412 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Green tiirllc aro fiTadnally bocomiii<i- loss abmidant on the coast of 

 Texas, yet on acconnt of tlie increasing deniand ("or tliem tlie annnal 

 catch is probably increasing. The turtles are either disposed of at the 

 Fulton canning factory or are sold to the fresh-fish marketmen, who 

 ship them to the interior and even to Jfew York City. Those sent to 

 the latter place go by the regular line of steamers from Galveston, to 

 which port they are sent by rail or general freight boats froui Aransas 

 Pass. They are shipped alive, and live a great length of time out of 

 water. 



The fishermen usually receive from 1 to 2 cents per pound for their 

 catch. While awaiting a suitable market the turtles are kept in 

 "crawls," or pens, made of poles driven in the bottom of the bay a 

 few inches from each other, and sufliciently long to project a few feet 

 above the surface of the Avater. If properly fed, the turtle may be re- 

 tained several months in such inclosures. 



The cannery at Fulton was established on a small scale in 1881. In 

 1890 about 900 green turtles, weighing 243,000 pounds, were reported 

 as being received at this cannery. About 40,000 2-])ound cans of tur- 

 tle meat, and .300 dozen 2-pound cans and .500 dozen 3-pound cans of 

 "turtle soup" were prepared. It is quite difficult to prepare these 

 products so that they will keep a suitable length of time, such work 

 requiring close attention and the greati'st cleanliness. 



The shells of the green turtle have no recognized commercial value. 



Marlceting of fifihery products. — In 1890 there were two wholesale fish 

 and oyster markets at Aransas Pass. The number of men employed 

 was 31, and the capital invested $23,000. All the fishery and game 

 products of the region were handled by these two houses, and in the 

 same manner as i«:4 common along the coast. One of the marketing 

 lumses was connected with an ice plant and the fish were preserved in 

 dry cold storage while awaiting orders from the interior. 



CORPFS OHRISTI EAY. 



Southwest of Aransas Bay and connected with it by Corpus Christi 

 Bayou is situated Cor]>us Christi Bay. This is a l)eautiful body of 

 water, very nearly circular in shape, and, together with its tributaries, 

 (M)vers about 185 square miles. The average depth of water is fully 14 

 feet. At present the only navigable outlet is through Aransas Pass by 

 way of Corpus Christi Bayou. Tiiis bayou had a natural depth of water 

 of about 4 feet, but by Morris and Cunningham's Cut it has been made 

 navigable ibr vessels drawing 7 feet. 



The only estuaries entering Corpus Christi Bay arc the Nueces River 

 and Oso Creek. The latter, as implied by its name, is quite salty. It 

 is wide and shallow and drains but a small area; in fact, it is more of 

 a tributary bay than acH'ek. The Nueces Bivcr drains about 10,(>00 

 square miles of territory, and at times during the spring it empties 

 great (juantities of fresh water into the bay. 



