Fishing Eods. 141 



date by its being just before he removed to Philadelphia, where 

 he resided several years."' 



From Mr. Thos. Heckman, ex-Sheriff of Easton, Pa. : 



" I knew Sam Phillippe a great many years, some sixty or 

 seventy. I have fished with him many times, sometimes for a 

 week's camping in the mountains of Monroe County. He was the 

 first man in this part of the country to build a, split-bamboo rod. 

 He made two for me, one of which is still in good condition. To 

 my best recollection he built his first rod about 1846; he made 

 his own ferrules, rings, and keepers." 



From Abbey & Imbrie, of New York City : 



" Your account of the origin of the split-bamboo rod is perfectly 

 correct. Our Mr. Abbey, the writer, was the active member of 

 Andrew Clerk & Co. at the time of the origination, by Mr. Phil- 

 lippe, of the split-bamboo rod, and is, therefore, well acquainted 

 with its history down to the present time." 



From Mr. Chas. F. Murphy, of Newark, N. J. : 



" Mr. Chas. Luke, of this city, formerly of Easton, Pa., used to 

 fish and hunt with Mr. Phillippe, and frequented his workshop, 

 where he saw him use split-bamboo for fly rods certainly as far 

 back as 1848. Luke moved from Easton to Newark in 1850. I 

 am very certain you can give Phillippe credit for the discovery of 

 split-bamboo for fly rods without fear of being contradicted. 

 While making rods for Andrew Clerk & Co., Mr. Abbey, of that 

 firm, showed Mr. Green and myself a rod made by Mr. Phillippe, 

 the top and second joint made of split-bamboo, with butt joint 

 made from white ash. I made the first split-bamboo salmon rod, 

 also the first black bass rod of split-bamboo." 



From Dr. W. W. Bowlby, of New York City : 



" My earliest recollection of the split-bamboo rod dates back to 

 about the year 1852. At that time I lived in New Jersey, near 



