From the November 3, 1933 edition of the Vineyard Gazette:
When the last horse chestnut is gone from the tree next to the Gazette, we know that autumn is fading out. There are many attractions implicit in human affairs, such as that of the sea for the sailor, of home for the wanderer, and of man for his mate. But lists of such things are usually made up by strenuous persons, and they always overlook the lure of the horse chestnut for the small boy. Where is there a tree which has lacked its circle of eager youngsters after school? To boyhood the season we have just had should be referred to as horse chestnut days.
Of course the horse chestnut is really useless. A boy won’t tell you what he wants of such things (he expects you to know, and you are awed into pretending that you do), and a man cannot remember. Yes, horse chestnuts were used in games, and you could tie then together with strings and send them winging through the air. But how to explain that acquisitiveness in a boy’s eyes, that conviction of abiding value that gives you pause?
Cull one out of the fleshy burr and let it lie in your hand, so smooth, softly brown and shiny. Your adult intelligence regards it wistfully, through a mist of years. Good for nothing! But then you hear the sound of boyish voices on the October air, and the rapid beat of footsteps away from a harmlessly pillaged tree. After all, was there ever anything good for nothing which was good for so much?
“A short season but a merry one“ was the prediction of the Vineyard scallopers who fared afloat on Wednesday, the opening day, in three towns 250 strong at least, landing between 500 and 600 gallons of scallops before nightfall of the first day of the season.
While there has been some scalloping done in the smaller places, Wednesday marked the opening of the principal beds in Edgartown and Tisbury, while Oak Bluffs joined with the latter town in opening the beds in Lagoon Pond and Vineyard Haven harbor.
The scallopers were abroad at an early hour. The best scalloping was found in the Eel Pond, Edgartown, where many men were ashore with their limit of three bushels before 7 a.m. A few of the boats in the harbor arrived early also, but those from the pond were first. In Cape Pogue Pond a scarcity of scallops was reported, although a fine set of large seed was found there. In general the fishermen agreed that the supply could not last long, especially with the force of men who are taking the bivalves. It was estimated that 200 men or more were out with dredges in Edgartown waters in the early morning, which, although a few less than last year, is fifty or sixty more than the average number to set forth on the opening day of the season.
The largest number of boats reported in Lagoon Pond was forty-seven, most of them carrying but one man, although a few had two. These were all rowboats, power craft being forbidden to operate dredges in the pond, as in the Eel Pond at Edgartown. Nearly all got their limit, although a certain number of amateurs were late in getting ashore. This group of fishermen was composed of men from both Tisbury and Oak Bluffs, and the Vineyard Haven harbor waters were left untroubled.
Contrary to predictions by some of the dealers themselves, the price of the scallops did not drop, but opened at Edgartown at $3.50 a gallon. The catch there ran to a good fair medium, with a light sprinkling of small sized. Both buyers opened at the same price, and both appeared to believe that there would not be any great change unless the catch at Nantucket was heavy.
At Vineyard Haven, where most of the scallopers of Lagoon Pond marketed, the price paid by Sam Cahoon’s agent was $3.50 a gallon, while that of L. S. Eldridge was $3.75, the reason given being that the Lagoon scallops were superior in size to those of Edgartown.
Yesterday Sam Cahoon raised the price to $3.75 a gallon in both Edgartown and Vineyard Haven. His decision was made following the receipt of the first shipment from Nantucket, where the scallops ran smaller than those of Edgartown. Eldridge’s quickly raised the ante to $3.85 and then $4 a gallon to take most of the day’s fishing, Cahoon refusing to increase his offer. At Eldridge’s it was said that 270 gallons Wednesday and about 300 gallons Thursday was their buying total, all from Edgartown, besides considerably more than 100 gallons each day from Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs. Captain Brown, for Sam Cahoon, bought 225 gallons Wednesday and 135 yesterday.
Gossip around the markets revealed a belief that the southern catch of scallops will be light this year, which, if true, may possibly cause the local price of scallops to reach new high levels before the season is over. There is no actual support for this belief other than the somewhat singular way in which the scallop market has behaved since the first beds were opened in Rhode Island a month ago.
Compiled by Hilary Wallcox
library@vineyardgazette.com