Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-12-21
Fish Talk, to Reasonable Men.


encourage their execution.
But the time has now come for
every man to commence thinking and
talking on the subject Of a Fish Law.
The fish commissioners of the United
States, whom we supposed had entire
" forgotten us, have turned their
attention hitherward. Recently 81,
600 California Salmon were put into
our river at Strasburg, $4,000 at Mt
Jackson, 10000 in Cedar Greek, and
large numbers in other streams be-
tween here and the Potomac =
Besides these distributions, a gentle
man of the commission inspected
other streams in the Valley with a
view to stocking them, and says he
will do so this spring. Stoney and
Mill creeks were specially noted by
him.
We observe that the commission
has Just received from rivers in Ger
many large supply of the fish called
Carp which are now being Matched
near Baltimore for Mary land and
Virginia streams. The Carp is a
vegetable feeder and specially adapted
to MS, because they can live in ponds,
and are so hardy as to be able to
survive a little time without water.
They grow to the size of twelve to
fifteen pounds and are said to be
equal to the trout. Within year we
may reasonably expect the streams
and some ponds of the Valley to be
supplied with them. As matter of
course this entails no little expense
upon the government, and commiss>
toner's very naturally expect some
protection for a period.
With proper legislation on the
subject four years would find our
streams Astounding with fish weighing
from ten to twenty pounds-the latter
being about the size Of grown
Salmon. We appeal earnestly to the
people of the whole Valley to think
nationally ahout this matter. Once
properly supplied, our streams are
capable of furnishing a fifth of all the
meat food required by our population
The people of France are said to
derive third of theirs from the
water. Can we not forhear netting
gieging and trapping for little time
TO have our Red Fins and Stone
Toaters supplanted by Bass, Salmon
and Carp?-to say nothing of the
other varities that would follow. We
az, aware that selfish considerations
will move a few people to answer no
but this has now become great pub
Hc matter and no small number OF
people should determine it. If there
be men in the general ASSEMBLY, from
this section who have been panderin1
to this minority sentiment, and who
refuse to recognize the patent fact
that a great public interest is now to
be conserved by prompt legislative
action, they must be ignored. and
appeals directly made to men from
other sections to come to our assis
lance over local small talk.
To our own county representatives,
we would modeslly suggest a repeal
of the abortion which now disgraces
our statute books for the protection OF
FISH in the North Shenandoah, and its
Substitution by a thorough general
law for the whole stream and all of its
tributaries 1t would seem to us
that an earnest fort, and vigorous
presentation of the whole subject to
the general assembly, would secure
for us favorable action. # there still
be dissenters from this side of the
Ridge among Senator'S and Delegates
whose counties touch upon both North
and South Branches, a becoming
sense of justice should suggest to them
protection for us and ours at least.
They may go on as they please with
The South Shenandoah. Protection in
the North and it's tributaries will
assure TO us further attention on the
part of the commissioners of the
United States and soon make fishing
profitable employment for the indus
trious instead of mere past-time for
thexille.
We hope our immediate represent
tatives will spare neither labor nor
pains in this behalf. We can assure
them that this is no spasmodic appeal
from a scribbling constituent, but it
il written with full knowledge of
the growing interest IN the matter of
fish protection here. Since the govern.
ment has commenced its operations
among us there are no two sides to
the question, and free discussion of it
would silence the few anti fisi-law
men of the Valley. if 1t did not
entirely convince them.
Above all things let us get rid Of
Grant on the 4th of March. IF no
extra npporttlf,ity ia offered him he