the censuses, running back as far as possible, also acreage in farms, value of lands in farms, and value of manufactures. Some time ago I wrote an article for the North American Review, a copy of which I send to You. In this, you will find some allusion to Long Island which may interest you.
If you should fail to meet the expectations of your audience you will certainly be entitled to plead in defence the fact that you were asked to do the impossible thing, and you may, if you choose, summon me as witness in your defense.
Regretting my inability to serve you better, -I am, Sir, very respect- fully yours,
JOSEPH NIMMO, JR.,
Chief of Bureau.
96
APPENDIX ..
Statement of the tonnage belonging to and built in the customs district of Sag Harbor, New York, during the years named.
TONNAGE BELONGING TO THE DISTRICT.
YEARS.
Sail.
Steam.
Total.
TONNAGE BUILT.
Tons
Tons.
Tons.
Tons. Not stated
1830
* 6,390
6,390
1840
20,406
20,406
207
1850
14, III
I2I
14,232
532
1860
18,498
5,223
23, 72I
419
1870
7,960
208
8,168
472
1880
14,939
1,955
16,894
755
1882
14,027
2,547
16,574
704
Treasury Department, Bureau of Statistics, Oct. 11, 1883.
JOSEPH NIMMO, Jr., Chief of Bureau.
*Of this tonnage, 3,072 tons was employed in the whale fishery, and 859 tons in other fisheries.
Statement showing the amount of tonnage belonging to the customs dis- trict of Sag Harbor, N. Y., which was engaged in the Whale and Cod Fisheries during the years named.
YEARS.
WHALE FISHERIES.
COD FISHERIES.
Tons.
Tons.
1830
3,072
859
1840
12,522
410
1850
2,827
392
1860
262
178
1870
476
1524
1880
5992
1882
6514
Treasury Department, Bureau of Statistics, Oct. 12, 1883.
JOSEPH NIMMO, Jr., Chief of Bureau.
The words "Cod Fisheries" as used above, for the years 1870, 1880, and 1882, doubtless includes all fisheries other than whale.
97
APPENDIX.
POPULATION, VALUE OF FARMS AND OF MANUFACTURES OF THE COUNTY OF SUFFOLK, LONG ISLAND, N. Y. (From the United States Census. )
YEARS.
POPULATION.
VALUE OF FARMS.
VALUE OF MANUF'S.
1790
16,4,40
no data
no data
1 800
19,735
1810
21,113
1820
23,930
1830
26,780
66
1850
36,922
7,195,800
182,140
1860
43,275
12,641,940
1, 114, III
1870
46,924
16,324, 870
1, 940, 184
1880
53,888
17,079,652
2, 176,613
Statement showing the Total Value of the Products of American Fisheries brought into the United States, at the Customs District of Sag Harbor, N. Y., from the Fiscal Year 1872 to the Fiscal Year 1883 inclusive, as reported by the Collector of that District.
Years.
Dollars.
1872
337,240
1873
234,870
1874
456,300
1875
590,045
1876
622, 109
1877
678,400
1878
577,250
1879
712,274
1880
678,450
1881
726,890
1882
1,450,850
1883
758.250
Total
7,822,928
Treasury Department, Bureau of Statistics, Oct. 13, 1883.
JOSEPH NIMMO, Jr., Chief of Bureau,
66
1840
32,469
98
APPENDIX .- MENHADEN FISHERY.
APPENDIX B.
MENHADEN FISHERY.
It has been deemed useful to give in an appendix some data respecting this fishery which could not be embodied in the paper itself without unduly extending its length; and I have accordingly sought to select out of the mass of material furnished me, such facts as seem to possess the most value or interest.
