Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-03-27
ao.'aa WHOLE, MO Al, 4..s,
orr SALMON INTEREST,

aouRa SALMON INTEREST. .seihAi
Spencer @ e i. Baird, United States 3 Com dsnssi
missioner OF Fisheries, has recently =
written aletter to Hon Zach. Chandler, %
Chairman oil the Senate Committse on Il
Commerce. setting forth at large his,
views upon the best mode Of preserving 4 Il
from ;wasteful destruction the ,magnif-
cent salmon OF the Columbia. We have |
room but for two brief extracts: 1sgo 10
Taking unto ednsidssa1ion the whole
question, Ilshall be inclined to RECON- I
mend >, in;lieu of any attempt at present, -
iof the United States to initiate 1egisla-
lti6n in regard to the fisheries, by en-
actments concerning the Columbia riv-
err that if such permission be requisite,
the legislatures Of Washington and Ida !
ho Territories be authorized to enter
into concurrent legislation with Oregon,
for the protection OF fish. - 'ifsaii9
sAistill better procedure, would he to :
employ the now well-understood meth.
ods Of artificial multiplication Of fshs
so as to maintain the present numbers
indefinitely, and even increase them If {
desired. Asmall and inexpensive hatch
ing establishment could easily be erected
on the Columbia river near one of the
great spawning grounds, and the eggs !,
hatched out in any desirable number.
The experiences Of the United States
Fish COMMISSIONER Matching salmon on
the Sacramento river show that, after !
the erection of the shantiss, throughs ;
and other machinery required, the ex-
pense Of matching each million Of eggs
may not exceed 81 600; so that for $1O,-
600 annually, 10, ,0O0, 900 eggs could bel
obtained, and by far: the greater num- !.
ber returned to the waters as young
fish. The average number OF eggs to
the fish, in the case Of large salmon,
may be estimated at 5000, some fish
yielding considerably more chan this,
and others less. Ten thousand eggs to /,
the fish would probably be an excessive
estimate.
therefore, in conclusion, unhesitat-
inglyl recommend that, instead Of the
passage of protective laws, which can
not be,enforced except at very great ex-
penso and with much ill feeling; meas
lres be taken, either by the conioint ef
forts of the States and Territories in
terested or by the United States, for
the immediate erection of Matching es-
tablishment on the Columbia river, and
the initiation during the present year of
the method of artificial Matching Of these
fish,. The cost of doing this on prop
er scale, for the. first season, would prob
ably amount to fifteen OF twenty thous-
and dollars, although, after the build
ings are elected, an expenditure Of from
ten to twelve thousand dollars annually
would doubtless meet all the require
ments. s h@n II sglh Fa s4ggsj
There can be no reasonable doubt as.
to the success of such measures and Of
their power not only to maintain the
present supply Of fish indefinitely, knt
to increase If desirable. The best sta
ton for such operations can only be de-s
termined by investigation. The Dalles
would probably be very suitable for the
purpose. I understand that there is q
government reservation at that point
which may be used in this direction,s
and where there are, already buildings
which would obyiate the necessity of so
large an outlay as would otherwise be
needed. 20 7si't'S fsa*i. sfisatl
TOBACCO. Notwithstanding the her
culean efforts of the reformed to re-