FISHERIES AT CHICAGO AND VICINITY. 785 



C— INVESTMENT AND CHARACTER OF LAKE-FISHERIES AT 

 CHICAGO AND SOUTH CHICAGO. 



1. — Fisheries at Chicago. 



In the Uuited States Fish CoQimission Report for 1872-'73, (page 8.) 

 Mr. Milner states that, " At Chicago there were six boats fishing with 

 trot-lines off the mouth of the river, their catch being almost entirely 

 the perch, {Perca fiavescens.^') And just after, "There has been no net 

 fishing here for years, the few experiments made proving failures. It is 

 quite possible, now the filthy current of the river no longer flows into 

 the lake, that there may be some success with nets." The latter conjec- 

 ture has prov^eu true. 



Last season (1875,) three-pound nets were set just off the mouth of 

 the river and were quite successful, the catch in these nets exceeding 

 that of the same number of nets at South Chicago. The largest haul 

 at Chicago was considerably greater than the largest haul at South 

 Chicago. 



The investment at Chicago as near as could be determined is as fol- 

 lows : 



Three pound-nets, average value $700 $2, 100 00 



100 boats, average value $65 6, 500 00 



Set-lines and other material amounting to 1, 000 00 



$9, 600 00 

 Investment at South Chicago, 1875: 



Twelve pound nets, average value $700 $8, 400 00 



Three sail-boats, each $500 1, 500 00 



Several small boats and nets, seines, &c 800 00 



Ice-houses, fish-houses, wagons, and various other material 



and property belonging strictly to the business 60, 000 00 



$70, 700 00 

 Twelve men were employed through the season at this place. For- 

 merly there were four others* working pounds, but they were drowned 

 several years ago and their nets have been removed. 



At Chicago instead of the six boats Mr. Milner found there in 1872 fish- 

 ing with trot-lines, off the mouth of the river, there were, last season, 

 nearly one hundred boats and three hundred men employed in the same 

 business, and three pound-nets. Those using trot-lines and having 

 small uuseaworthy boats only go out a mile or two to set their lines 

 and in consequence their catch consists mostly of perch {Perca aniericana,) 

 except in the spring and fall when many " lawyers" {Lota lacustris) are 

 taken. The majority of the boats are " mackinaws " or similar boats 

 which are very seaworthy. They run out fifteen or twenty miles and 



*Tlie Oemmicli brothers, lost in a squall in 1874. — J. W. M. 