The menhaden, a branch of the herring family, are a migratory surface fish, moving northward in early spring and southward in late fall, and col- lecting in immense bodies called by the fishermen "schools". Their food is an insect too minute to be seen by the naked eye. They are found on the Atlantic seaboard from the British Provinces to the Gulf of Mexico, but their favorite summer resting places seem to be within the belt along shore seaward 50 or 75 miles from the Capes of Virginia to Cape Cod. More than two-thirds of the annual catch in recent years is taken between Cape May and Narragansett Bay. Neither their spawning grounds nor their time of spawning are fully determined. Great differences of opinion pre- vail on these and other points touching the habits and movements of these fish. No sufficient study has yet been made by naturalists to warrant definite conclusions, and fishermen who within their range of experience have been careful observers during many years, confess that they cannot decide on some elementary questions. This lack of certainty as to the movements of menhaden may fairly be held to justify the claim that there should be no legislation affecting the business of taking and rendering them except in some few particulars of regulation which may be manifestly safe and proper, or may be acquiesced in by those engaged in the business. Proceeding from some mistaken ideas respecting an alleged effect of the catch of menhaden upon the supply of certain food fishes in the market, there have been various efforts to regulate or restrict by State or Federal legislation the taking of menhaden, but so far they have either proved abortive altogether, or, where enacted into laws, no appreciable benefit has resulted from their passage. The business needs little if any protection from law, and no other industry needs protection from it by law. That in nature and effect it is of a character to deserve the most liberal encourage- ment and support rather than repression, must be obvious from the con- sideration that it takes out of the sea a material otherwise waste and worthless and from it makes articles of prime importance to the uses of mankind, amounting in yearly values to millions of dollars, and in doing so it affords an honest livelihood to several thousands of worthy citizens. To illustrate the progress it has made within the past decade I collate in parallel columns the statistics as certified by the United States Menhaden
1
99
APPENDIX. - MENHADEN FISHERY.
Oil and Guano Association for the years 1874 (the first reported after its organization) and 1881:
1874.
1881
Factories
64
Factories
97
Men at Factories
871
Men at Factories
2,805
Fishermen
1,567
Fishermen
2,406
Sailing vessels
283
Sailing vessels
286
Steamers
25
Steamers (19 not in use) 92
Oil (gallons) 2,372,837
Oil (gallons) 1, 266,549
Scrap (tons)
50,976
Scrap* (tons)
33,619
Fish Caught
492,878,000
Fish caught*
454, 192,000
Capital invested
$2,500,000
Capital invested - - $4,750,000
*Scrap in 1881 was all dried; in 1874 all crude or wet; when wet it weighs two-thirds more than when dry.
*No fish were taken on the coast of Maire in 1881; all reported were caught between Cape Cod and the Capes of Virgin .... and were of unusu- ally poor quality.
The above Association was organized at the U. S. Hotel, N. Y. City, on Jan. 7, 1874, with the following officers: President, Luther Maddocks, Maine; Vice-Presidents, George F. Tuthill, Greenport, L. I., and R. L. Fowler, Guilford, Ct .; Secretary and Treasurer, H. L. Dudley, New London, Ct .; Executive Committee, L. Maddocks and H. F. Brighton, Maine, and David F. Vail, Riverhead, L. I. Among its members were: Falcon Oil Works, Greenport; Wells & Co., do. (and South Bristol, Me.); T. F. Price, Greenport; Vail & Griffing, Riverhead; W. H. H. Glover, Southold; B. C. Cartwright, Shelter Island; M. P. Green, Promised Land; J. Morrison Raynor, Greenport; Henry E. Wells, do .; Wm. M. Tuthill & Sons, East Marion; A. R. Comstock, Sayville; J. S. Marcy, Riverhead; Benj. L. Potter (of East Marion, ) Harvey's Wharf, Va .; Belloste & Griffing, do., do .; Excelsior Oil & Guano Co., O. H. Bishop, Greenport. T. F. Price was the Committee on Statistics for Long Island. Its annual state- ments show the number of factories, of men employed therein, of fishermen, of steam and sailing vessels employed, of gallons of oil and tons of scrap manufactured, of fish caught, quantities of oil and scrap on hand at date of report, average yield of oil, and capital invested. At the time of organiza- tion the statistics reported (for 1873) were: Factories, 62; capital, $2,388, - 000; fishermen employed, 1, 197; men at factories, 1, 109; sailing vessels, 383; steamers. 20; fish caught, 287, 275,000; gallons oil, 2, 214, 800; tons scrap (crude), 36,299. Inasmuch as a summary of these reports, not available elsewhere, may be of value for the light they shed on various important questions connected with the business, it is hereto annexed.
