AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2891 



where the vessels fish, iu order to know where they go and fo keep 

 watch of the voyages. 



Q. Have you known of any considerable number of them going in the 

 vicinity of Cape Sable or Seal Island ? A. I never heard of any going 

 there. 



Q. What does it cost to build a fishing-schooner at Gloucester by the 

 ton ? A. I think that a schooner of 100 tons, old tonnage, would cost 

 about $7,000 or $7,200. 



Q. Old tonnage is carpenter's measurement? A. 100 tons old tonnage 

 would average from 66 to 70 tons register. 



Q. You think it would cost over $70 a ton A. Yes ; we built three 

 vessels this last season, and I think that they cost us about that. 



Q. What do you include in the cost of the vessel ? A. Everything, 

 exclusive of the fishing-gear cables, anchors, and all those things. 



Q. Can anybody get this done any cheaper than yourself? A. I do 

 not know about that. 



Q. No one has more facilities for getting it done cheaper, of course. 

 How does the character of the vessels built in Gloucester for the Glou- 

 cester fleet compare with the fishing-vessels built in the provinces ? A. 

 The former are better than the latter in every way. 



Q. Explain in what particular ? A. They are better built and better 

 modeled, and their material is better. 



Q. And what material is so used up here ? A. I do not know, but it 

 is some soft wood or other. I never inquired much about it. 



Q. Could you estimate the difference a ton between what you should 

 suppose it would cost to build a mackerel-fishing schooner here and 

 such cost in Gloucester ? I do not meau built here ; but suppose a ves- 

 sel was built in Gloucester as they are built here, what would this cost 

 here ? A. I do not know. That would be a pretty hard thing to tell. 

 I do not think that you could get a man there to build a vessel in that 

 way. 



Q. What has been the conditions of fishing towns in Massachusetts^ 

 aside from Gloucester ? A. I think their business has decreased. 



Q. Name these towns as they occur to you? A. I think that Man- 

 chester, the town nearest Gloucester, a great many years ago, had from 

 12 to 13 vessels which went to the Banks, but now none are owned there. 

 Beverly used to have, I think, about 50 vessels, which number is reduced 

 to about 26 or '28. Marblehead used to be a very large fishing place ; I 

 think that at one time from 60 to 70 vessels were owned there ; I think 

 that originally this was the largest fishing place in Massachusetts ; but 

 now its fishing business has almost entirely gone. 



Q. What is Marblehead doing now ? A. It has gone into the shore 

 business. Plymouth used to be a very large fishing place, owning from 

 60 to 70 vessels ; but this number now has fallen off down to 20 or 30, 

 I think. The business of these towns has decreased all round, with the 

 exception of Provincetown, which has held her own ; they have there 

 made fishing their principal business altogether. I think that Province- 

 town has held her own, but all along the other smaller towns have lost 

 about all their fishing business, which has become centralized mostly in 

 Gloucester. 



Q. Has the fishing business of Wellfleet increased? A. No; she has 

 lost her cod-fishing business, and now only follows the mackerel busi- 

 ness. 



Q. You mean by fishing business, anything? A. Yes; anything in 

 the shape of fishing. 



Q. Both cod and mackerel ? A. Yes. 



