FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES IN 1885. 155 



been occasional fluctuations in the number of crews, but in 1884 it was 

 still four. In 1885 there were three new crews in the city, making a 

 total of sevem Each of them had five or six gangs of net, of from 

 twenty-four to thirty each, but only three or four gangs are kept in the 

 water at a time. 



Probably the first steam-vessel used in the fisheries of the Great 

 Lakes, with the exception of a sail-boat at Kenosha into which a small 

 boiler was put in 1867, was the Kittie Oaylord, which was built at 

 Washington Island in 1869. The first year she was an open boat, and 

 ran at the entrance of Green Bay ; later a deck was put on her and 

 afterwards a pilot-house and wheel. After operating for short periods 

 from Two Rivers and Sheboygan, the vessel finally went to Milwaukee, 

 and thus inaugurated the steam-fishing which has since been a charac- 

 teristic feature of the fisheries of that city. One by one other steamers 

 were added to the fleet; in 1873 there were five such vessels, and in 

 1885 the number had increased to seven, the names and tonnages of 

 which were as follows : L. A. Schultz, 15.91 tons ; Pottawattomie, 11.78 

 tons ; Elva A. Eaton, about 5 tons; Maria B. M., 14.26 tons; Ban Cos- 

 tellOj 19.52 tons ; 0. R. Green, 12.27 tons, and Emma Dwyer, 25.71 tons. 



The products of the steamer fishery in 1884 had a total value of $35,133, 

 but in 1885 they amouuted to only $29,625. 



When this fishery began the outfit consisted of eight or nine gangs 

 of nets, with forty nets in a gang, but in 1885 most of the steamers 

 carried twelve gangs, with fifty or fifty-two nets each. Six of the 

 gangs are kept in the water while the others are drying on shore. The 

 nets range from 220 to 280 feet in length, the longest being used by the 

 steamers. They are usually about 16 meshes deep, with a 4J-inch mesh, 

 and cost $6 or $7 when new. They wear out in two years, and are 

 then sold to the sucker and perch fishermen. It is not customary to 

 tar them, but in hot weather they are repeatedly scalded. 



Each steamer carries three herring-nets, 30 fathoms long, with a 2-inch 

 mesh. They are set at night usually in 55 or 60 feet of water, just in- 

 side of the other nets, and as soon as they are lifted the herrings are 

 used in baiting the set-lines. A good many " long-jaws " are taken in 

 the herring- nets, often one hundred and fifty to a lift. 



The nets are set on a reef running out towards the middle of the lake. 

 The steamers fish farther from the shore than they formerly did, and 

 the sail-boats now set their nets on the grounds which the steamers 

 frequented in earlier years. 



No offal is ever left on the fishing grounds. The spoiled fish are 

 brought to the city and thrown into the river, after being pricked so 

 that they will sink. The men never dress their fish on the fishing 

 grounds. 



The catch of the steamers is almost entirely trout, but the sail-boats 

 get in addition about 5 per cent, white fish. The steamer fishermen 

 obtain a few whitefish in spring and fall, and an occasional one in sum- 