1873 and 1874-given in foregoing exhibit. 1875-Factories, 60; men, 2,633; steamers, 39; sailing vessels, 304: fish, 563,327,oco; gallons oil, 2,681,487; tons scrap (crude). 53,625; capital, $2,650,000. [At the meeting-Providence, April 5. 1876-when these statistics were reported, Mr. L. C. d'Homergue addressed the Association on the advantages of drying the scrap so as to put it in condition for export. ]
1876-Factories, 64; sailing vessels, 320; steamers, 46; men, 2,758; capital, $2,750,000; fish, 512,450,000; gallons oil, 2,992,000; tons .scrap (crude), 51, 245. [At the meetings of 1875 and 1876, papers, were read by S: L: Goodale; of Sato, Men, upon the possibility of making from men.
100
APPENDIX. - MENHADEN FISHERY.
haden a food extract like the extract from beef, and, as declared by scien- tists, equal to it in nutritive qualities. ]
1877-Factories, 56; sailing vessels, 270; steamers, 63; men, 2,631; capital, $2,047,612; fish, 587, 624, 125; gallons oil, 2,426, 589; tons scrap (crude), 55,444. [During the year 5,600 tons of dried scrap were reported. ]
1878-Factories, 56; sailing vessels, 279; steamers, 64; men, 3,337; capital, $2,350,000; fish, 767,779, 250; gallons oil, 3,809, 233; tons scrap (crude), 53,719-dried, 19,377; cash value of oil and scrap at the factories, at average market prices for the year, $2, 289, 172.
1879-Factories, 60; sailing vessels, 204; steamers, 81; men, 2,296; capital, $2, 502, 500; fish, 637,063, 750; gallons oil, 2.258, 901 ; tons scrap (crude), 67,059-dried, 29, 563.
1880-Factories, 79; sailing vessels, 366; steamers, 82; men, 3,261; · fish, 776,000,000; gallons oil, 2,035,000; tons scrap (crude), 44,995- dried, 25,800.
1881-Factories, 97; sailling vessels, 286; steamers, 73 (19 not in use); men, 2,805; fish, 454, 192,000; capital, $2,460,000; gallons oil, 1, 266, 549; tons scrap (crude), 7,592-dried, 25,027 ..
1882-Factories, 92; sailing vessels, 212; steamers, 83; men, 2,313; fish, 346,638,555; gallons oil, 2,021,312; tons scrap (crude), 10,029- dried, 17,452; capital $2, 838, 500. [Attacks having been made, and others threatened, upon the safety and welfare of the business, the Association voted to defend, its members in any part of the United States in the: legal, legitimate right of fishing along the seaboard. ]
1883-Factories, 78; sailing vessels, 136; steamers, 69; men, 2,427; fish, 613,461,776; gallons oil, 1, 166, 320; tons scrap (crude), : 20,920- dried, 34, 246; capital, $2,051,000; average yield of oil per 1,000. .. fish, 1.96-100.
The reports for 1883-the last year reported-show great quantities of fish mostly very poor, a small yield of oil. High prices of scrap in 1882 forced manufacturers of phosphate fertilizers to look up substitutes for scrap out of which to obtain ammonia, such as nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, cotton seed, oil cake, tankage, meat scraps, etc. This fact, with the large production of scrap in 1883, so lowered prices and reduced demand that factory owners made comparatively little profit on the large supply of fish.
