20

CAPE MAY COUNTY MAGAZINE 22 JUNE '83

I Have Done OK Since I've Come to r This Country

HERMAN HANSON M Schrll

(BD NOTE: Following is excerpted from an interview with Herman Hanson of Wildwood Crest, one p/ a series conducted by Dr. Thomas Cheiius of Atlantic Community College and Cape May County marine agent Stewart Tweed as research for a history of the county’s commercial /ishinR industry,! Interviewer: We’re here today with Mr. Herman Hanson...who has kindly allowed us into his home to interview him and lind out something about the history of commercial fishing in the Wildwood area...Tell us a little ahoul where you come from, where your parents came from, why you came to this area, and how you became involved in commercial fishing. Hanson: My family? Well, we come from Norway The first one ibrolher), he come here in 1914, and I come in 1920 And the other Iwo brothers, they come, one in ’23 and one in ’28 We come ashore at Ellis Island. And then we went up to Gloucester and when we coble down the beach. I got a job in Manasquan until I started to learn the English language this was April and in the fall I went down to Florida I married down there Then I was down there five years all together and then we come up here And when we come up here we thought this would be the proper place for us to settle down So we rented a house and then we bought the house afterwards And we’ve been here (Wildwood) ever since . I: Is there any difference between fishing in Norway and fishing here'.’ H: Oh yeah, of course, over there, tough going at limes. Of course, it’s tough here too. the first World War was tough AH I was thinking was if I could just get out of the country before I was called in, 1 would go. So I asked them for a year I don’t know what you call it - that I wouldn’t have to go, you know. And they gave me a year and at the same

time I asked permission...to come over here. And I got the permission to go. So I had to ask the War Department again over there if I could leave the country because I was already in the service. I wasn't called in. And they gave me 30 days. And in them 30 days I left. Ha, ha.ha... I: do«vou remember what year you c^nc to Wildwood and settled? H: ’27. I: And you set right away into the fishing business? H: Yes, oh yes I’ve been fishing here ever since. I sold the boat in ’69. My wife passed away in '69. And I had just sold the boat before that. I: How many boats did you have? H: Oh, I had one, two, three, four - four, I believe it was . In 1942 I was out fishing - there was heavy fog -1 was run down by the Coast Guard. He cut me in half. Of course, they paid for the boat, but I didn't have it. There was nothing left. He turned around and picked us up...It was one of them 84-footers, you know, loaded with depth charges all around. Then I built a new boat in 1945. I: When you first settled in Wildwood, did you work for anybody? H: ...I worked with my cousin that one summer. And then there was an older fellow .1 asked him if I could go with him because he was going to Florida. I stayed with him three years And then I get the first boat, the Herman I: Did you do some pound fishing? H: Oh, yeah, I pound-fished for two years...In 1921 we had a storm. In them days there was just a Nor’eastcr, there were no hurricanes like there is today There was a Nor’easter and that flooded Brielle . So the farmers came down with scoops and mules. And they had them scoops and they scooped the beach, a ditch So the water started running. I'll tell you, that was a dandy

breeze... I: How come the Pound Fishing Co. went out of business? H: Well, the fish didn’t trap. The fish got different, you see, they get educated too. The same as people - ha, ha. They was hard to catch. They didn’t go in the traps like before . There was no money around either...that was the biggest part. I: Who were the type people who did the pound fishing? H: There were all kinds of peole...There were Finns and all inds of Finns I: Did they pretty much have

their own boat, though? I mean as a group. H: Oh no, they had to go to the fishery... I: You mean, the fish company owned the boat? H: Oh yeah, they owned the boat, you see. You were just like an ordinary man working for them . He was a Swede and they would work together... But he was feeding good. Oh boy, I’ll tell you, eating like a king there. You got eats and sleep right there They had a house there where you were staying. Of course, the skippers, they went home.

The Biggest Flea Market in Wildwood SHOPPER'S FLEA MARKET

o^V

26th and Park Blvd. North Wildwood 522-3312

J&B Hardware PLUS Tools Hardware Household "One slop,shopping Close lo home" 522-3312

Lowest Prices ON •Gold Rings •Indian Jewelry •Pockel Watches •Old Costume Jewelry STOP IN AT SHOP B7

SOCKS OH

q

K S

•PUMA •BATOR »/2 Doz.

>6.

tttimuTn mm omcHumn T-SHIRTS *3«*

tftrW

i.lA. rtF" ruA \ilh, IitURn-

Jewelry Bazaar

Costume Jewelry Pins j. Rings v Earrings etc. Weekly Speckle!

ENORAVABLES

RICH/CRAFT

ALL IN A FAMILY CRAFTS HANDCRAFTED ITEMS MACRAME Woodcarvings by Harry V. Shourds A Charles Rempfer RICH/CRAFT LCD WATCHES •PEN POINT WATCHES *4« •5 FUNCTION W/STRETCH BANC »7“ •4 FUNCTION MEN LACIES •*•• MU •STICK ON 'Z" •STICK ON ALARM •7“ •PEN WATCHES ‘4 M WE HAVE MUSICAL GREETING CAROS