Newspapers / The Albemarle Observer (Edenton, … / Dec. 18, 1914, edition 1 / Page 1
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nip uiewspape "LOOK FORWARD Vol. 6. No 51 EDEN TON; NORTH CAROLINA; Subscription: $L00 Our Fishing Industry; . v- bi1 t- ' Mr. Editor: . , :; - The magnitude and inn- portaace of the iishingf industry I along the Chowan river is sd ..'-little understood or appreciated that a brief history of its opera tions will, we trustr awaken suf-J ficient interest arousing the; "peo ple of this section to demand the passage of a state-wide fiah . com mission bill for its protection. ; The Chowan river at one time furnished v the"' people a larger supply of herrings than any river in North Carolina. Before the advent of dutclr br pound nets in the waters of the lower sounds, there was caught by the seine fisheries annually- from, ten to fifteen million herrings. There were several springs wherU this catch was exceeded, notably in 1878 and' 1882. In 1878 a haul was landed at Colerain that counted out over a half a million and in 1882 one of two hundred and sixteen' thousand. There are a crowd of witnesses who will testily to these ; statements - From 1878 to 1883 ;the atch' averaged fifteen millions per sea son. About this tim pound and , gill nets began to "increase in Croatan and Jramiico sounds to J such an extent not "only , in, vtak ing shad and herrings hefortf-rar riving at their natural spawning grounds but obstructing their. passage that the rseine fishing gradually declined until it ceas ed to be profitable. Thosevwho ' owned these flourishing industries were virtually driven out of busi ness with the exception of .Cape hart's fishery at the mouth of the river. Monetary loss to the fish ermen can hardly be estimated besides the sacrificing of all their fishing material and apparatus. Never before in the history of the State has such a great indus tryrso far reaching in its benefit's to the people, been nearly- de stroyed by a monopoly. Many of the seine fishermen unable to operate their fisheries embarked Into the dutch net business For a number of years this was quite a lucrative business, the catch of herrings being from eight to ten million, but the number of shad taken gradually diminish ed, until today ,Jt does not pay to fish them except by persons who own them and do their own work. For this reaion there are but few nets fished on the Bertie side of Chowan river. In a few years at the rate of decrease there will be: none of consequence. . flow did these fisheries along the Chowan benefit the people of Bertie, Hertford Northampton, Gates, Chowan and Perquimans counties? Here are a few facts that cannot be controverted . wnat do ten million herrings mean in cheap food supply to the People of these counties? Simp J mis : The writer knows Irom actual experience as a fisherman . thRt when herrings were plentiful usually sold trom two to iree dollars per thousand ? fresh. Ahat farmers and others would Purchase irom fifteen hundred to entyifive hundred for their yrs supply. - The - average, i Would be about . two -thousand; And What it Means. rings f urnish:xheari food for nve i thousand families or between five thousand people from the:.Chow- anriver alone. The writer and hi? brother Edward who operated the"fisher,y atOlrain In 1882, sold two million of herrings at from two to three dollars per thousand to tne people ofBertie, Hertford : andv .Noithampton counties. - For many years the fishermen appealed to the legislature to en act a law to restrict the fishing op eration of thosewho blockad ed the inlets and give a free passage to the ingress of fish but ncradequate protection has yet been given. Gov. Glenn appointed a commit- ee to go over the fishing territory view the situation, hear the views of the fishermen - and thoroughly inve8tigate 'the business, that a fair and just bill to regulate the industry could be enacted. This committee performed this duty. I They heard he complaints of the fishermen at "Edenton. . Boa- noke Island and other places and after fair and free .discussion made theirTreport and formulated -. . ..5 . .. .: - v. , . ; ajneasure that woukl have; given ecesiajrpte indunryand save itf rom deteri oration. The bill ' passed the house of Bepresenat i ves but was killed in the Senate gratify the wishes ? of. 