228 NEW ENGLAND FISHERIES 



In 1892 the value of the fishery was $115,992. The great 

 falling off for 1898 was due principally to the fact that 

 in the early part of the year the menhaden industry of 

 Rhode Island was consolidated under the control of a com- 

 pany having headquarters in New York City. Most of the 

 vessels that were engaged in the Rhode Island menhaden 

 industry were transferred to New York and therefore were 

 credited with crews and catch to that State. There were 

 two factories in Rhode Island in 1898 and the value of 

 the product was actually $96,389. Nearly $90,000 of this 

 amount was credited to New York. In 1902 there was but 

 one factory in Rhode Island. This is located at Tiverton 

 and is one of the largest on the coast. In 1902 it em- 

 ployed 195 hands, received about 115,000,000 menhaden 

 and produced 897,188 gallons of oil worth $225,912, and 

 15,727 tons of scrap worth $203,906, the total value of 

 the products being $429,818. As the vessels supplying 

 this factory are owned in New York the State of Rhode 

 Island gets credit for its menhaden for 1902 to the extent 

 of $1,156 worth only. 



The value of Connecticut menhaden in 1889 was $100,- 

 569. In 1898 this had decreased to $26,334, there being 

 three factories employing 52 men in that year. There was 

 an increase from 1898 to 1902 in the catch of menhaden 

 from 11,000,000 to 16,800,000 pounds, due to the greater 

 abundance of fish in the Long Island Sound. 



An investigation of the menhaden fishery was ordered 

 by Congress and made in 1894. This was to determine 

 the kind and extent of food-fishes taken in prosecution of 

 the menhaden fishery. "It was the contention of sports- 

 men and others that in menhaden fishing large quantities 

 of game and other food-fish are taken : that these are 

 usually landed at the factories, where they serve the same 

 purpose as menhaden; that on account of the extensive 

 menhaden fishing along the coast the supply of food-fish 



