32 2 BIS TOR y OF COHASSE T. 



But what was the purpose of this shipbuilding? They 

 were all small fishing and freighting schooners, less than 

 seventy-five feet in length, and nearly all were built for 

 Cohasset owners. Indeed, what few were built for other 

 owners were more than offset by the schooners owned 

 here from other shipyards. It was a thriving fish industry 

 that stimulated the growing fleet of schooners in our 

 harbor. 



Ever since the year 1737, when our fleet had but eight 

 "sail," there was a slow increase in the number of fishing 

 craft. By the year 1800 there were Samuel Bates, John 

 Lewis, Elisha Doane, Peter Lothrop, Abraham Tower, 

 and Levi Tower, each owning a small fleet for himself.* 

 Besides these there were single owners who did a smaller 

 business. 



Levi Tower had two stores at the Cove besides his 

 blacksmith shop in the year 1793, and at the same time 

 Samuel Bates had a larger store at his own wharf. From 

 these stores their vessels were outfitted for their cruises 

 and the families of sailors and of others were supplied. 



The fish that were brought in by the thousands each 

 trip during the summer were salted and barreled in the 

 fish houses of the owners. Elisha Doane had a fish house 

 worth five pounds, as also did John Lewis. 



Besides Samuel Bates' wharf there was in 1793 another 



*The fishing property of Captain John Lewis in the year 1796 was about ;,£"3,ooo ; 

 of Captain Abraham Tower, about ;^2,5oo; Levi Tower, about ;^2,20o; Samuel 

 Bates, about ;^i, 800; Elisha Doane, about ^Ti.ooo. 



