

MASSACHUSETTS: GLOUCESTER DISTRICT. 



GO. GLOUCESTER AND ITS FISHERY INDUSTRIES. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION. Gloucester, the chief fishing port of the United States, is situated 

 on Cape Ann, about 30 miles northeast of Boston. The harbor is one of the largest and safest on 

 the whole coast, and is admirably adapted for carrying on an extensive maritime business. By 

 railroad and by steam and sailing vessels, it is connected with all parts of the country, giving 

 facilities for the rapid distribution of the products of the fisheries. Its line of sea-coast, exclusive 

 of Rockport, with its 8 miles of shore, begins at Essex, on the north side of Cape Ann, and 

 extends around to Manchester on the south side, a distance of 30 miles if measured from headland 

 to headland, and if its frontage on the harbor and other indentations is included the entire coast 

 line is over 50 miles in extent. 



The business portion of the city, commonly called "the harbor," has several outlying settle- 

 ments, among which is Aunisquam, situated on Ipswich Bay, and having a small harbor, once the 

 headquarters of a fleet of some fifty sail of fishing-vessels. Here are the ruins of wharves and 

 buildings that were formerly the scene of a thriving business which is now transferred to the 

 more capacious harbor on the other side of the cape. The Annisquam River, familiarly known as 

 the 'Squam River, extends from Ipswich Bay to within a short distance of Gloucester Harbor, with 

 which it is connected by a canal not much used except by pleasure boats, though large enough to 

 admit the passage of good-sized vessels. In the river in the vicinity of Wheeler's Point and 

 Riverdale are quite extensive clam beds, worked by some ninety men. On the opposite side of 

 the 'Squam River is West Gloucester, known as West Parish. Some clams are dug here, and 

 from the woods are cut many saplings, from which are made scrub-brooms and trawl buoy-staffs 

 used in the fisheries. 



Adjoining Annisquam on the north side of the cape are the villages of Bay View, Lauesville, 

 and Folly Cove, having a bold rocky shore, with no natural harbors. These places are the homes 

 of a hardy set of boat fishermen, who find considerable profit in the capture of lobsters and all 

 varieties of shore fish. At both Bay View and Lanesville breakwaters have been built, making 

 small harbors, used principally for the shelter of stone sloops, that are constantly employed in 

 transporting granite from the extensive quarries situated here. A few small-sized fishing-vessels 

 and numerous boats used in the shore fisheries also find shelter in these artificial basins. At Folly 

 Cove the boats are hauled high up on the rocks on inclined platforms, where they are safe from 

 the dashing waves. The style of boat mostly used here is a large dory, partly decked and fitted 

 specially for sailing rather than for rowing. 



The village of Magnolia, well known as a summer resort, and having a small fishery, lies to 

 the westward of Gloucester Harbor. Off this shore is Kettle Island, where two or three floating 

 fish-traps are set during the summer months. Returning to the harbor, we mention Norman's 

 Woe, on the western side, at the entrance of the outer harbor. This is the spot made historic 

 by Longfellow's poem, " The Wreck of the Hesperus." On the opposite side of the harbor is East- 

 ern Point, a long and narrow projection, which keeps off much of the force of the winds and waves. 

 A breakwater is greatly needed to protect the coasting and fishing fleets from storms that occa- 

 sionally drive in here with great fury, and have caused the loss of numerous vessels. The inner 

 harbor around which the wharves are built, is separated from the outer harbor by Ten Pound Island, 

 which partly protects it from storms and makes it a good anchorage for the fleet of several hundred 

 sail of fishing vessels. 



With the exception of the granite quarries, there is no important industry carried on in Glouces- 

 ter that is not dependent upon the fisheries. The prosperity of the place fluctuates according to 



