THE EIVER FISHERIES OF MAINE. 711 



river as the north end of Orphan's Island. The year 1820 is also noted as having been a year of 

 complete failure of the shad fishery of the Kennebec. The recovery of the fisheries from this 

 depression was, however, rapid and complete. 



From 1823 to 1832 may be considered the palmy days of the Penobscot River fisheries 

 Not that the fish were more plenty, for it is quite likely, especially in the case of alewives, that 

 the closing of the tributaries was already beginning to tell on their numbers, but the gross quantity 

 of fish taken and utilized and the profit received from them were probably greater than at any 

 other time. Weirs were built through all the districts where they are now built, in some cases 

 in greater and in others in less numbers than "now, and there were flourishing drift-fisheries 

 for both salmon and shad all up and down the river, 200 of them fishing between Mill Creek 

 and Odom's Ledge, and a more extensive net-fishery for salmon on the shores and islands of 

 the bay than now. 



Bucksport became the most important center of the fish business. Dram Point flats, on the 

 eastern side of Marsh Bay, became the site of a productive weir-fishery for alewives and shad. 

 Weirs were built in imitation of Emerson's weir on the opposite side of the bay. In 1832 there 

 were 17 weirs on these flats where in 1812 there was but 1 weir, and in 1873 but 3 weirs. Five 

 firms were engaged in the capture and packing of the fish caught. Alewives were in less demand 

 than shad, and it was sometimes necessary to get rid of them by giving them away or by turning 

 them back into the river. When the number of fish exceeded the capacity of the packing houses, it 

 was sometimes the rule to throw the alewives into the river direct from the weir. Dipping shad 

 and alewives together from the pound, if the fisherman found that he had in his net mostly shad 

 he would throw them into his boat, but if alewives predominated he would throw them overboard. 

 The greater part of the fish caught were cured and packed, and sold to the small vessels engaged 

 in the fish trade. The salmon were largely smoked, the shad all salted, the alewives dry-salted or 

 smoked, the latter method having come into general favor. The following are quoted as prevail- 

 ing prices: 5 to 7 cents per pound for salmon, $6 to $7 per barrel for shad, and $2.50 per barrel 

 for salted alewives. 



In 1832, however, this period of prosperity was rapidly approaching a disastrous end. 

 Spurred on by the increasing demand for lumber and the profit to be derived from it, the operators 

 were no longer contented with the mill-power derived from the tributary streams, but sought to 

 bring the main Penobscot itself into their service. Up to 1830 there was no fixed impediment in the 

 way of fish ascending the main river, but in that year a dam was built at Oldtown which seems to 

 have seriously hindered the passage of shad and alewives, and in 1834 or 1835 there was another 

 dam built at Veazie which for several years constituted an impassable barrier. By the gradual 

 washing away of the left bank of the river there was uncovered a crevice in the ledge which 

 enabled salmon to ascend, and they were thus preserved from complete destruction, but shad and 

 alewives never recovered, though there is evidence that shad have sometimes, in small numbers, 

 passed both of the above dams. Very soon after the building of these dams a rapid decline in the 

 fisheries began. The shad fishery was in a few years utterly extinguished. The alewife fishery 

 above Bucksport was also destroyed, no breeding ground now remaining but in Eastou River 

 which alone did not even suffice to prevent deterioration of the fisheries in its immediate vicinity. 

 The salmon continued to decline till about I860, when their lowest point was reached. 



The town records of Orriugton afford some data which indicate in a general way the relative 

 productiveness of the fisheries for a long series of years. In 1807 the legislature of Massachusetts 

 passed an act authorizing the town to exercise exclusive control of the river fisheries, and it was 



