CONNECTICUT: CONNECTICUT RIVER TO NEW HAVEN. 321 



part of the year, and do other work the rest of the time. They make a scanty living. About 

 35,000 pounds of various edible fish are caught, and either consumed locally or sent to market. 

 Mr. E. H. Stannard writes as follows, under date of Westbrook, June 4, 1881: 

 "Our company has fished with pounds for thirty-two years, and occupied the same fishing 

 ground with seines for a much longer time. The catch of shad this spring has been very good, fat, 

 and large, owing to the great abundance of shad-food all along the shore this season. In dressing 

 the shad we find them filled up with it. I think the shad have been the best this spring for twenty- 

 three years. In 1860, 1861, 1862, and 1863 the shad were about the same as this spring. Our 

 record shows for thirty-two years a little increase in catch. Since 1875 the catch by our company 

 has been about 13,000 shad per year. The jelly-fish have been very destructive to pound fishing 

 several times within the past thirty-two years. There have been more or less every year in the 

 sound. In 18G1 the best part of the season was destroyed, and in 1868 half the season was 

 destroyed by the jelly-fish taking away the twine and stakes. In the year 1878 jelly-fish were very 

 plenty, and almost entirely destroyed shad-fishing with pounds. This year, 1881, the jelly-fish have 

 destroyed about one-third of the catch or time, or at least one-third of the season." 



107. FISHING TOWNS FROM CLINTON TO EAST HAVEN. 



CLINTON. From Clinton to Gnilford there are twelve pounds, managed by fifteen men. The 

 catch of shad at the former place is marketed at Saybrook. 



The oyster industry is of some importance at Clinton. Mr. Ingersoll reports on this business 

 as follows: 



"At Clinton, a little village settled under the name of Kenilworth (afterward corrupted into 

 Killiugworth), at the mouth of the Hammonaset River, the oyster business is of long growth, and is 

 somewhat peculiar. The harbor, in old times, contained an abundance of large, succulent oysters, 

 but these have been all but exhausted in one way or another. About twenty-five years ago the 

 planting began in the harbor, the seed then used being caught mainly at home or brought from 

 Block Island. The harbor at present contains about 200 acres suitable for oyster-growth. For- 

 merly there was much more, but a few years ago the sea made a breach through the peninsula 

 which incloses the harbor, by which the southerly storms are given so fierce an entrance into the 

 bay, that any attempt at oyster-work, or even at navigation, over much of the water-space, is ren- 

 dered utterly futile. If this breach, locally known as the Dardanelles, could be filled up and the 

 cost, I was informed, would not exceed $1,000 a thousand acres or more would be added to the 

 oyster-bottom. The bottom is hard, the water nowhere too deep for tonging, and of about the right 

 degree of freshness. Mud and sand drift so badly in winter, however, that no oysters can be left 

 down during that season. The practice, therefore, is to put down not only Virginias, but natives 

 of so large a growth that they shall be marketable the next winter. Years ago a much larger num- 

 ber of Virginia oysters were planted than at present often 20,000 bushels but the business has 

 changed, until now only 8,000 bushels a year are demanded. The freight from the Chesapeake is 

 12 cents a bushel, and the following four schooners find employment: J. H. Chaffee, 130 tons; Mary 

 Stow, 160 tons; G. A. Hayden, 108 tons; Helen P., 146 tons. 



"A fair 'set' occurs in Clinton Harbor every year, and in 1877 there happened a very heavy 

 one. A certain quantity of this survives, and about 1,000 bushels are utilized annually. The 

 majority of the 'native' oysters, however, are raised from seed bought along the shore to the west- 

 ward, that from Norwalk being preferred. This costs from 75 cents to $1 a bushel, and is planted 

 in April. It is ready to take up late in the following autumn, and has grown rapidly and into 

 handsome shape. The quality, also, is most excellent, such oysters selling at from $1 to $1.50 a 



21GRF 



