HISTORICAL REFERENCES: MASSACHUSETTS. 707 



STATEMENT OF MARISI.EHEAD FISHERIES IN 1831. The Gloucester Telegraph of April 28, 1832, says: "Six vessels 

 were lost in season of 1831, and, generally speaking, the season was unfavorable. Fifty-seven vessels were engaged 

 in the cod and mackerel fishery, with crews numbering 412 men : 



1,682,650 fish were taken, and the weight of same was 55,000 quintals, at $2.25 $137,500 



Oil trade, 885 barrels, at $14 12,390 



Sounds, tongues, &c., 1,236 barrels 5,000 



Mackerel, 1,600 barrels, at $3.50 5,000 



ICO, 400 

 Deduct salt consumed, 8,000 hogsheads, at $1 32, 000 



128,490 

 Deduct bait consumed, 1,000 barrels, at $5 5,000 



Leaving 123,490 



Now, if we add bounty allowed 17,000 



We shall have this sum to divide between owneis and crews 140,490 



First three-eighths for owners 52,682 



87,808 



to be divided between 412 men, which will give $213.52 while employed, on an average eight months. 



"The amount of sounds, tongues, halibut, &c., saved, if accurately known, would have no doubt added one quarter 

 to these last items." 



STATISTICS FOR 1832. The Gloucester Telegraph of February 9, 1833, says : " By a statement in the Marble- 

 head Gazette it tippears that the 54 vessels engaged in the bank cod-fishery from that town the past year, employing 

 324 men and 46 boys, brought home 60,000 quintals of fish, amounting to $150,000, 810 barrels of oil, $10,125, and 

 sounds, tongues, &c., to the value of $5,000 to $7,000 more. To this is to be added the bounty allowance, amounting 

 to $16,128. The whole product was therefore $176,000. After deducting expenses of salt and bait, the owners received 

 about $f>3,000, and the crews $88,1540, amounting to 254.58 per share, while employed, say eight months." 



THE FISHING MOST PROSPEROUS IN 1839. According to Road : "The year 1839 may be said to have been the period 

 when the fishing business of Marblehead reached the zenith of its prosperity. At that time 98 vessels, only 3 of which 

 were under 50 tons burden, were employed in the business a larger number than have ever sailed from this port since 

 the time of 'Jefferson's embargo.'" 



DECLINE OF THE FISHERIES. The Revolution, the French and English wars, and the war of 1812, with the em- 

 bargo that preceded it, goon put an effectual stop to the astonishing prosperity which Marblehead had enjoyed, for 

 the most part uninterruptedly, since 1750. 



" Before the Revolution the town had 12,000 tons of shipping arid 1,200 voters ; after the war she had only 1,500 

 tons of shipping and 500 voters, while there were about 500 widows and 1,000 orphans in the place." 1 



From the year 18JO there was a gradual decrease in the fisheries until 1846, when 11 vessels were lost with 65 

 men, leaving 43 widows and 150 fatherless children, which seriously diminished the fleet, reducing it 937 tons. 

 The Barnstable Patriot of April 28, 1847, contained this item : 



" MARBLEHEAD FISHING BUSINESS. A native of Marblehead informs us, says the Dauvers Courier, that this 

 business, which has been for several years the chief pursuit of the citizens of that town, is now nearly abandoned. 

 They have determined to fit out but 15 vessels this year, while in 1837 there were 122 vessels which belonged to Mar- 

 blehead and were engaged in the cod-fishery on the banks. They have been compelled thus to limit their interests in 

 this business, principally by the long train of unfortunate and disastrous circumstances which has for the last few 

 years accompanied their enterprise." 



FISHERY STATISTICS FOR 1856. The Gloucester Telegraph of February 10, 1857, gives the following item: "The 

 whole number of vessels engaged in the fishery business in Marblehead in the year 1856 was 43; amount of tonnage, 

 2,782 tons; number of men, 322; number of fish taken, 893,000, weighing 26,079 quintals, valued at $137,188; with 

 11,074 gallons of oil, valued at $10,870. The amount of the bounty was $14,598, which, added to the value of the fish 

 and oil, made a total of $163,656." 



SHELL HEAPS. To turn aside for a moment from the continuous tale of decreasing prosperity to an incident of 

 curiosity noted in the Essex Institute Historical Collections, vol. ii, p. 12, we annex this statement : "The monstrous 

 heap of half-decayed and broken clam shells at Throgmorton's Cove renders it certain that this charming and secluded 

 spot was often visited by the Indians as a favorite fishing place, or a sort of aboriginal summer watering-place. The 

 shells now remain as when cast aside l>y the Indian families, wh.i must have devoured shell-fish in immense quanti- 

 ties. Some 30 cords have been taken away as manure, but yet a great collection remains." 



CONDITION OF THE FISHERIES FROM 1860 TO 1865. The Cape Ann Advertiser of January 27, 1H50, says: "Forty- 

 four vessels were engaged in cod-fisheries from Marblehead in 1859. They fish entirely on the Grand Banks, which is 

 more profitable though less pleasant than the mackerel fishery." In the Marblehead Ledger of May 12, 1860, it wa8 

 stated that the fleet w;is that, year greatly reduced, there being but 35 vessels engaged ill the bank fishery. During the 

 previous winter some had been sold to other places, and others put into the coasting and freighting business. 



'Harper's Magazine, July, 1874, p. 201. 



