The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-29
FISH IN TRANSIT.
A Cargo of Carp Their Travels Across
the Continent

the Continent.
| Washington Special to Boston Herald.
| A palace-car filled with live fish, and tray
| cling over the country distributing its cargo
at different points, has, within the past few
years, been such familiar paragraph in the
newspapers that it no longer exoites the in
| terest which the importance OF the under
taking, both in its scope and its results so
| fully justifes. That young fish can be so
| transported in immense numbers is almost a
daily experience now, although it has not
been very long since its feasibility was
doubted. Time and distance seem to make
no difference. One of the paiace cars be-
longing to the United States Fish Commits
sion started Wednesday evening for Cali
| fornia, with passenger list of young fish
numbering Is, 600. The car, in its appearance,
and to large extent in its internal arrange
ments, resembles a modern sleeper.
There are the compartments at each
end. In the compartment is what may be
called the office of the superintendent
| Here is table fixed between two seats, with
hanging lamp above. The space above the
two ice tanks, which are bnilt upon each
side of the passage way and are used when
necessary to cool the air that passes through
| the fish tanks in the car, is utilized for
| pigeon holes, where the stationery and the
| books are kept. The compartment at the
! other end is used for a kitchen, and here the
| colored cook reigns supreme, and he is very
| I'M pOTtduI IneInDeT Oh Cne party during the
| time spent on the road. The central part of
the car has an aisle running through the
| center, and in place of the seats on each
side are wide, wooden lodges, about three
feet high on which are placed the tin fish
| tanks. Berths like those in sleeping cars are
along the side, for the use of the
superintendent and his assistants. The
dining table is placed in the aisle with
seats in the lodges. The human passengers,
as well as the fish live in the car. The fish
are not placed in the tankss filled with water
as the motion of the train would dash the
water about and destroy many lives among
the young passengers, Instead, about twenty
fish are placed in gallon tin pals, and these
pals are pat in the tanks, and then the latter
filled with water. With the carp, however,
the water in the pals is sufficient, and the
motion of the cars tends to the circulation of
air in the water, keeping it fresh. The at
PENDANTS, however renew the water every
eight hours and keep careful watch to re-
move any fish that may have died. The per-
centage OF fish lost by death is, however
very small. The fish do not complete their
travels when they leave the car. For in
stance the first stop which will be made by
this car will be at ST. Louis, where fish will
be left for applicants residing in Missouri
and Arkansas. From this point pals of fish
Will be sent all over the State by express at
the expense OF the consgnee. From Texar-
kama applicants in northern Texas will be
supplied, ard from Dallas those in southern
Texas; from Ell Paso Colorado and New
Mexico will be supplied, and then, ell route,
Arizona from Tucson, and Benson from Los
Angeles southern California, from San Fran
cisco. Fish will be sent by special messenger
to Portland, Ore, from whence they will be
distributed throughout Oregon and Washing
ton Territory. The northern part of Cali
fornia and Nevada will receive fish from San
Francisco, From Ogden, in the same way,
fish will be distributed through Utah and
Idaho. Fly the time the journey is ended,
which will be in about six weeks, these little
fish will be distributed over considerable
area of country. By special arrangement
with the railroads, the car is attached to the
express trains, and, while free transportation
is obtained over many of the roads, the gov
eminent is Obliged to pay some of the roads