1884-The statistics of the Association for this year had not, at time of writing, been made up; but I have from a gentleman engaged in the business a careful and close approximation to the figures of catch of fish and make of oil and scrap at the twelve factories on Gardiner's and Pecon- ic Bays, which foots up the following aggregates: Fish caught, 176,500, - 000; gallons of oil, 883,000; tons of scrap (dried), 13, 125. At low aver- age prices these products of the menhaden fishery on the two bays during the season of 1884 were worth close upon six hundred thousand dollars.
And, as showing its local development, I condense from figures given me at different times by W. Z. King, Surveyor of Customs at. Greenport, the following abstract of reports made to his office for the district including the town's of Shelter Island, Southold and Riverhead in the year 1880. Number of menhaden rendered at factories, 202,000,000; value of pro- ducts, $627,450; numbers taken in district but rendered outside, 140,000, -
IOİ
APPENDIX. - MENHADEN FISHERY.
In that year the aggregate value of fishery products reported at his of- fice was $1,083, 850. There were registered in his office that year 233 sail and 23 steam vessels, aggregating 15, 192.72 tons. In 1879 the number of fish taken in the Bays and rendered at factories reporting at his office was 211, 000,000; gallons of oil made, 1.013,300; tons scrap (dry), 22, 100; estimated total catch in district, 400,000,000; estimated total value of pro- ducts of fisheries within the Bays, $975,000. In 1883 the number of fish rendered in factories reporting at his office was 178,050,000; gallons oil made, 369,900; tons dry scrap, 15.278.
A brief statement of the practical operation of the fishery may not be out of place. The purse net or seine, now in use will average 1000 feet in length by 75 to 100 feet in depth; but steamers often take nets for deep and shallow water fishing-the former 140 or 150 feet in depth, the latter 70 or 80 feet; those used in deep water are generally 180 fathoms, or 1,080 feet long, while in shoal water they are 130 fathoms, or 780 feet, in length. The former would require about 50 feet depth of water; the latter about 18 feet. On the upper line or rope to which the net is fastened cork floats are strung at short distances apart, in order to keep the net floating in the de- sired position; the under line is weighted and fitted with rings for drawing, or, as it is technically called, " pursing" the net together. Half of the net is placed in the end of each of two seine boats which, when a school of fish has been descried by the lookout and the vessel has approached sufficient- ly near, are rowed in different directions to make a circuit of the water where the fish are known or supposed to be. The time occupied in going round a school is ordinarly 10 to 20 minutes. When the ends have been brought together and the net has been "pursed" by hauling the lines, the upper ones over and the under ones below the fish, the upper lines are tied com- pactly together, leaving an opening from which to bail the fish. The ves- sel comes close alongside, and, if a steamer, uses a scoop net swung on a crane and lifted by steam, to bail the fish from the net into her hold; the scoop holds 1,000 fish of standard measurement, which is 22 cubic inches, and repeated trials prove that this method of counting by scoop-fuls will not vary materially, with fish of average size, from counting by hand. By the use of steam the fish may be bailed at the rate of a scoop-ful a minute, or 60,000 an hour. On sailing vessels the bailing has to be done by hand. Experience has determined the size of mesh most serviceable for catching menhaden of standard size, to be 21-2 inches, but sometimes nets are used of 2 1-4 or 2 5-8 inches. A full grown fish commonly weighs 1 to 1 1-4 pounds, but sometimes "fat fish" will range from 1 1-2 to 2 pounds, and yet heavier specimens have been seen. The temperature of the water most congenial to menhaden is from 52 deg. to 58 deg. Fahrenheit.
The first to enter upon the drying of scrap exclusively as a business was Mr. L. C. d'Homergue, of Brooklyn, then of Greenport, who also was first to make shipments of the dried scrap to England and Germany. He had a factory at Hay Beach, Shelter Island. The results of his experi- ments and observations there made were embodied in a paper read before the Association in 1876, and set forth more in detail in a paper read before the American Institute on March 8, 1877.
The following synopsis of facts relating to the menhaden oil and guano manufacture on Great South Bay is from a letter kindly sent me by Wilson J. Terry, of Sayville; Samuel W. Green, of Sayville, was the pioneer in the business. He built works at that place in 1861, at a cost of $2,500.
