Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-09-10
LABORs OF THE MISSOURI FISH
COMMISSION.

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Since the people of the state have be-
gun to comprehend the fact that Mis-
souri, rivers and lakes have become al
most devoid of fish, and that it is entire
ly practicable by artificial methods. and
BY aiding nature, to restock them within
a few years. the law which protects fish,
and the state fish commission, have
come to be matters Of interest to them.
The commission as at present constr
tuted was created by the 30:h general
assembly. 1t consists of three commits
sioners who serve without pay, one
member being president, and one mem
Der being the Disturbing officer. The
commissioners now are Ex-Gov. Silas
Woodson. OF St. Joseph, president and
treasurer OF the board, DR.. l. G. w.
Steadman, OF St. Louis, and Col. John
Reid, of this city. These gentlemen
are all ardent sportsmen and p%iscicultu-
rists. and devote a great deal OF their time
to the duties of their position. They are
| all men OF liberal education and OF large
public spirit who feel, while they could
! very we'll afford to retire from the du-
ties of The commission which are only
a tax upon their time and purses. that
they cannot allow Its objects to TAIL while
they are in it. Consequently the public
may rely on it that while they compose
the board progress is being made.
The first two years that the commits
sion was IN existence the appropriation
by the state was $4,000 per annum. The
31st general assembly appropriated
$3, 500 per annum. OF course these
sums are very inadequate to the work
in hand, and had they not been supple
mented by great .liberality on the part
OF individuals, the results attained up to
this time could never have been reached.
Tho commissioners have been exceed
ingly careful in the expenditure OF the
public fund. making every dollar go as
tar as it was possible to do. There was
a meeting OF the board at st. Joseph.
Mo-, last Tuesday aud Wednesday,
which was attended by the writer. and
we desire in this article to give the peo-
pie of the state n idea Of what it Is
doing. LA
The board has now in hand three en-
terprises-the fish hatchery at st.
Joseph the carp ponds in Forest park.
St. Louis. asd a fishing expedition. in
the Mississippiriver. a,s : .s;1sp Il
The fish hatchery at St. Joseph was
established by the libsvahty OF the cisi-
citizens OF Buchanan county, in dona.
ting to the state a magnificent. flowing
spring and ten. acres OF land. It is situ-
ated about four miles from the heart of
the city, and has a railroad depot very
near 1t for shipping purposes. The
hatchery proper consists of a substantial
building, 40 by 20 feet, IN which are sit
uated 16 hatching troughs, through
which streams OF water from the spring
constantly tiow, varying but very little
in temperature from the changes in sea-
sons. In these troughs 400 Matching
trays can be placed, each tray contain
ing 5000 salmon trout eggs. and very
many more California trout eggs. which
are much smaller. A seasons Matching
may begin in December with California
these ont OF the way may be
followed by a Matching of salmon trout
in February, and then again by a hatch
ing OF California trout in April. 1t ID
safe to calculate that the capacity of the
hatchery will equal hatchings of three
millions OF fine fish, and with good for
may 60 up to four millions. Owing
to the incompleteness OF the establish
ment last spring there were but 210 900
Of these fish Matched and distributed.
There is nothing to prevent the results
of above, next spring. except
the inability of the commission to pro-
cure spawn, which is not apt to occur ;
so it will be seen that great progress
has been made in this direction.
In addition to the Matching house the
commissioners have on these grounds
three carp ponds. TWO small ones, en-
closed in masonry, and one large, open
pond, not yet quite completed. In one
of these ponds they now have some $50
mirror and scale carp, of which we shall
speak more at length below. There is
room upon the ten acres OF land, which
properly below the water supply,
to make a succession of ponds for very
extended carp or other fish culture. but
the growing of fish in ponds, except
carp, will not be necessary, and the
Matching house with a few necessary
will be adequate to all
demands that are likely to be made on
it for several years to come. THIS en-
tire establishment is under the SUPER
of Mr.. C. H. Brownell. an
experienced pisciculturist, who was for
many years in charge Of the Michiga an
fish hatchery. He Is an intelligent gen.
tleman, and very enthusiastic in his
profession. M.
The carp ponds IN Forest park, St.
Louis, are magniicently constructed
ones, and admirably adapted to carp
culture. They are the property of tho
city and were made at an expense sev-
eral times greater than the entire sta to
appropriation for fish culture up to this
time. They have very kindly been
placed permanently at the service OF the
fish commission. These ponds cover
some 10 acres, but only 5 acres are now
in use. The park is supplied with
water from it's own works, which are
inadequate, and it is hoped that the city
Will lay a water pipe on LindeH avenue
to connect these ponds with the general
waterworks system. when they will
become as fine carp ponds as can be
found IN the world. We regret that
haste and lack of space prevent US from
speaking at length of the German carp.
1t is q most beautiful fish OF rapid
growth 10 domesticated almost as COM
pletely as the pig or the sheep, and Is
as easily bred and reared. 1t is essen.
tally the pond fish, and therefore fills a
place In fish culture which no other can,
which renders it very valuable. Its Gull