February 13th, 1901
FOR SALE:
Schr. “NONPARIEL,”
52 TONS.
9 Years old.
A very smart sailer and well found. Apply to WM. CARROLL, Placentia; or, Job Bros. & Co., St. John’s.
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May 24, 1901
Fishery News
There is an excellent sign at Random and vicinity, and a couple of days ago Jas. Spurrel took 5 qtls. in his trap, while boats jigged large quantities of fine cod.
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July 7, 1901
Events and Echoes
At Clarenville and vicinity the fishery to-date is the poorest for years while around N.W. Arm Random traps have done nothing and prospects are gloomy in the extreme.
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July 8, 1901
A Serious Fire
(Editor Evening Herald.)
Sir, —A destructive fire in this place has just laid low the store and many of the belongings of Mr. Nehemiah Frost. He is thereby reduced to such straits that his business is entirely suspended. All his provisions, with the exception of a few barrels of flour, etc., were utterly destroyed. The fire originated from the contact of slaked lime and kerosene. In less than five minutes the whole building was wrapped in a sheet of flame and soon fell to the ground. Mr. Frost, as the public will probably know, is a deserving person, who has been striving midst past financial losses to build up a business in Random Sound. The present destructive fire has completely crippled him, for the loss is not less than one thousand dollars. Now sir, as I have been on the premises and understand to some extent the great loss sustained, I make this earnest appeal to the press and to the general public to assist a needy case, and a suffering person. I feel sure, sir, that the case will commend itself to your sympathy and to the sympathy of all; and if you could open a subscription list, I shall be grateful and the sufferer will be more so. Any particulars needed will be gladly supplied, and any assistance gratefully acknowledged by me or Mr. Frost.
Yours Sincerely,
(Rev.) C. A. Whitemarsh,
Burnt Bay, N. D. Bay
P.S. —I may say that Mr. Frost himself was badly burnt in trying to save his goods.—C. A. W.
Northern Bight, July 5, 1901
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July 8, 1901
Fishery News
At Random to date no fish for traps or boats has been caught. So bad is the outlook that some have given up the fishery and are now engaged cutting railway ties. At Trinity Bight it is better and some traps have landed 200 qtls., while fair fishing is the report from the south side of Trinity Bay. The lobster fishery is not as good as that of last season.
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July 24, 1901
Fishery News
The schr. ‘Sunflower’ arrived last evening from Heart’s Ease with 15,000 brick. She reports that the traps are being taken in down there most of them having accrued small fares. Some have as high as 100 qtls. ashore and line men have taken to date 15 qtls.
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August 17, 1901
Fishery News
The shore fishery about Random still remains poor and all hope of even a fair voyage has been abandoned. Most of the craft arriving from Labrador have done well, only 5 having failed there this summer. In some parts of Bonavista Bay the fishery on the shore is a failure and most of the craft arriving from Labrador have done poorly, several having no fish whatever under salt.
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August 24, 1901
Fishery News
The banker ‘Happy Go Lucky’ arrived at Burin a few days ago with 300 qtls. fish from the Grand Banks. She has now about 600 ashore.
The banker ‘Klondyke’ has arrived at St. Lawrence with 850 quintals, after a quick trip. Captain Lewis is now high liner, and has 2,250 qtls. ashore; and expects to go over 3,000 yet. He reports fish plentiful on the Flemish Cap, and saw several bankers with good fares.
The schr. ‘Nimble’ arrived from the Labrador at Heart’s Ease, with a full cargo of fish recently. She worked at Sandy Islands and is the first arrival there. She reported the ‘Waverly,’ Spurrel only wanting 50 brls. to fill up on Aug. 1st. The ‘Wild Rover,’ T. Spurrel, wanted only 20 brls. to have a full fare. Ben Martin in the ‘Minnie Jane,’ was also well fished.
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September 11, 1901, Page 3
LABRADOR NOTES.
Some of the Labrador schooners fishing in southern waters are reported well fished. The ‘Mary Rose,’ of Port de Grave, with 700 qtls.; ‘Sliver Spray,’ 450 qtls., and ‘Bright Water’ 500 qtls., both of Random.
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September 17, 1901
The shore fishery about Random still remains poor and all hope of even a fair voyage has been abandoned. Most of the craft arriving from Labrador have done well, only 5 having failed there this summer. In some parts of Bonavista Bay the fishery on the shore is a failure and most of the craft arriving from Labrador have done poorly, several having no fish whatever under salt.
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November 18, 1901
Missing Schooners
In connection with the report that Geo. Barbour’s schr. ‘Nimbus’ was missing, it was rumored yesterday that the vessel was at Carbonear, Capt. Barbour went in her himself and did not go by train, having gone to the Ry. depot to see his wife leave for home, which gave rise to the report. As regards the schr. ‘Campania’ also reported missing, the last craft which met her was Jas. Styles’s, which was within hailing distance of her and parted with her about three miles north of Cape St. Francis. Styles arrived here Monday night last. He says the ‘Campania’ was then bound for Hr. Grace, where Mrs. Seward, the Captain’s wife, was to be taken on board, to go to Random, where the vessel was bound. On this vessel besides the crew
Were Eleven Passengers
including one woman. Capt. Seward’s daughter went to Bell Is. to see her sister and missed her passage in the craft, and Jno. and Wm. Balsam, brothers, who intended going on her, also remained ashore. If this craft is gone these people had narrow escapes. It was rumored yesterday that an oil barrel had been picked up at Baccalieu Island with the name of Rd. Seward, master of the ‘Campania” on it, but this is believed to be untrue and the opinion is held that both vessels have sheltered in some of the small harbors in Conception Bay. The vessel had supplies and herring barrels on board. The friends of Skipper Nathan Sparks of the schr. ‘Codseeker’, which also left this port Monday evening for Glovertown, B.B., feel anxious about him, as up to Saturday night his arrival had not been heard of. A man named Burry, in his schooner, left here with the ‘Codseeker’ but put back. It is to be hoped that all these vessels will be reported at their destinations, for, if any accident had occurred, the loss of life would be awful to contemplate.
ARE LIKELY SAFE.
The fears for loss of schrs. ‘Campania’ and ‘Nimbus’ are groundless. The former reached port safely, and without doubt the ‘Nimbus’ is home. W. B. Grieve, Esq., had no message from Mrs. Barbour, as stated by the ‘News’, and is of opinion that the vessel is safe, for if not, there would have been some inquiries regarding her from those interested in her arrival, as all knew when she left port.
Messrs. Baine Johnstone & Co. have no fears whatever for the safety of the schooners ‘Campania’ or ‘Nimbus’. As regards the former a message was received from Mr. Seward, father of the man on the vessel, asking if she had left. In reply W. B. Grieve instructed him to wire Carbonear as is was thought she had run up the bay out of the storm. Since then there has been no inquiry, and the vessel must have got home. As for the ‘Nimbus’ if she was not at Newtown by this time, Mrs. Barbour would have wired which she has not done.
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December 3, 1901
Joseph Greene, of Random, after Xmas will lay the keel of a 60-ton schooner which will be built there the coming winter. Joseph Drodge will have charge of the work and intends turning out a vessel on improved lines, ensuriug speed with a good carrying capacity. Drodge has now an excellent Idea of the American style of building fishing schooners, having been at work all summer and part of the fall in some of the largest ship yards In Boston, where he went specially to familiarize himself with this class of ship building.
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Transcribed by Katie Alyward and Wanda Garrett, October 2019, Updated October 2022
These transcriptions may contain human errors. As always, confirm these as you would any other source material.