Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-02-28
susquehnnna fyshcries.
Report Of Col. James Worrall. IN relation
&c the Passage Of i'ish up the rusquehan-
ma River.


DEAR SIR In fulfilling the duties !
devolvcd upon me under the act of
S0th March, 1866, "relating to the
passage of fish along the Susquehanna
and certain of its tributaries ] have
the honor to report as follows
Immediately after my appointment,
by your Excelency, | consulted all
the authorities on the subject within
my reach, and finally devised plan
which was in the form of steps com
mencing at the comb of the dam, and
falling or stepping down, one after
another, at the rate Of six inches per
step; each Of these steps being also
trough ten feet wide, TO contain con
stant supply of water two feet deep
for the fish to rest in during their as
cent
The width of the fight of steps was
to be from two hundred feet on the
main stem of the Susquehanna to
portiona width for its smaller tribu-
tarics, and the whole was to be con
structed Of good substantial crib work,
such as is employed and approved in
the construction of dams in Pennsyl-
vania.
had this plan carefully draughted
and specified, and bofnre tho first of
June l sent it in, plan and specifca-
ton, to the following corporations
owning dams on the streams mention
ed, namely: The Susquehanna canal
company the Pennsylvania railroad
company; the West Branch canal
company; the Wyoming Valley canal
company and the North Branch canal
company. As these corporations own
ed all the lower dams on the river,
and which, if not altered for ,he pass
age of fish, there would be no use in
altering dams located above them,
and as | knew that they all, except
the Susquehanna canal company, held
their property by purchase from the
State, without encumbrance, ms alleg
ed and deemed themselves, therefore
exempt from the operation Of the law,
did not notify individuals or corpor-
ations owning dams above them for
even should such accept notice, com
ply with the law and alter their dams,
fish would be debarred from reaching
them by the neglected dams below,
and there would be expense and trouble
for nothing
In pursuing this course / have not
obeyed the letter of the law, but |
trust to be forgiven when the circum-
stances are considered.
My surmises in respect to these
companies proved to be correct None,
except the Pennsylvania railroad
company, regularly Acknowledged
ever to have received my notification,
nor have heard from any Of them
since.
The Susquehanna canal company,
owning the dam at Columbia, howey-
er, have complied with the law in ev-
cry respect, us far as ! was able to di-
rect them how to do So
On or about the first of June | met
Mr.. b. Andrews Knight, their Presi.
dent at Columbia, and conferred with
him on the subject, and he expressed
his willingness to carry out the plan,
but suggested some notifications
which i did not like to accept, until
could sustain myself by other author.
tiles on the subject, and our meeting
was adjourned until in July, that !
might be enabled in the meantime to
do so.
proceeded immediately to the New
England States conferred with the
chairman Of the Fish Committee OF the
Legislature Of Connecticut, the Hon.
Mr.. Avery, and presenting credentials
from your Excollency, to the Govern
or of Massachusetts, Governor Bul.
lock, was introduced by the Hon. Oil
yer Warner, Secretary of the Com
monwealth of Massachusetts,, to Theo
dore Lyman, Esq, who has charge oi
/ the subject of the State.
In Connecticut / was informed by
Mr.. Avery that they did not consider
the river lthe Connccticut) obstructed
by any works of theirs which existed
in il, and that they so intended TO
answer the State of New Hampshire
that State having officially requested
to know if any such distractions ex
! isted.
In Massachusetts | found that they
had not advanced in these improve
ments further than we had, they be
ing just then engaged in devising PLAN
for the Morrimac, and perhaps othci
Of their streams
4 They, however, had given intelli
gent consideration to the subject.
Mr.. Lyman is well known as a Ma
turalist, and he had availed himself o
consultations with Prof Agassiz
whose reputation, need not say, is
in the same pursuit, world wide
could not learn that in the othe
States of New England | would b,
able to add to the information obtain
able from these high sources in Massa
chussetts, so | proceeded no furthel
than Boston.
In July | met Mr. President knigh
again on the dam at Columbia, an,
r there, in consultation with himsel
and Mr.. Daniel Shure the able super
b intendent of the Susquchanna canal
a plan was devised, chiefly by Mr.
Shure, with some notifications sug
gested by my New England expert
enee, which plan has since been car
! ried out, at cost OF somo $4,000 I,
( that company, and have reason {,
T hope that it will prove to be ''suo
- cess"
t If my hope should prove well-found
5 ed, some small number Of shad vii
{ make their way as far up the rive
Il -. = ~ L - - -