MAINE: DISTRICT OF PORTLAND AND FALMOUTH. 87 



and Rockland, in Maine, Portsmouth in New Hampshire, and Boston in Massachusetts have eacli 

 smoked a few haddock, but their trade has been wholly local and of comparatively little impor- 

 tance. 



From Messrs. Wyer Brothers and John Lovett & Co., the two largest dealers in the country, 

 we gathered the following facts about the origin and growth of the Finnan haddie trade: 



The haddock was first smoked in America at Montreal, Canada, by Mr. Thomas McEwan, a 

 Scotchman, who had become familiar with the method of preparation before removing to this 

 country. He began the business in a small way about 1860, sending to Portland for his fish. The 

 first few lots, consisting of only 100 to 300 pounds each, were smoked in barrels. The trade soon 

 increased so that smoke-houses were built, and, finding the expense of transportation so great, 

 Mr. McEwan removed to Portland for engaging more extensively in the work. He soon formed a 

 partnership with Mr. Lovett, one of the leading fish dealers of Portland, and continued the busi- 

 ness on a larger scale than ever. At first the trade was wholly with Canada, and largely among 

 the Scotch. Later the Americans commenced eating smoked haddock, and at the present time 

 nearly one-third of the trade is with the United States. Up to 1808 Portland was the only town 

 engaged in the business. At this time Portland dealers, learning of the abundance of haddock 

 along the eastern part of the coast of Maine, located at Eastport to engage in the work, and the 

 business has been continued to the present time, the season lasting through the winter only. 

 During the season of 1879-'80, according to Mr. R. C. Green, Eastport smoked and shipped to 

 Portland dealers about 211,000 pounds of cured fish, valued at over $12,000. 



The following extract from a letter received from Wyer Brothers, of Portland, gives the extent 

 of the business of that city. They write: 



" The quantity of haddock cured here in the season of 1879-'80 did not vary materially from 

 that put up the previous season. Though the demand increased, the catch of haddock from which 

 the supply must be obtained fell a little short of that of previous winters, and it was often quite 

 difficult to get a sufficient quantity for smoking. * * * We have carefully estimated the amount 

 of haddock used for this purpose and find it to be about 2,100,000 of fresh fish, and, as they shrink 

 almost one-half in curing, the wbole amount of smoked fish would be about 1,200,000 pounds." 



Adding to these the quantity shipped from Eastport we find that Portland now handles nearly 

 2,500,000 pounds of Finnan haddies annually. Property valued at $8,009 is used by the smokers, 

 and twenty-four men are employed for six months of the year in preparing the fish. 



Wyer Brothers place the quantity of bloater herring smoked in Portland during the winter of 

 1879-'80 at 2,000 barrels of 350 fish each, equal to 700,000 herring in number. These were largely 

 sold in Canada with the haddock. No hard herring are smoked in the city. 



THE LOBSTER FISHERY AND THE LOBSTER TRADE. Lobsters are caught ofl' Portland during 

 the entire year, though the fishing is most extensive from March to July, and again from October 

 to December. Thirty men, living chiefly on the islands or at Cape Elizabeth, fish exclusively 

 for lobsters, while nearly all of the boat-fishermen have a few pots which they tend with more or 

 less regularity at certain seasons. The local fishing-grounds are around Hog, Peak's, and Cushing's 

 Islands and near Portland light in summer, and along the outer shore of Cape Elizabeth in winter. 

 The traps are set in from three to twenty fathoms of water, one man tending from forty to sixty-five 

 of them, usually visiting them once a day when the weather is suitable. During the height of the 

 season some haul their pots twice a day. Twenty-five years ago, according to Mr. Trefethen, of 

 House Island, an average catch was six or seven lobsters, weighing 4 to G pounds each to the 

 pot. From that time they have gradually diminished, and, according to the same authority, the 

 catch in 1879 averaged only one marketable lobster (which must be 10 inches long), and three 



