MASSACHUSETTS: SALEM AND BEVERLY DISTRICT. 



Detailed statement of the quantities and rallies of tlte products Continued. 



179 



a Enhancement on southern oysters. 



63. THE FISHERIES OF BEVERLY AND SALEM. 



BEVERLY. Beverly, situated 18 miles east from Boston, has a fine rock-bound harbor with 15 

 feet of water at low tide. In the early history of the State it was known as the home port of 

 a large portion of the New England Grand Bank fleet of cod-fishermen. At one time ship-building 

 was carried on to a considerable extent at this place, large, square-rigged vessels, as well as fish- 

 ing schooners, being launched from this port. With the exception of a few small yachts no vessels 

 have been built here for many years, and only one of 20 tons during the year 1879. Concerning 

 the reduction in the number of mackerel vessels and bankers sent from this port of late, Mr. Crit- 

 tendeu writes: 



"Beverly sends no mackerel catchers this year, 1879; she sends ten bankers, each of which 

 makes but one trip a year. It is not long since there were seventy bankers sailing from here, each 

 one of which made two trips a year. There is some small boat fishing carried on." 



The crews of the fishing vessels at one time fished on shares, receiving five eighths of the 

 proceeds and the vessel three-eighths, the expenses of the vessel being first paid. Of late years, 

 however, and at the present time, there is no uniform rule as to how the crew shall be paid. 



The hand-line and trawl are both in use. In the case of hand-line fishing salt clams are used 

 for bait. For a 1,200 quintal fare of codfish 45 barrels of clams are taken, costing from $5 to $5.50 

 per barrel. 1'or use in trawl-fishing, only a few barrels of clam bait are taken and a few tons of 

 ice in which to preserve the fresh bait. When a vessel is provided in this manner she proceeds to 

 Newfoundland, where a supply of fresh herring is procured at a cost of $1.50 to $2 per barrel. A 

 full supply of ice is also laid in at this time, costing $2 a ton. Squid, which, between July 10 and 

 August l,sell for 20 to 75 cents a hundred or $5 a barrel, are also bought for bait. Cod roe, 

 worth only $2 to $2.50 a barrel, is never saved. Tongues and sounds were formerly saved, when 



