FISH POISONED.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1614, 23 April 1879, Page 4

FISH POISONED.

The extraordinary phenomena displayed on the Florida coast by which (says the “ Macon Telegraph ”) not only the coast waters but as far out as 150 miles into the gulf hare been rendered so poisonous as to kill the fish and create a pestilential stench in bays and harbors, where the floating carcases collect, should receive a thorough investigation. We have seen no other explanation of the poisoning than that it comes from inland waters—the Everglades prominently—and penetrates the gulf in strata of dark reddish water, which kills all the surface fish as soon as it reaches them, and even far beyond any apparent contact. This poisonous outflow is stated to have been nearly fatal to the fish trade between Florida and Ilavannah—the smacks finding it almost impossible to select a route in which the fish in their wells are not destroyed by the poison. The Key West “Key” says:—“The smack George Storrs, Captain Zeb Allen, attempted to run to the westward in hopes of escaping the deadly waters, and when fifty miles west of the Tortugas, in twenty-five fathoms of water, lost its whole fare of fish in a very short time. He describes the poisoned water to the south and west of him as far as he could see. The largest fish, such as shark, jewfish, and turtle, were floating around his vessel. He pointed his vessel eastward and entered our port on Tuesday last, almost disgusted.” Fifty miles west of the Tortugas would make the locality indicated 150 west of Cape Florida, and not very far from mid-gulf, a reach of shorepoisoning unexampled and almost incredible.