İOŻ
APPENDIX. - MENHADEN FISHERY.
There were then no purse nets used on the bay, and he depended wholly on bay fishing with seines, which was then very good. War prices pre- vailed; crude scrap sold for $20 per ton, and oil for 90 cents to $1.00 per gallon. Induced by these figures Green bought a purse net and engaged a captain from Jamesport too instruct the bay fishermen in its use. A few years later he sold out to his brothers and put up works on the South Beach; but the business becoming unprofitable he sold it to other parties; this factory is now owned and run by Smith & Yarrington, of Sayville. In 1863 Mr. Terry and others bought works at Cape May, New Jersey, and moved them to Cap Tree Island, near Fire Island Light; he directed this factory 'till 1877, when he bought out the other owners and purchased of Wall's Sons (of Williamsburgh) their works at The Ranges, consolidating the two in one and still carrying on the business, which has paid him a moderate profit. Wall's Sons expended a large sum on their factory, vessels, nets, etc., and employed John M. Rogers, as Superintendent. After about 6 years trial they had sunk fully one hundred thousand dollars, and then sold the es- tablishment to Mr. 'Terry for less than 10 per cent. of its cost. , Willett Green and others removed their works from Saville to the South Beach and the second year afterwards it was burned, causing them a heavy loss; it was not rebuilt. Edgar Gillette put up pot-works at Blue Point and run them for a few years, but the business proved unprofitable and he gave it up. John S. Havens and others put up pot-works at Swan Creek, near Patch- gue, and ran them for some ten years; the Bay fishing fell off and they were too far from Fire Island Inlet to get fish by means of purse nets, so they closed up the business. In 1880 George Comstock erected works on the South Beach, where he and his brother are still engaged in the business. 'The three factories now running are: The South Bay Oil Works, W. J. Terry owner; the Smith & Yarrington, and Comstock Brothers. For four years past none of these have paid much profit owing to scarcity of fish, while that year (1883) the fish were so small and poor that the three factor- ies closed up ocean fishing on Sept. 15. On the whole the menhaden fish- ery in the Great South Bay has not been a source of profit to factory owners but it has afforded a fair livelihood to the fisherinen.
To exhibit more clearly the actual extent of the menhaden interest in Suffolk County for the year 1883, the appended table has been prepared; it includes two factories, located on Barren Island, in Kings County, which were supplied with fish by Suffolk County fishermen, and were owned or operated by Suffolk County men. To the total catch on Peconic and Gardiner's Bays should be added some four million fish ren- dered at the pot-works of W. M. Tuthill & Sons, at Napeague, but the other figures of their operations have been mislaid and cannot be replaced.
APPENDIX. - MENHADEN FISHERY.
PECONIC AND GARDINER'S BAYS.
Fish Taken.
Gallons Oil,
T. scrap dried.
St'rs.
Men.
Capital.
Sail Ves'Is
Hawkins Brothers,
7,000,000
15,615
500
2
50
50,000
O
H. E. Wells, .-
14,764,600
43,315
1,100
2
85
25,000
2
Falcon Oil Co.,
19,983,600
40, 185
1,524
2
67
60,000.
I
Excelsior Oil Co.,
9,619, 122
26,000
726
2
46
35,000
O
Sterling Oil Co.,
14 500,000
41,400
1,070
2
60
30,000
2
Ranger Oil Co.,
19,750,000
52,500
14,00
3
65
75,000
I
B. C. Cartwright,
1 2,000,000
24.000
930
2
45
40,000
Dixon Mf'g Co.,
10,000,000
30,000
756
2
58
75,000
Abbe
18,500,000
49,500
1,350
3
75
80,000
Jonas Smith -
13,000,000
30,000
1,000
2
70
60,000
E. Tuthill & Co.,
15,000,000
35,000
1,150
2
70
60,000
0
'Totals,
153 951 322 387,515| 11, 506|24 GREAT SOUTH BAY.
