FISHERIES OP THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 71 



rifles, lances, and harpoons. The crew of the vessel mentioned cap- 

 tured between 2,500 and 3,000; the weight of the hides saved was 

 5,000 pounds, and the oil produced was 78,750 gallons. 



Cod eggs. — The shipping of cod eggs to France for use as bait in the 

 sardine fisheries continues, two firms in Gloucester being engaged in 

 this business. The eggs are packed in barrels hokhng 250 pounds. 

 A greater demand and better prices could be obtained if the eggs 

 were picked over by the fishermen and sorted into difl'erent sizes, 

 as is done in Norway, the eggs from that country always having the 

 preference among the sardine fishermen of France. 



WHOLESALE FISHERY TRADE. 



There are wholesale fishery establishments in Barnstable, Bristol, 

 Dukes, Essex, Nantucket, Plymouth, and Suffolk counties, but 

 Boston, in Suffolk County, and Gloucester, in Essex County, are b}" 

 far the most important wholesale centers in the state. There were 

 in 1905 36 wholesale firms in the state exclusive of those in Suffolk 

 and Essex counties; the number of persons engaged was 319, the 

 value of buildings and accessory property was $267,417, and the cash 

 capital invested was $311,000. Included in the above 36 firms were 



4 cold-storage plants and 2 canneries, having a value of $100,800. 

 The cold-storage plants are located as follows : 1 at East Dennis, 1 at 

 North Truro, and 2 at Provincetown. The two canneries are located 

 at North Truro and Provincetown, the former canning mackerel and 

 the latter herring. Three firms at New Bedford are engaged in the 

 manufacture of oil from fish and whales. One of these firms supplies 

 all of the oil used by one of the leading typewriter companies in the 

 country, and also a very fine grade of watch and clock oil. 



Boston. — The number of firms in the various branches of the whole- 

 sale fishery trade in Boston in 1905 was 77; the number of persons 

 engaged, 887; the amount of wages paid, $498,129, and the investment 

 in shore property and the cash capital were $2,431,243. Boston leads 

 all other cities in the extent and value of its fresh fish trade, many 

 vessels from Gloucester, Provincetown, Portland, Me., and other ports 

 in New England landing their fares at T wharf. The total quantity 

 of fish landed in Boston in 1905 by American vessels was 101,306,695 

 pounds, valued at $2,484,595. In addition, large quantities of fishery 

 products were landed by rail from localities along the coast and by 

 vessels from the British provinces. 



Five firms in Chelsea were engaged in the wholesale business, their 

 employees numbering 39, to whom $14,600 were paid in wages, and 

 their cash capital and shore property amounting to $27,100. Of the 



5 firms mentioned, 4 were engaged in the smoking of fish and 1 in 

 the manufacture of oil. 



