THE SHAD STREAMS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 167 

“James Fox holds an order for 725 shad drawn by George Frazer on 
James Stewart, date April 27. 
“(Indorsed on the back in these words): ‘Credit for 350 shad re- 
ceived by me. David Morgan. 
“(Indorsed ): ‘Copy of Frazer’s order. Henry Thomas charges the 
estate with 4s. 8d. paid in rye. Paid. 
info (0p 
725 
Ree’d 350 
375 shad at 4d. 
125s. 
6; DSit06 2/4) oy LOG 
Interest on same, 9 50 

$26 17 (€=$2.67)” 
Under date of March 22, 1881, Mr. Elisha Blackman writes as follows: 
“TI see by your correspondent’s (G. Fowler, of Berwick) published 
letter that he tells a big fish story. I incline to think, however, that it is 
true. I recollect when I lived with my grandfather, in what is now 
South Wilkes-Barre, perhaps 1798 or 1799 of last century, the great 
haul of shad at Nanticoke was made. I believe there were nine or ten 
thousand taken. A number of seines were engaged in it, and lawsuits 
were the consequence. Salt was scarce and dear. Northampton men 
came with pack-horses loaded with salt and returned loaded with shad. 
I bought and kept the public house that had been kept by John Court- 
right on the Plains, Wilkes-Barre township, in the spring of 1815. There 
were two fisheries between us and the Pittston ferry—one at Monocacy 
Island landing, on the shore of Mr. Samuel Cary’s land, the other at or 
near the Wintermoot island, and landing above the ferry at Blanchard’s. 
That season I got my supply at the upper fishery; the first day’s attend- 
ance was a ‘blank’ day—few or no fish. The large schools of Mr. 
Fowler’s times were dwindled greatly, caused undoubtedly by the 
numerous fisheries that existed below and the destruction of the young 
shad by the many eel-weirs in their descent to the ocean in the fall. 
My time was too valuable to attend on blank days. I left money with 
Mr. Joseph Armstrong and he sent me my supply when successful. 
The next season (1816) the difficulty that existed between the fishermen 
at Monocacy (twelve in number) and Mr. Cary, the owner of the land, 
by giving him the thirteenth share, settled the difficulty, and ever after 
I got my supply from the fishery until the canal dams cut off our supply 
totally. It was serious damage and inconvenience to us, as markets for 
fish and meat did not exist then as now. The Susquehanna shad had a 
far more delicious flavor than any we get now. 
“General Isaac Bowman, Samuel Moffitt and some of our Plains neigh- 
