MASSACHUSETTS: BOSTON DISTRICT. 189 



67. BOSTON AND ITS FISHERY INDUSTRIES. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY AND ITS FISHING BUSINESS. Boston is the largest city 

 in New England in regard to commerce as well as in population. It also lias the finest harbor of 

 New England, and its shipping business, together with its foreign and domestic trade, is very 

 extensive. It is a great railroad center, being the terminus of all the principal lines in New 

 England. It has several historical landmarks, as the Old State House, Old South Church, Faneuil 

 Hall, Bunker Hill, and Dorchester Heights. It was settled in 1G31, and was called Shawmut by the 

 Indians. The settlers called it Trimountain, because of its three hills. It received its present name 

 as a token of respect to the Rev. John Cotton, a minister of Boston in England, and afterwards 

 minister of the first church here. The population in 1790 was 18,038; in 1870, 250,526; and in 

 1880 it had increased to 362,839, making it the fifth city in the country in respect to population. 



From the early colonial days to the present time, Boston, although never having a large fishing 

 fleet in comparison with Gloucester, Marblehead, and other New England ports, has been recog- 

 nized in the fish trade as a central receiving and distributing port for all points, both domestic and 

 foreign. Many vessels from the other New England fishing ports, as well as from the Provinces, 

 bring their catch direct from the fishing grounds to this port for a market, or, returning to their 

 home port to land and cure, their cargoes are finally brought here. 



According to Sabine (Report on American Fisheries, 1852), Boston had vessels fishing on the 

 Newfoundland Banks as early as 1645. The first exportation of fish from Boston was in 1633. The 

 adventure was to one of the southern colonies, and Governor Winthrop appears to have been 

 interested in it. The vessel, which was laden with furs as well as the products of the sea, was 

 wrecked on the outward passage when near the capes of Virginia. 



The fishing business, which has undergone many changes within the past generation, may at 

 present be divided into two distinct classes, the fresh and the salt or cured fish trades, of nearly 

 equal capital. The latter branch is no larger than it was ten or twenty years ago, and has not 

 advanced with the country and other industries. The fresh-fish trade has steadily increased, the 

 total business showing that as much fish are caught and consumed at the present time as in the 

 past, when the foreign and domestic shipments of salt fish were much greater. 



The fishing fleet belonging to Boston in 1879 numbered 76 vessels, aggregating 4,467.87 tons, 

 and valued at $165,300, exclusive of their gear and outfit. The total value of the fleet, including 

 the value of gear and outfit, such as boats, nets, seines, salt, ice, and provisions, was $312,974, and 

 the total number of men in the crewe was 868. Of the total fleet, 5 vessels, measuring 462.30 tons 

 and valued at $14,500, were idle throughout the year; 60 vessels, measuring 2,780.41 tons, were 

 employed in the food-fish fisheries; 1 small vessel, of 5.77 tons burden, engaged exclusively in the 

 lobster fishery; 4 steamers, measuring 292.75 tons, followed the menhaden fishery; and 6 vessels, 

 of 926.64 tons burden, were employed in the sperm-whale fishery. 



The sixty vessels engaged in catching food-fish made trips lasting only a few days, fishing near 

 home, and usually returning with fares of fresh fish. About one-third of these vessels followed the 

 mackerel fishery from April till November, bringing their fares in fresh or curing them on board. 

 No Boston vessels are engaged in the George's or Grand and Western Banks salt-cod fisheries, 

 but the supply of fish from these banks for the Boston market comes from other New England ports 

 and from the Provinces. The whaling vessels in 1879 landed 18,270 gallons of sperm oil, valued at 

 $15,438. In addition to the fleet of fishing vessels, there were one hundred and nineteen sail-boats 

 and row-boats, valued, with their outfits, at about $20,000, that fished in and about Boston Harbor. 

 These boats gave employment to three hundred and thirty-five men. Their catch included all 



