GULF OF MEXICO: ALABAMA. 



569 



Detailed statement of the quantities and values of the products. 



206. FISHERIES OF MOBILE AND VICINITY. 



THE UNION FISHERY COMPANY. In the year 1873 great energy was displayed by some of the 

 citizens of Mobile City, whose object it was to fortn a company for tbe purpose of buying up and 

 preparing for sale all kinds of fish taken along tbe sbores and in tbe public waters of Alabama. 

 Notice of tbis intention was given in the Montgomery Mail, under date of December 11. 1873. It 

 reads thus: 



" UTILIZING THE FISHING PRIVILEGES OF THE STATE. A company of citizens, most of them 

 well known and highly respected, have organized themselves, as the law directs, into a private cor- 

 poration, under the name and style of 'The Union Fishery, Salt, and Manure Manufacturing Com- 

 pany,' for the purpose of taking and preparing for consumption and sale all kinds of fish, oysters, 

 and other shell-fish along the shores and in the public waters of Alabama, and for the further pur- 

 pose of manufacturing oil and commercial manures from said fish. They have the further purpose 

 of manufacturing salt along or near the shores of the State by solar evaporation or otherwise. 

 They design all of these articles for private use and for sale in the public markets. The incorpora- 

 tors are James W. Colemau, Francis W. Dansby, Smith D. Hale, James H. Houston, Gary G. 

 Thomas, Robert Christian, and Daniel C. De Jarnette. The capital of the company is $2,800,000." 



That the citizens of the State of Alabama were anxious that such a company should be formed, 

 whereby the State revenue would be enlarged, is evident from the following: 



"We understand that a bill has been or will be reported to the legislature, in which the rights 

 and privileges of this company shall be defined. It is time that the State of Alabama should be 

 drawing a considerable revenue by taxation in the shape of a royalty on her extensive fishing, salt, 

 and fertilizing wealth. Such a company as ' The Union Fishing and Salt and Manure Manufact- 

 uring Company of Alabama' might be made, by a proper bill, a source of considerable revenue, all 

 of which is now lost to the State, and we trust that a bill, properly guarded, such as is now sought 

 by this company, may become a law. The State wants every dollar of tax, and all the revenue it 

 can possibly raise, by means which will not further incumber the farming interests of the com- 

 monwealth." 



LOCATION OF THE CITY. Mobile, the only town of Alabama extensively engaged in the fish- 

 eries, is situated at the mouth of Mobile River, on Mobile Bay, 28 miles from its junction with the 

 Gulf of Mexico. 



FISHERMEN. More than one-half of the professional fishermen of Mobile arc employed in the 

 oyster business. Forty gather oysters, and one hundred and thirty-five carry them to market. 

 There are twenty smack fishermen and one hundred seine and gill net fishermen. At the oyster- 

 canning establishments one hundred and fifty men are employed. 



APPARATUS AND METHODS. The fishing smack in use in these Southern waters having been 

 described, it is here only necessary to say that there are but two of them at Mobile, and they are 

 of New England build. 



