GEEAT LAKES: LAKE ONTARIO. 673 



Although French Canadians are quite numerous, Mr. Clark, of Sackett's Harbor, stated that 

 at the east end of Lake Ontario, in the vicinity of Chaumont and Sackett's Harbor, the fishermen 

 originally came from Connecticut, bringing with them the methods they bad employed in that 

 region. 



Various braucbes of the fisheries are carried on at the eastern end of Lake Ontario. At Oswego, 

 Wilson, Fair Haven, and Chaumont, gill-net fishing is the principal branch engaged in, while at 

 Cape Vincent and Sackett's Harbor pound-nets are also used, and at these two places and also at 

 Port Ontario a number of seines and fyke-nets are in use. 



The value of the apparatus used at Oswego in 1879, including two hundred gill-nets and four 

 boats, was estimated at $800. At Port Ontario were twenty-three boats, eighteen gangs of gill- 

 nets, seventy-five fyke-nets, and about sis or seven seines. The investment was not less than 

 $7,500. At Cape Vincent, which, with the exception of Sackett's Harbor, is the most important 

 station in this region, the capital invested in the fisheries is about $1G,500. In this amount is 

 included the value of about 2,250 gill-nets, five pounds, one hundred and fifty trap and fyke-nets, the 

 necessary boats for the management of these nets, and the ordinary accessories, such as fish-houses 

 and ice-houses. At Sackett's Harbor -the number of pound-nets is much larger. In 1879 not less 

 than thirty-one were used here. These, together with about three thousand gill-nets, one hundred 

 traps, thirty fykes, and about three seines, were valued at about $25,500. In operating these nets, 

 one hundred gill-net and other boats were employed, besides a steam-tug; tiie total value of this 

 apparatus was $7,400. The value of accessories was estimated at $6,000. 



Several disasters have occurred at the different fishing villages in this region. Twelve years 

 ago four boats carrying three men each were lost off Port Ontario. At Cape Vincent only one 

 man has been drowned in ten years, while in Chaumont there have been but three men lost in 

 fifty years, although as many as three hundred have been engaged from the latter place at one 

 time. At Hudson's Bay, in 1879, seven men were lost at one time. 



Notwithstanding the prevailing cry of decrease of fish, the fishermen seem to be making very 

 good profits, especially those who are. industrious and attend carefully to their business. These 

 remarks, however, do not apply to some of the older grounds on the south shore; for example, at 

 Charlotte, Wilson, Fair Haven, and Poultneyville, where it is a fact that fishing is no longer 

 profitable. 



Poultneyville, N. Y., has been a resort for Canadian fishermen for a number of years. They 

 came for the first time about 18G5. At the present time, however, they have ceased coming. Mr. 

 Harrington, of Port Ontario, who is well acquainted with the history of the fisheries at that place, 

 says that there has been no change in the manner of fishing for a great many years, except that 

 the salmon fisheries once carried on in the river at that place are no longer in existence. In his 

 opinion there is a considerable decrease in the abundance of some kinds of fish, especially among 

 whitetish. 



At Cape Vincent there was no fishing of importance until 1859. Prior to that date the fish, 

 only caught in small quantities, were consumed by the fishermen. Before the building of the 

 railroad, which now connects this village with other places, a large portion of the catch was 

 salted. 



Messrs. Clark & Eobbins, of Sackett's Harbor, stated that in 1877 they salted not less than 

 2,447 half-barrels of ciscoes, while in 1879 they obtained only 100 half-barrels. In their opinion, 

 such fish as pike, black bass, and trout have increased since alewives made their appearance, 

 while whitefish and ciscoes have decreased. 

 43 G n F 