'the Si Senators from Dare and Hide counties. Thus by senatorial -' courtesy a great industry was crippled, an in--dustry of the" 'Albemarle Sound and its twelve rivers along which five thousand people were em ployed, thousands of dollars of valuable property destroyed, and over '4uv,vw people aepnv; ed of a cheap food supply they have enjoyed since the settlement of the state. When we think of this burning outrage to the fisher men,and people there is but one conclusion forced upon us, viz, that the Senators who voted a gaihst it were either ignorant of the situation or indifferent to the crp of the people against the absolute injustice and injury. Our fishermen seeing noJhope ol relief in the shape of a just mea sure of restriction by the Legis lature met in Washington , N. C, on Dec, 1912, and after a whole Havs discussion formulated a state wide fish commission bill. Nrlv everv countv in the fish- ing section was represented -- , This measure would empower the Governor to appoint a fish com missioncr and several assistants from different sections of the fsh ing territory who arc to constitute the board of commissioners. They are to be men of intelligence with a knowledgcpf the needs of the fishermen and how to regulate its operation with a spirite of fairness arid justice. ; This would take thc1usincss out of the hands of the Legislature, who have hown bv their action' that they have little conception of its im portance or how it ought to b protected. This bill failed to pass in 1918? but our efficient fiah commissioner J. H. Leroy is making a Strenuous 5ght tp get it throuch the.next Legislature In ray judgment it- vili ; be if the nuthber of fish incour wa All scientific wntes;on the - .iufc ject S3y, abstructing; the fish : by net tiays and bthjsi wrse where they enter from the ocean enroute to these J - habitual .spaWning grouijds not ' 'onlytartJite remainder but . will ; eventually almost destroy them; But for the artificial propagation , of - shad, this would. have beenUhe'caselinj our waters.' I appeal taour fishr ermen and the 'people i to S Urge Upon; our Represenativesto;. fight ftfr this 'messure; tmt iTnearisiio much to them especial ly : iiow when meats arc so high and llOgs are with cholera vrS J. H. ETHERIDGB The Starving A Christmas Appeal. V To the Editor, J , - - Dear. Sir, - - , . ." Christmas approaches and to quote the President's Thanksgiving Proclamation 'it has been vouchsafed to us to remain at peace with s honor." The duty and the privilege .re-; main i of averting Starvation amongst the Belgian;" refugees this winter and for this special rrposetheIllar Christinas Fund has been organiredV- C - -It isestimated to datfc th&t I all very jncmaing tne aid or tne weaitny Bockef eller Foundation does not average more than a few cents for each destitute Belgian- enough to buy food for a " few daysl - .." The Dollar Christmas Fund has one great ambition -to see that every man, woman and child this Ohristmas shall have food, clothing; shelter. This great achievement is happily still possi ble and to this end we are work ing with the Christmas Fund hi London which has collected ; for the same purpose nearly $400,000. The cooperation of the two or ganisations has many decided advantages. It provides a safe- ----- -' ' - - - guard against waste from over lapping. It enables our Fund to enjoy the guidance of members of the Belgian Government as regards the distribution of relief. AH our . workers are voluntary and every cent subscribed, after de ducting the cost of stamps ad stationerv. soes direct to the Belgians. . . Even if you have given to every other fund we beg you in the name of humanity to assist "the Christmas Fund for which appeal as Treasurer. Help 'to sand a Christmas eift worthy of Americaa tribute of sympathy from one people to another whose needsand sorrows are immeasur able If-you realise that millions are literally faced with starvation, that children are still crying for food, shelterless women dragging their weary way to help, that aged men par homeless and shivering and this despite all that is being done--you will give hefore Christmas and give vliber- allvl y '1 England has received 800,900 of the refugees but there are - " w . unnumbered thousands-.