FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES IN 1885. 323 



1870. Since 1875 but little fishing has been done. At the present time, 

 among the 700 people on the point, all of whom are farmers, there are 

 many who were extensively and exclusively engaged iu the fisheries, 

 whose fish-houses are still standing and whose apparatus is in waiting 

 for the time when the fish shall return in their former numbers. 



Apparatus of capture. — In addition to the pound-nets and trap-nets 

 already referred to, fyke-nets are also in common use. Gill-nets are set 

 for sturgeon, whitefish, and herring, the most netting being devoted to 

 the capture of the last-named species. A few set-lines are also fished. 



Abundance of the different species. — Bull-heads, pike, herring, bass, 

 sturgeon, eels, whitefish, and perch are the important species occurring 

 in Black River Bay and off Pillar Point, the order given representing 

 the relative number of pounds of each kind of fish taken in 1885. 

 Herring are here called " ciscoes," and are said to have gotten the name 

 from a peddler who, about 1830, took them through the state and sold 

 them to the farmers and others as " Ciscoe's herring." Whitefish are 

 very scarce, although a greater number of young fish were noticed in 

 1885 than for many years previously. Fishermen attribute the large 

 decrease of whitefish and the entire absence of trout to the ale wives, 

 which have died on the spawning-grounds in immense quantities, caus- 

 ing other species to seek new quarters. At one time Horse Island, at 

 the mouth of the bay, was a favorite spawning place for whitefish and 

 trout, but the waters of this and other similar localities are now deserted, 

 so far as the species in question are concerned. 



The fish trade. — Nearly all the fish caught in this section go to Sack- 

 ettfs Harbor, except the few used at home by the fishermen. The 

 latter get their twine and other supplies of the dealers, who take their 

 pay in fish. At Sackett's Harbor four shoresmen and four preparators 

 were employed in 1885. The wharves, buildings, and apparatus, in- 

 cluding a steamer and a boat used to collect fish from the outlying fish- 

 ing grounds, and fish-cars, were valued at $18,200. The freezing ap- 

 paratus at Sackett's Harbor has a capacity of 300 tons. It is divided 

 into four apartments, up and down which run about a dozen galvan- 

 ized iron pipes that are 18 inches in diameter. These pipes are filled 

 with ice and salt from the floor above the freezer, and a waste-pipe 

 carries off the water accruing from the melting ice. About 400 pounds 

 of ice and salt are required to fill each pipe. Preparatory to freezing, 

 the fish are allowed to remain in an ice chest during one night, and are 

 then put in boxes and placed in the freezer, where they are subjected 

 to a temperature of 10° below zero, Fahr. The expense of freezing is 

 about 1 cent per pound, but by holding the fish thus treated until after 

 the fishing season or until there is a great demand for them, an advance 

 of 2 cents per pound is obtained over the ordinary price for unfrozen 

 fresh fish. Only from one-fifth to one-fourth of the fish handled here 

 are taken in American waters. 



