362 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



Kansas City, 3Iarch 22, 1881. 



Dear Sib : Your letter of the IStli was duly received, inquiring as to 

 my knowledge of shad fishing in the Forth Branch of the Susquehanna 

 Kiver. I have no remembrance of any being taken at or near Sheshe- 

 quin, but at Wilkes Barre I have seen them caught in seines before any 

 bridge was built there. The nets were drawn out on the north side of 

 the river. I don't remember to what extent was the catch, but I have 

 often heard my mother say that immense quantities were taken in the 

 vicinity of her father's, who lived about a mile below the old '' Eed Tav- 

 ern," in Hanover ; that at one haul 9,999 were caught ; that when they 

 had got all they could procure salt to cure, or sell for three coppers, 

 th-ey gave to the widows and the poor and hung up their nets, though 

 the shad were as i)leuty as ever. In 1816 I went to Owego to live, and 

 there became acquainted wi^h a Mr. Duane, who was one of the men 

 who drew the net. He said the actual number was 9,997^ but two more 

 were added to make the figures all nines. 



When the jSTanticoke dam was |)uilt the shad could not come above 

 it, and men were in the habit of fishing there with a three-pronged 

 hook, sinker, and stout line and pole. This was sunk, and after a few 

 minutes quickly jerked up. I caught two in that way ; others had bet- 

 ter luck, and it was reported that one man caught seventy in one dayj 

 but I think a large reduction would come nearer the truth. 



Probably E. Blackman, of Pittston, could give some information re- 

 garding shad fishing at Towanda and Sheshequin. Jesse Brown, long 

 a resident of Sheshequin, and in his youth a resident of Wyalusing, I 

 think ; also Chester Park, of Athens, I presume, could give information 

 upon the subject. The Park family kept the ferry at Athens at an early 

 day. Both of the above-named, I think, are over eighty years of age. 



I have been examining some old Gleaners of 1811 and 1812, but don't 

 find any of the spring numbers. Some years ago I gave to my son-in- 

 law, L. B. Wyant, of Harvard, McHeury County, Illinois, a roll of Glean- 

 ers of 1811 for his museum, which he opens at " Kay's Park," on Geneva 

 Lake, Wisconsin, in summer. As it is getting to be a great watering- 

 place, I expect to spend the summer there, and will examine the papers 

 and may find some item in relation to shad fishing. If so, will write 

 you. 



Yours respectfully, 



ALVAN DANA. 



ScoTTSViLLE, March 10, 1881. 



Dear Sir : Yours in regard to shad fishing, I referred to father, and 

 I received the following answers: 1st. There were two permanent fish- 

 eries, one at Sterling's Island and one below Wyalusing Falls, besides 

 other places where they sometimes fished, viz., Grist's Bar, Chapin's Is- 

 land J Whitcomb Island was also fishing ground, but not permanent- 



