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Advocate Archives
SEAGULL SPORTSHOOTERS, BEACHCOMBING BIRDS, HOOK & LADDER HOUSING
Jan. 10, 1918
QUAIL STATIONS SET UP IN PROVINCE LANDS: SHOOTING OF SEAGULLS REPORTED
A half-dozen, or more, feeding stations, for quail, have been established in the woods by Mr. Frank Chase, Province Lands Superintendent, and it is said that this usually timorous species is showing increasing trust in humans under kind treatment.
We hear that the boys have been shooting at seagulls along the western shore front and would warn them against a continuance of that practice. These useful sea fowl are protected by law. Section 1, Chapter 472, Acts of 1910, states that who ever kills a gull at any time shall be punished by a fine of ten dollars for every bird so killed. We need the gulls. Without their presence, Provincetown’s shores would be far filthier than at present.
Protect, do not kill, these useful, winged scavengers. They do more good than all the health boards of New England combined. Besides they are an ornament to any sea coast (but they do rob weirs). And their shore cleaning operations continue throughout the entire year. Just at present the species must be hungry, for but little fishing is done and the flats are frozen much of the time. Nevertheless, the winged host haunt the shore line, clamoring loudly, fearless and hardy.
During the late cold snap one big bunch was seen wading at the water’s edge at the shore below Town Hall, seemingly indifferent to the water’s chill; and some of the lot had icicles hanging to their underbodies from breast to tail, at that.
Jan. 5, 1933
BEACHCOMBING BIRDS TO BE EXHIBITED AT SPORTSMEN’S SHOW
On February 4th the Sportsmen’s show at the Mechanics Building in Boston will hold as one of its exhibits the beach birds made by George Payne of this town.
In a recent article from the Herald-Traveler of Boston the following is said of these unique creations.
“Combining talent with a jackknife and paint brush with his resourcefulness as a beachcomber, George Payne had developed an original and most fascinating new craft. All sorts of images of birds are made from materials washed ashore by the ocean. His peacocks, flamingos, penguins, pelicans, gulls, beside numerous “whatizzit” birds, are fashioned from goosefish bones, shark vertebrae, corks and wood bobs from fishermen’s nets, etc. The only foreign elements used in the handicraft are a touch of paint for decorative effect and a bit of plastic wood utilized here and there for the sake of realism.
“During the long winter evenings he carves and constructs the crude materials into various shapes.
“Each bird has a special coat of paint, the colors ranging from delicate tints to the most vivid shades of green, blue and red.”
Jan. 8, 1948
FIRE CHIEF SEEKS BETTER PROTECTION: WANTS HOOK AND LADDER STATION HEATED FOR HOUSING BETTER EQUIPPMENT
In order to provide better protection for the central section of Provincetown’s business district, the sum of $1,000 will be asked at the annual Town Meeting next month for an adequate heating system in the Hook & Ladder House, near the corner of Commercial and Gosnold Streets. If this is authorized, one of the two new pieces of apparatus now concentrated in the Johnson Street house will be moved to the Hook & Ladder house and the ancient machine now there will be placed elsewhere. This announcement was made last night by Fire Chief Joseph E. Matta, at his first meeting with the Board of Fire Engineers following his appointment to succeed T. Julian Lewis.
The decrepit machine which is located in the Hook & Ladder is the last of the old pieces in the fire department and is a model T Ford almost 25 years old that must be hand-cranked. Because of its light construction the front end lifts up if too many firemen pile on in back. However, it serves a useful purpose in the summer when it provides endless amusement for visitors as it clatters to fires. Because of lack of heat in the Hook & Ladder house it has been impossible to replace this piece with one of the new, modern Cape End pumpers.
At the meeting last night John Leonard was retained as assistant chief until the annual appointments. Manuel White was made clerk of the Board of Engineers to succeed Sivert J. Benson, resigned. Mrs. Matta will serve as secretary to the chief and Steve Simmons was appointed steward of the Hook & Ladder, replacing James Dyer, resigned.
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Jan 4th, 2007