488 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
deep, inside measurement. Half boxes are also used to a limited extent, these containing 50 fish 
in number. 
STATISTICS OF THE BUSINESS.—The price of bloaters has changed considerably from time to 
time. The fish prepared in Boston in 1859 sold at $1.25 to $1.50 per hundred. In 1865 the price 
had increased to $1.80, but since that time it has gradually decreased, until in 1880 it ranged 
from 60 to 75 cents. The majority of the bloaters are consumed in New England, though a few 
find their way to the Middle and Western States. Boston receives fully two-thirds of those pre- 
pared in Eastport, distributing them to its trade in different parts of the country. Portland deal- 
ers received about 7,000 boxes of bloaters from Eastport in addition to the 7,000 prepared at home, 
giving that place a total of 14,000 boxes yearly. Two-thirds of this entire quantity are sold in 
Canada, the remainder going to different parts of New England and to New York. 
When first introduced the Americans seemed to care little for the bloaters, not having acquired 
a taste for them. The bulk of the products were at that time sold to the Scotch and English. Of 
late, however, the Americans are coming to consume a fair proportion of the products, though even 
now a majority of the fish are consumed by foreigners. 
As has been remarked, the only towns engaged in the preparation of bloaters are Eastport, 
Portland, and Lubec, named in the order of importance. According to Mr. Green, there were 
twelve firms engaged to a greater or less extent in the preparation of bloaters at Eastport in the 
winter of 1879 and 1880, these smoking 41,000 boxes, valued at $29,190. During the same period 
Lubec put up 3,000 boxes, worth $2,100, and according to Weir Brothers, the largest dealers in 
Portland, there were 7,000 boxes, valued at $4,900, prepared in that city, making a total of 51,700 
boxes, valued at $37,800, prepared in the State of Maine. 
c. STATISTICS OF THE SMOKED-HeErRRING InpusTRY. 
11. STATISTICS OF THE INDUSTRY IN MAINE IN 1880. 
The following table gives in detail the entire products of the smoked herring and bloater 
industry for the State of Maine in 1880; this being equivalent tothe production of the entire 
country if we neglect the frozen fish that are smoked in the larger cities farther south: 
Table showing the extent of the smoked-herring business of the State of Maine in 1880. 
pod FI EP tity of 
@ Quan of smoked herrin it up. 
ZEA | Smoke-houses. 3 ’ E a ef amen 
gaa as |e 
District. of a ae, | Sg Hard berring. Bloater herring. Total. . 
Box Bs int 
°°. 3 
Ege | Number.| Value. z ‘ - 2a 
é | é Boxes. | Value. | Boxes. | Value. | Boxes. | Value. 
Eastport district.............-..--- 180 106 |$18, 460 , $6,000 | 26,562 | 230,800 | $41,550 44,700 | $32,900 | 275, 500 $74, 450 
Machias district .......-...--2.-+-- 3 19 | 1,380 300 420 6, 300 185 |seecicecines egsoewces 6, 300 1,135 
Ellsworth district.............- --- 22 62 | 4,980} 1,000] 3,667 55, 000 0,900) 2cccuesinte| Ce sececccic 55, 000 9, 900 
Castine district...........-.-------|-------- 3 300 200 666 10, 000 11800) wc eikeisic- cele ance Baia 10, 000 1, 800 
Belfast district .......--....-------[e----+-- 1 80 5 80 1, 200 QI |awau sess. |eavceuxigny 1, 200 215 
Wiscasset and Bath districts ......|-...-... 5 500 100 267 4, 000 120: |ixtuoumsee oes exeresd 4,000 720 
Portland district ....-...........-++ ya 6| 8,000} 2,000) 1,750 |......-...|.-.....2.- 7, 000 4, 900 7,000 4, 900 
Total ccccccaceceassscce cence 229 202 | 33,700 | 9,675 | 53,412 | 307, 300 55, 820 51,700 37,800 | 359, 000 93,120 