-still wandering in France and Hollaid besides those in strickened Bel gium Help Belgians the.help's,ubscribedLixieri ahd-iliarjn tiDeral OWne(nChrb 4mciciii (blr ient if relieve nPpeigeiiriJ li cMjctren unoffehdiriCwbnien $m tnen and you" may rest assu no man's Christmas SRWft?1 th?1jeJhPPy he- cause n some cases the gut may e orrte measure of; personal .v. .;v , via i ciiiciii ucrai xnis crisis thafS4 pity i ciistress f is but hulno BELIEVE it is God- ; All Cohtributions entrusted to mejui jireasu rer will be promptly acknowiedged. njr vour dollar--more if youhr:;- -wy; ,:vi -i-feivlYbkirs verv trulv. ' : Treasurer, Dollar Christmas Fund for 0iaeless Belgians, Broad Streetew York. If S. Were Archie ! . "V." " ' - r. - " ; Boy .1 .' Arch ieywas an average Ameri can Jwy.'- He went to scbool. en joy tops, kites, marbles, balls and ihther things that other: boys likiIhacatioh :days he worked whenhe oonld' find"a job r to helc?hisi?id6wed mother. When H;train: the second 'year of - the mm, : an xntetwsitea unena one day took him to see a ceielwea physican.- This physican made the startling discovery that Archie had leprosy, the most loathesome,' the most - malignant, the most hopeless of all diseases. ' The laws in the State in which he lived were very rigid regarding leprosy and so, without a goodby to his friends, Archie was rushed; off to a lonely place called "Lepro sarium," provided by " the State for such coses. Here he will have ' to live the rest of his life, shut ont irom family and friends and the big throbbing world in which he is so much interested. It was doubtless very, lonely indeed for Archie especially at first, and he watched the big ships sail by and longed to have somebody to talk to. : S '::- ' ; : J-,;;;-: A few months after Archie was sent to this desolate place a friend from "The Mission to Lepere" went to see him. After they had talked a while the little fellow said, "The hardest of all is not to be able to write to the boys back home. I guess their mothers wouldn't want them to be getting letters f rem lepers. . Bat . I wish I tould tell them about my wireless station." ImagiDe-the surprise of the visiter whe n he - discovered that Archie, during his solitary con- finement, had constructed a first rate - wireless telegraph station. Of eonrse when the visitor went home he saw to it that Archie had what was needed .- to make the station more complete, and so well did his station work that he was one of the first wireless opera tors in the world to pick np news of the great Titanic I cMswter. The wireless opera tdrs on the passing ships .have become greatly interest ed in LArchie and al way's signal to him as they pass. - - .The;ther day the friend : went to see Aronie again, c. , ny uuuu him eaeerlv- watching for the base news from the outside worldjihat he oould ct ch 1 hrougb his-" little instrnment. When the : visitors ft 4k ed if there . was a ny thing he noei Archie Hid o nnro..lU I .- . J 1 1 I t neeo, , 5 4 Anas uej hesitated and stammered a little and then ddedr Would it be too much trouble ior j ou to send j me an occasional copy of one of ' the big magazinea ?" It seems a pity that the new law about amateurs makes his wireles station ineffec tive jmt at present Now if every, boy in America who -hears this atory .will .send Archie a jurist card with a cheer ing message, Christmas would'be happy indeed for this bright; but lonely boy ia his solitary prison If ypn .were Archie wouldu't you j list love to have bright beau; tifui piotnres and cheery ; little messages irom pter boys out in the reat big world? Send a post card and pin in the . "Christmas Post-Card: Shows" for Archie; -His address is - ' :-: .