708 GEOGEAPHICAL REVIEW OF TBE FISHERIES. 



The "Ledger" of June, 1800, says: "The arrival of the first fishing vessel from the banks shows that this long 

 established business is destim d at no very distant day to be discontinued. The schooner Florence Hooper sailed about 

 ten weeks since for the banks and returned on Friday, June 1, with but 1,000 fish, and reports a great scarcity. It 

 seems hard for men to leave their homes with hopes buoyant of success to go on voyages known to everyone as an 

 occupation in which they would not engage except for the chance of being successful in a good catch of fish ; -when to 

 return after an absence of two mouths or more, knowing the time spent amounting to nothing, and perhaps in debt 

 to the vessel, to say nothing of hardships and risks, the bounty the. only compensation, though small." 



In 1881 the business partially recovered. When the war of the rebellion broke out it took most of the young 

 men out of the business and reduced the fishing fleet to 21 vessels in 1865. 



After the close of the war the fishing business of Marblehead fell to a low ebb. Some of the best vessels were sold 

 and more were ready for sale. 



SWAMPSCOTT. 



THE FISHERIES FROM 1794 TO 18GO. The Gloucester Telegraph of January 8, 1870, contained the following item, 

 showing the extent of the Swampscott fishing fleet in 1795: 



"In 1795 but 1 vessel, the Dove, a schooner of about 20 tons, owned by James Phillips and four others, sailed 

 from that place in pursuit of fish. This was the first vessel owned in Swampscott, and she would make but a sorry 

 show if placed alongside the neat, trim, fast-sailing crafts that compose the winter fleet of that flourishing town." 



The Cape Ann Advertiser of January 13, I860, referring to the number of vessels in the fleet in the year 1800, 

 states that there was only 1 fishing schooner in Swampscott at that time and its name, was the "Lark." 



The number of vessels engaged in the fishing fleet in 1855, and the value of their catch, together with the tonnage 

 of the vessels and the number of men employed on them, is here given : 



"During tin; week ending March 3, 1855, the Swampscott fishermen were unusually successful. The number of 

 boats employed was 14 and the aggregate tonnage 000. The total number of men employed was 126, and the tish 

 which they caught sold tor $5,272. None of the boats, excepting one, were out more than nve days." l 



About the close of the next year, also, some of the Swampscott fishermen were very successful : 



"During the week ending December 13 the schooner Flight, Captain Stanley, with 13 hands, caught 62,700 

 pounds of codfish. And a short time before, the crew of the Jane caught in one day, among a large number of cod- 

 fish of the ordinary size, 12 which weighed on an average 56 pounds each. Capt. Nathaniel Blanchard caught oun 

 codfish which weighed 94 pounds gross, and 78 pounds dressed." 2 



"In 1857 haddock appeared in great numbers at times during the early part of the year. On the 13th of March 

 about 100 of the Swampscott fishermen, in 12 boats, caught in some six hours 160,000 pounds of fish, almost entirely 

 haddock." 3 



Lewis & Newhall record the largo catch offish made by the little schooner Flying Dart, in 1860, as follows: 



"The little fishing schooner Flying Dart, of Swampsc.ott, with a crew of 12 men, on the 25th of February, 

 brought in 14,000 pounds of fish, caught by them that day. The fish were readily sold at an average rate of 2 cents a 

 pound." 



THE FISHERIES FROM 1870 TO 1874. The Gloucester Telegraph of January 1,1870, contains an article on the 

 winter fishery of Swampscott for the year 1869, and the disposition made of the fish; the article is here reproduced : 



' Fifteen vessels and 200 men are engaged the present season in the fishery business from Swampscott. The 

 vessels, which vary in size from 40 to 80 tons, leave their anchorage every morning, when the state of the weather 

 will allow, and return as early as possible in the afternoon. The fish that have been caught are sold as soon as lauded 

 upon the beach, and being packed in large wagons are conveyed in the night to Boston, where they are ready 

 for the early customers on the following morning. The Swampscott fishermen have done quite well thus far the 

 present season, there having been no very cold or extremely rough weather, while the catch has been fair and the 

 demand steady at good prices. They well deserve all they get, for few men labor harder or sutler more in the pursuit 

 of a livelihood than the fishermen." 



In 1870 the winter fishery of this place was very extensive, as will he seen by the following statement from the 

 Gloucester Telegraph of December 3, 1870 : 



"Twenty Swampscott schooners are now engaged in winter fishing, being the largest number ever employed in 

 the business. The boats are bringing in large quantities of cod and pollock, which are selling at low prices." 



The product of the Swampscott fisheries for the third quarter of the year 1872 is given as follows in the Gloucester 

 Telegraph of October 12, 1872 : 



"During the quarter ending October 1, 1872, the number of barrels of jnackerel caught and landed at Swampscott 

 was 7,000, which, at $8 per barrel, amounts to 56,000. Three hundred thousand pounds of cod were taken, which, at 

 2 cents per pound, amounts to |6,000. Twenty-five barrels of oil were obtained, which, at $15 per barrel, amount, 

 to $375 ; making a total of $62,375." 



During the quarter ending June 30, 1874, the Swampscott fishermen landed 320,000 pounds of cod, valued at 

 810,400; 180,000 pounds of mackerel, valued at $4,500 ; and 10,000 lobsters, valued at $600; making a total yield of 

 $15,500. 



1 History of Lynn liy Lewis & Newhall, p. 443. '* Ibid., p. 448. 3 Ibid., p, 4 >0. 



