MAINE: WALDOBORO' DISTRICT. 55 



The merchants of the place have a limited trade with the fishing- vessels of the islands, and 

 they fit out fifteen to twenty-live sail each season. The greater part of these belong at Matinicus 

 Island, which is a large fishing center. The merchants also buy many dry fish from these people 

 to supply their country trade. According to Mr. E. F. Cric, there were handled by the four firms 

 engaged in the fish trade at Eockland, in 18SO, about 1,000 quintals of cod, 300 quintals of haddock, 

 200 quintals of pollock, and 50 quintals of hake, in addition to 700 barrels of mackerel, 250 barrels 

 of pickled herring, and 100 barrels of smoked herring. 



SOUTH THOMASTON. South TLomaston, about 4 miles below Eocklaud, was set off from Thorn- 

 aston and incorporated in 1848. It has a population of 1,C93, with a small village of two or three 

 hundred inhabitants located on the Weskeag River. It depends largely for its trade upon the sur- 

 rounding country and the quarryinen of Dix and adjoining islands. There is no fishing of impor- 

 tance from the village, a few parties going out occasionally for pleasure during the summer only. 

 Clams are dug in small quantities from the extensive flats in the vicinity. The town gets its supply 

 of fish and clams, mostly through peddlers, from the boat-fishermen of Ash Point and Owl's Head. 



THOMASTON. Thomaston, at the head of navigation of the Saint George Eiver, 3 miles south- 

 west of Eocklaud, was known as a trading post as early as 1030, and was permanently settled about 

 1719. It was incorporated as a town in 1777, and up to 1848 included both South Thomastou anil 

 Eocklaud. It has a present population of 3,092. The residents are largely engaged in ship-building, 

 confining themselves almost exclusively to the larger class of ships, brigs, and barks; and it is said 

 more tonnage is owned in Thomaston in proportion to its population than in any other American 

 city. Formerly the people were somewhat interested in the sea-fisheries, having a small fleet 

 engaged regularly in the shore-fisheries; but, owing to the distance from the fishing grounds, this 

 business has gradually died out, and now not n fishing vessel is owned here. 



Clams abound in the Saint George Eiver, near by, and several hundred barrels are dug each 

 winter by the inhabitants. A number of parties are extensively engaged in the river fisheries, 

 and 15 to 20 tons of smelt, with 10,000 alewives, are taken annually by means of weirs located 

 just below the city. Mackerel and menhaden occasionally ascend the river to this point, but none 

 of the other important salt-water species occur. Some of the inhabitants go to the lower islands 

 in summer for a few days' fishing, but the catch is of little importance. The town is usually supplied 

 with fish by peddlers who drive in from the fishing settlements at Owl's Head and dishing, while 

 a few shore-fishermen of Gushing aud Friendship "run" fresh fish to the market in their boats. 



SAINT GEOROE. Saint George occupies a peninsula of land 10 miles long by 3 or 4 miles 

 wide, lying just south of Thomastou, between the Saint George Eiver and Peuobscot Bay. It 

 includes two groups of small islands known as George's Islands and the Mussel Eidges. The town 

 was included in the Muscougus patent, and was visited by fishermen and others at a very early 

 date. Williamson, in his History of Maine, says : " In HJoG there were a few settlers at the river 

 Saint George aud upon George's Island within the Muscongus patent, though they were principally 

 fishermen." The town was set off from Gushing aud incorporated in 1803, and has a present 

 population of 2,318. It has four small settlements or post-office centers. These are Tenant's 

 Harbor, Saint George, Martiusville, and Port Clyde. The last-named, formerly known as Herring- 

 gut, is the principal fishing center, while the first is a village of some note with a large fleet of 

 vessels engaged in the coasting trade. 



As already mentioned, Saint George was formerly a fishing town of considerable importance, 

 and in 1838 there were three firms that did an extensive "fitting" business, aud cured annually 

 about 0,000 quintals of fish. Many were also cured by the fishermen of the town. At that time 