-. ; ABHCIE THOMAS, , Penikese Hospital, Penikese Island ; New Bedford, Maiss. IPyster Supper at Beth el School House. ( ' An Oyster Supper and Auction sale, will be given 'aV Bethel school house on Friday night, January There is one objection to alfalfa: It was discovered byan Oklahom'a farmer who uncovered liis aching heart the other day in print, and told his tale of woe. He said : "We hear a good deal , about j the value of an alfalfa crop, j Some people never let up blow ing about it. They tell you if you feed it to your work team you won't' have to' feed grain to keep them fat ; that it is worth pound for pound as much as bran for feeding: milk cows; that it is one ofvthe best pork-producers ; that it is fine for feeding beef cattle. Give us a restl It makes us tiredl In May, Just at the time you ought to be hoeing - oat your cotton, youhave to go -.. into your alfalfa field and cut the first crop, Then in June, Just when yotf have a chance to go fishing, there's another crop, of altalfa to cut,- and yon don't goi It's blaz ing hot in July, and you feel as if you ought to keep in the shade some, hut you have to get in an- othe trop of alfalfa. In August you waht to go to camp-meetin swap yarns, have a good easy time, and get religion. But you can't there's that alfalfa again. In September it has always been your custom to visit wife's kin- folks, but do you do it? Not much. Confound that alfalfa! In October you are done with most of the other crops, and you want to go to that gambling con traption kpown as thejcountjr fair, and spend , some of -your money, but you! have o;ayest another crop of 4 that infernal alfalf a. And fill NbbefJ n desperation you turn the cattle. in ronheddisiki it all falL A;you UwoUiTb the winter not n oAnnni t TiNNif.'a nnrnris hirst uon9)ca. .in.Fl.orj4a lyiA.-North Garoliua. to -the fronts agaimV ThU i4ime its in pnblic health matters at the Son th ern Health' Exhibition held ' in this city in connection - with tne:; meeting of thejA Health Association.- The healUi v exhibit m-le by 'North ; Carolihai -Was well ahead of that- ot 3 other Southern. State, This was; :; thie verdict of every Visito to the ; exhibition and there) were-- abdtiV iiiOOO emrMany 5 of thd -prominent health ofBciial J f f 6m Canada and our Northern and . - Western states expressed surprise that the South;- and especially:' Not th Carolina, shonld be folg-" ing to the front iu health worW scK rarjidlyj the feelings that North Carolina's : exhibit not -only, exceeded :" any'." other exhibit at the - Exposition V" bnt it also exceeded any - other v single exhibit at the International Congress on School Hygiene h'eldiJ at Buffalo a year ago and -had but . few peers at International Conr ' gress on Hygiene and Demography r held at- Washington -" two years 4 - -. .. - . ..- , . . ago. ; - : -i'iVi ' .y.tA.'.ii viif i '. North Carolina's - eXttibit- ia divided into four parts, one on'',; ,"' patent medicines, one!on tubc losisione on child hveiene --fcnd'-':; hernH tionVcloses thisf 'week:; and:; ' North CarolinaVexhibit wlrdtttn ed jto Raleigh Her4iitsifclwiii: be loaned by the State Board rf J Health to aiy ; convention ctub, fair or other organisation that wishes to use it, free of 'chafge, provided packing and transporta tion charges are paid:-. -i- ' ; Acorn, v -JT." Mr. Charlie Russell and chil dren of Edenton spent v Sunday with his sister, Mrs. L. A. RSim- tree; -:::.v:.S':-'vv1'.1' .; Little Fletcher Russell of E den ton, who has bieerr visiting his cousins, Herteli and Hazelett Rountree, ' has returned home. Master Fletcher is a : cute child. His winsome ways u havev made him many triends'during his so journ here. ? ' . ::, Mrs; J A. Edelbiutrand chil dren of Manhattan, 'Kansas, are Visiting at Mrs; L. A. Rountree's. M rs. Henry Brothers and daUgh tcr, MissPeari; of Wnaleyyille, Va., are visiting at the 'home3 'of her daughter, Mrs. Cam HarrelL Mr. Moody Stallings a promis ing young attorney of Buflbik, Va. and Miss Sadier'Alphin; one of the most attractive young ladies of thia section, were quiet ly married at Gatesville last Tburs : f " Miss: SarahBussell .spent affew'.r . ,. ' - days the past week at the . home 1 Pi of her uncle Mr, W B. S :&fc:?V:$:?M dick";, ?xyirX'' c "4'V--'.;:'-f ' r" ' ;S Messrs;! QifiL McQartbyy h W. -MM: 0 Harrell and John Parter call ed at the-home of Mr.. J. -Mc- - : ' Carthy Sunday morning.-, : ' .. '- 1 ; , Messrs.-John; Parker and JB;ob- 7 "-. j bieMcGartwerbutseKn v ' : -lSaturo'nightg iSSiSSSSf Mr John Barnes made Wa uisl J3atordaynishtp V4 - .-.-i,-.?- .A' 5 " t-zzi te:treq:td in IzxzWZ A" frczh 4 inrirciira" to cur4 -11 r:cr:, u-x n:3.c7caj tizz
The Albemarle Observer (Edenton, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 18, 1914, edition 1
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