MASSACHUSETTS: MARBLEHEAD DISTRICT. 185 



fishery; tbe remainder were all shore fishing vessels, three of them, the Alabama, E. G. Williams, 

 and Eliza, combining the mackerel fishery with shore fishing, and another, the Zeppie, the lobster 

 fishery. The total capital dependent on the fisheries of Marblehead in 1879 was not more than 

 $50,000, and the number of persons employed was one hundred and fifty. The product was valued 

 at about $48,000. 



Under date of February 20, 1882, Mr. Simeon Dodge, collector of customs at Marblehead. 

 writes: 



"The fishing business in this place increased from the year 1800 to 184G, and then gradually 

 decreased until the present time. The loss of so many lives and vessels, the introduction of the 

 shoe business, and, finally, the repeal of the bounty act, has reduced our fishing fleet to its present 

 proportions. We now have in this district forty-three vessels engaged in the Bank and inshore 

 fisheries, aggregating 1,164 tons." 



Marblehead is one of the quaintest as well as one of the oldest towns iu New England. It was 

 once extensively engaged in tbe fisheries, but the people have of late years turned their attention 

 to manufactures, and have allowed the fisheries to decline, until now there are but a very few ves- 

 sels where formerly there was a fleet of a hundred or more sail. The people have become known 

 as a sterling race, full of patriotism, and have always contributed their quota in time of national 

 peril. About 1,000 Marbleheaders took active part in the Eevolution, more than half of whom 

 perished and left behind COO widows and 1,000 fatherless children, in a population numbering less 

 than 4,000. The famous frigate Constitution was chiefly manned during the war of 1812 by men 

 from this town, and many privateers were sent out from here. At the close of that war nearly 

 five hu-idred Marblehead men were held in England as prisoners of war. 



SWAMPSCOTT. This beautiful seaside town, situated 13 miles northeast of Boston, from its 

 nearness to the fishing grounds and market, has long been and continues to be the home of a large 

 number of fishermen. It has not, however, such a desirable harbor as have many neighboring 

 ports in which the fishing industry is now almost entirely abandoned. The harbor, being open to 

 the sea on the southeast, is quite exposed. The vessels do not anchor, but lie at moorings which 

 are very heavy, weighing about 10 tons, and supplied with heavy chains. The risks in this sort 

 of a harbor are so great that the vessels are never insured. No vessels, however, have been lost 

 in ten years, except four, which were blown ashore in 187G. 



Bordering the harbor are four sandy beaches, named Phillips, Whale, Blarney's, and King's. 

 These are separated by ledges of rocks, the outcropping of the rocky bluffs, and are covered with 

 fine residences. The fishermen own and occupy many of these houses, and for years may have 

 been seen starting out morning after morning to engage in their daily labor, and they often, fishing 

 within sight of home, return the same evening with from 8,000 to 12,000 pounds of fish. The two 

 last-named benches are the ones mostly used by the fishermen, who upon their arrival home make 

 their vessels fast to heavy moorings from a quarter to a half mile from shore, and land their fish in 

 dories, from which they are weighed off, loaded in wagons, and carried to Boston. This is done 

 more or less at all seasons, but chiefly during the winter. At other times vessels go direct to 

 Boston or other ports and sell their fish. 



From 1830 to 1840 most of the fishing was carried on from the dories belonging to eight or ten 

 small pinkey vessels. As the business prospered, larger and better vessels were built, until there 

 was a fleet of 40 to 50 sail of handsome yacht-built schooners. Of late years, the fishing fleet has 

 somewhat decreased. At present it numbers twenty-one sail of 682.48 aggregate tonnage, manned 

 by one hundred and eighty-six American-born fishermen. 



During 1878, fish were very plenty off this shore. Some vessels report taking as high as 16,000 