691 580,000
6
South Bay Oil Works,
4, 500,000
4,000}
360|
38
12,000
4
Comstock Brothers,
5,000,000
5,000
460
48
10,000
4
Smith & Yarrington,
2,000,000
3,800
130
-
32
7,000
3
Totals,
11,500,000
1 2,800
950
29,000
II
BARREN ISLAND.
Jones & Co.,
22,000,000
22,000
1, 900
85|
120,000
6
Hawkins Bros.,
27,000,000
44,385
2,200
4
50
125,000
-
Totals
·49,000,000
66,385
4,100
4
135
245,000
6
Aggregates
214 451 322
466.700
16,556 28
944
854,000
23
-
APPENDIX C.
INCIDENTS OF THE FISHERIES.
Monroe Conkling, of Orient, keeper of Little Gull Island light prior to 1852, in connection with the Manwarings of Connecticut, used to take considerable numbers of lobsters in pots set near the reefs off that island, and smacks stopped there to receive the catch for market. His successors, Sineus Conkling, Wm. Booth, Wallace Reeve, and others, continued the business, which is still carried on to some extent. The late Capt. Henry B. Gardiner, of East Marion, for several years made a regular trade of taking lobsters in pots set in Gardiner's Bay, and carrying them to New Haven for sale. Lobsters are also taken in L. I. Sound, off Arshamom- oque.
Fisher's Island from the earliest date has been noted as a fishing
·
104
APPENDIX. - INCIDENTS OF THE FISHERIES.
station. The Pequot Indians when in possession made it one of their chief resorts for fishing. Gov. Winthrop, who had a grant of the island from Massachusetts, was confirmed in it by an act of the Connecticut Court in 1041 "so far as it hinders not the public good of the country, either for fortifying for detense, or setting up a trade for fishing, or salt, or such like." From the "Ant.entest Booke" of New London records it appears that in 1649 leave was granted to Mr. John Winthrop to set up a were (weir or wear) and make use of the river at Poquonnuck "for to take fish." This is the earliest local mention I have seen of this contrivance for taking fish.
The island itself, with a smaller one off Mystic and close under the Connecticut shore, was included in the Duke of York's patent of 1664 and has ever since been regarded as belonging to Suffolk County; but the small island off Mystic reverted to Connecticut on the adoption of the boundary line between the two States. In 1688 John Winthrop, its owner, recog- nized the soverignty of New York by procuring from Gov. Nicholls a patent which settled h.s title to the island, and it remained in his family until transferred to the late Robert Fox, of New London, to whose estate the greater part of it now belongs. Adrian Block, the Dutch navigator, who in 1614 was the first to explore Long Island Sound, when he sighted Montauk Point called it Fisher's Hook, but that term was not accepted by the English.
It is believed that Matthias Rowland, of Norwalk, Ct., formerly of Suffolk County, and Capt. Gould Hoyt, of Norwalk, were the first to open escalops for market purposes; this was about 28 years ago. Charles Fanning, late of New Suffolk, deceased, was the first one on Peconic Bay to engage in the business, which has since grown to very considerable proportions, giving employment, mostly in the winter months, to a fleet of 40 to 50 vessels manned by over 200 men and boys. Some winters ago Capt. James M. Monsell, of Greenport, in a boat with two men and six dredges, from a bed of escalops at Promised Land, East-Hampton, took 500 bushels in one day.
In January, 1837, the L. I. Star printed an account of a summer ramble over Long Island, and in that part of it which treats of the country between Riverhead and Orient, particularly of the facilities for fishing, etc., speaks of an old gentleman telling the writer that when he was young a great seine was used to catch porpoises, out of which they made oil from the blubber and leather from the skins. In Transactions of the "Society "Instituted in the State of New York for the Promotion of Agriculture, " Arts and Manufactures," printed in 1794, is an article by Ezra L'Hom- medieu, of Southold, a Vice-President of the Society, entitled " The Man- "ner of taking Porpoises at the East End of Long Island."
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