MASSACHUSETTS: BOSTON DISTRICT. 



193 



THE FRESH-FISH BUSINESS. From the first settlement of Boston until tbc year 1835 the 

 fresli-fisli business was carried on only as a retail trade. Ice was not then used, so that in the 

 summer season but limited quantities of fish could be sold, and then only to the near towns. 

 During the winter, fresh fish were teamed inland as far as Albany and Montreal. The catch came 

 from Massachusetts Bay and was supplied by the small fishing vessels from this and neighboring 

 ports. During cold weather it was brought in a frozen condition by teams from Cape Ann and other 

 ports. The oyster business was of small importance, and was carried on from two hulks covered 

 in and used for storage below and stores above. The oysters came mostly from Cape Cod, never 

 from south of New Tork, and were not sold during the mouths of July aud August. 



As the demand for fresh fish increased, better facilities were needed to handle the catch. The 

 first wholesale fresh-fish store was opened on Long Wharf in 1835, by Holbrook, Smith & Co. 

 Their business in fresh fish was mostly during the winter and spring months, aud through the 

 warm weather their trade was confined to pickled, dry, or smoked fish. In 1838 this firm removed 

 to Commercial Wharf, being the first fresh-fish firm on that wharf, which, at the present time, 

 is the headquarters of the trade. There are now thirty-five firms on and near Commercial Wharf 

 engaged in the wholesale fresh-fish business, and five retail dealers holding stalls in Fauueil Hall 

 Market, receive large quantities of fish, especially fresh-water aud rare species, from first hands. 

 The capital employed in this trade, including the value of wharves and buildings, is about 

 $1,000,000, and the number of hands employed is two hundred and seventy-five. 



The total value of fresh fish received in Boston from all sources during the year 1879 was 

 valued at $1,761,259, aud included the following species : 



Species. 



Quantities. 



Species. 



Quantities. 



Alewives pounds . . 



Blucflsh do 



Brook-trout do 



Cod do 



dinners dozen.. 



Cusk pounds.. 



Eels do 



Flounders do 



Haddock do 



Hake do 



Halibut do 



Herring number.. 



Lake piko pounds . . 



Mackerel number. . 



Pickerel pounds.. 



Plaice do 



Pollock do 



Red snappers do 



pounds, 

 do... 

 do... 



1,308,234 Salmon 



1,616,735 || Salmon trout . 



6,900 IJ Scup 



11,013,913 | Shad, irnmber. 



38,000 I Sheepshcad pounds. 



956,747 j! Smelts do... 



258,664 Spanish mackerel do... 



289,105 Striped bass and seabass do... 



17,447,962 ]! Sturgeon do... 



1,658,176 Swordfish do... 



3,659,285 | Tautog do... 



11,799,968 Whitefish do... 



6,250 , Yellow perch do... 



11,724,943 Crabs, soft dozen. 



144,075 Scallops gallons. 



26,712 j Shrimp do. 



1,360,115 Terrapin number. 



12,200 



,351,905 



7,500 



17,500 



257, 097 



4,850 



690, 101 



15,865 



118, 951 



4,000 



863,154 



38, 887 



25,004 



10,500 



5,000 



2,000 



200 



2,000 



About one hundred Boston vessels aud large boats, and an equal number belonging to other 

 New England ports, landed fares of fresh fish in Boston during 1879. The Boston vessels landed 

 1,599 fares or 15,558,000 pounds of cod, haddock, hake, cusk, flounders, and swordfish; 30 fares or 

 1,749,093 fresh mackerel in number, and 120 fares or 1,998,062 herring in number. The fleet 

 belonging elsewhere landed 1,171 fares or 17,531,174 pounds of cod, haddock, swordtish. and other 

 ground fish; 220 fares or 9,975,250 fresh mackerel in number; 18 fares or 548,892 pounds of fresh 

 halibut, and 30 fares or 1,935,270 shore herring in number. Besides the above quantities of fresh 

 fish lauded by fishing vessels, there was a large amount received by rail, steamers, aud sailing 

 vessels, including 500,000 pounds cod, haddock, and other ground fish, 3,110,393 pounds of halibut, 

 13 G R F 



