﻿THE 
  FISHERIES 
  OF 
  INDIAN 
  RIVER, 
  FLORIDA. 
  

  

  249 
  

  

  COMMERCIAL 
  FISHERIES 
  OF 
  INDIAN 
  RIVER, 
  FLORIDA. 
  

  

  By 
  Wllliam 
  A. 
  Wilcox. 
  

  

  THE 
  FISHING 
  CENTERS 
  AND 
  GROUNDS. 
  

  

  The 
  points 
  on 
  the 
  Indian 
  Eiver 
  wliich 
  serve 
  as 
  the 
  liead(j[iuiiteis 
  of 
  

   the 
  fishermen 
  and 
  the 
  centers 
  for 
  re«;eiving 
  and 
  shipi)ing 
  fish 
  are 
  Titus- 
  

   ville, 
  Cocoa, 
  Eau 
  Gallic, 
  Melbourne, 
  Sebastian, 
  Fort 
  Pierce, 
  Kden, 
  Jen- 
  

   sen, 
  and 
  Stuart. 
  These 
  places 
  are 
  all 
  in 
  Brevard 
  County, 
  on 
  the 
  line 
  of 
  

   the 
  Jacksonville, 
  St. 
  Augustine 
  and 
  Indian 
  Eiver 
  liailroad, 
  and 
  they 
  

   are 
  all 
  on 
  the 
  western 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  river. 
  

  

  Titusville, 
  the 
  ]nincipal 
  place 
  on 
  the 
  river, 
  is 
  the 
  county 
  seat, 
  Avith 
  a 
  

   resident 
  i^opulation 
  of 
  900. 
  It 
  was 
  the 
  birthplace 
  of 
  the 
  Indian 
  lliver 
  

   fishing 
  business, 
  and 
  has 
  the 
  advantage 
  of 
  tAvo 
  railroads 
  for 
  shipping 
  

   products. 
  Two 
  firms 
  were 
  at 
  this 
  place 
  during 
  the 
  first 
  four 
  years; 
  in 
  

   1880 
  another 
  engaged 
  in 
  the 
  industry; 
  in 
  1890, 
  1891, 
  and 
  1892, 
  when 
  

   the 
  fishing 
  at 
  this 
  i)oint 
  Avas 
  at 
  its 
  height, 
  there 
  Avere 
  four 
  firms; 
  in 
  the 
  

   two 
  following 
  years 
  the 
  number 
  was 
  three, 
  and 
  at 
  the 
  end 
  of 
  1895 
  and 
  

   the 
  beginning 
  of 
  1890 
  only 
  one 
  remained. 
  

  

  The 
  following 
  table 
  shoAvs 
  the 
  monthly 
  shiijments 
  of 
  fresh 
  fish 
  from 
  

   Titusville 
  during 
  each 
  of 
  the 
  six 
  years 
  ending 
  1895 
  : 
  

  

  Month. 
  

  

  January 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  

   February.. 
  

  

  March 
  

  

  April 
  

  

  May 
  

  

  June 
  

  

  July 
  

  

  August 
  

  

  September. 
  

  

  October 
  

  

  Novfmber 
  . 
  

   December.. 
  

  

  Total 
  

  

  Lbs. 
  

  

  KO, 
  

  

  73, 
  

  

  37, 
  

  

  10, 
  

  

  15, 
  

  

  24, 
  

  

  40, 
  

  

  68, 
  

  

  130, 
  

  

  237, 
  

  

  222, 
  

  

  129i 
  

  

  Lbs. 
  

  

  205, 
  015 
  

   74,340 
  

   04, 
  105 
  

   33, 
  625 
  

   60, 
  050 
  

  

  105,515 
  

   93, 
  775 
  

   75, 
  005 
  

   97, 
  800 
  

  

  123, 
  070 
  

   160, 
  452 
  

  

  124, 
  485 
  

  

  Lbs. 
  

  

  98, 
  705 
  

  

  75, 
  755 
  

  

  5t, 
  685 
  

  

  47,400 
  

  

  70, 
  190 
  

  

  64, 
  150 
  

  

  70, 
  SI65 
  

  

  118, 
  975 
  

  

  117, 
  045 
  

  

  91. 
  260 
  

  

  138, 
  450 
  

  

  98, 
  000 
  

  

  Lbs. 
  

  

  105, 
  205 
  

   91. 
  845 
  

   50,415 
  

   27, 
  005 
  

   57, 
  565 
  

   53, 
  870 
  

  

  106, 
  .565 
  

   104, 
  820 
  

  

  86, 
  920 
  

   85, 
  585 
  

   110,415 
  

   99, 
  420 
  

  

  1,072,355 
  i 
  1,217,237 
  ! 
  1,046,480 
  979.630 
  

  

  Lbs. 
  

   79, 
  280 
  

   67, 
  185 
  

   43, 
  125 
  

   32, 
  455 
  

   42. 
  130 
  

   34, 
  960 
  

   29,010 
  

   42, 
  890 
  

   23, 
  585 
  

   13, 
  315 
  

   124,215 
  

   24,940 
  

  

  557, 
  090 
  

  

  1895. 
  

  

  Lbs. 
  

   25. 
  335 
  

   41,960 
  

   40, 
  495 
  

   11,705 
  

   34, 
  385 
  

   42, 
  060 
  

   5-1, 
  870 
  

   60, 
  875 
  

   39, 
  995 
  

   25. 
  995 
  

   10. 
  120 
  

   24, 
  015 
  

  

  409, 
  710 
  

  

  At 
  the 
  beginning 
  of 
  the 
  fishing 
  industry 
  at 
  Titusville 
  the 
  catch 
  Avas 
  

   taken 
  Avithin 
  a 
  few 
  miles 
  of 
  that 
  iilace, 
  but 
  as 
  business 
  increased 
  new 
  

   grounds 
  Avere 
  continually 
  sought 
  farther 
  down 
  the 
  riAX'r 
  until 
  the 
  oper- 
  

   ations 
  of 
  the 
  Titusville 
  fishermen 
  were 
  finally 
  extended 
  beyond 
  Sewall 
  

   Point, 
  125 
  miles 
  to 
  the 
  south. 
  BetAveen 
  these 
  points 
  ciimps 
  were 
  located 
  

   at 
  the 
  most 
  desirable 
  places, 
  chief 
  of 
  Avhicli 
  Avere 
  l-^deii, 
  Indian 
  lli\'er 
  

   Inlet, 
  and 
  Sewall 
  Point. 
  The 
  fish 
  taken 
  in 
  the 
  vicinity 
  of 
  the 
  camps 
  

   Avere 
  carried 
  to 
  the 
  camps 
  and 
  there 
  packed 
  in 
  fish-cars 
  holding 
  from 
  

   800 
  to 
  1,500 
  pounds 
  of 
  Avell-iccd 
  fish, 
  Avliich 
  were 
  sent 
  to 
  Titusville 
  

   by 
  the 
  steamers 
  plying 
  regularly 
  on 
  the 
  river. 
  Before 
  being 
  shipi)ed 
  by 
  

  

  