AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION.. 2285 



By Mr. Trescot : 



Q. Can you form any idea of the largest number of your vessels which 

 were in Bay St. Lawrence on 1st October any year ? A. The highest 

 number which paid the one-half per cent, extra was 175. It belonged 

 to me to look that up. Tbat is the highest number I remember. 



By Mr. Foster : 



Q. When was that? A. I should say it was more than ten years 

 ago. 



By Hon. Mr. Kellogg : 



Q. Do you mean to include all American vessels ? A. No; only those 

 from Gloucester. 



By Sir Alexander Gait : 



Q. Those were vessels insured in your office ? A. Yes; and we cover 

 all Gloucester vessels in that one office. 



By Mr. Trescot : 



Q. Could you say what is the largest fortune made in the fishing 

 business in Gloucester ? A. I don't know of anybody that ever retired 

 from the fishing business with more than $25,000. I know one man who 

 has retired, and his fortune is estimated at from $25,000 to $30,000. 

 He is the onlymau who hasretired. They go out in poverty uotiu riches. 

 I remember settling up the estate of a man who had been successful, 

 who was a hard worker, a fisherman himself, and who continued in busi- 

 ness till he was sixty-five years old. Ir was ten years ago, at the time 

 of high prices, and he had bought his vessels in the fifties at low prices, 

 and the whole estate realized $48,000. I don't know any other estate 

 obtained in the fishing business which has realized so much, and this 

 estate would not have done so if he had lived five years longer. The 

 vessels were sold at 50 per cent, more than their cost, and the wharf 

 property at three times its value five years before. 



By Mr. Dana: 



Q. What did the whforf property net? A. $15,000, and it was sold 

 two or three years ago for $U,OUO. 



By Mr. Foster : 



Q. How much was real estate in Gloucester worth in 1877 as com- 

 pared with 1870, 1867, or 1866 ? A. 1 should say 33 per cent. less. 



By Sir Alexander Gait: 

 Q. That is not exceptional as regards Gloucester f A. Not at all. 



By Mr. Foster : 



Q. How do you distribute the fish over the country T A. We have 

 become ourselves distributors. Gloucester merchants have become 

 middlemen. Formerly Boston used to take our fish in bulk and pack 

 them and send them over the country. Now the orders are sent direct 

 to Gloucester, and we cure and pack the fish in boxes and send it out. 

 We use 100,000 four quintal boxes a year, and scores of thousands of 

 smaller boxes adapted for the business. 



Q. Where are the boxes made? A. Most of them in the State of 

 Maine. They are sawed out in Maine, and nailed together in Gloucester. 



By Mr. Trescot : 



Q. Does that add to the price of the mackerel ! A. Most of those 

 men are not interested in producing, but some are producers, and put 



