The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-05-16
New Orleans Letter.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
NEW ORLEANS, Nav 5. 1885.

/
Among the United States exhibits
that of the Fish Commission is of inter
est to the whole people. If, as some
times claimed, fish is brain food, Their
can hardly be too much of it, and /
ought to be very liberally distributed
among politicians, statesmen and news
paper correspondents! The exhibit her,
represents the entire process of fisl
culture, from the taking away of eggs
all the way up to the full grown fish. a
large model includes the effigy of al
operator opening large salmon, wher
millions of eggs are disclosed, and th,
curious thing about it is, that the pro
cess does not injure the mother fish
which is often replaced in the watel
alive and eggs taken from her the mex
year. The eggs, as here exhibited. ar,
placed in various jars, being removed
from one to the other as they increase ii
size, or are shipped to order.
There are also various models of in.
clined Fish Ways" designed to assist
fish in swimming over the falls Of
streams, one representing that in use al
the Great Falls of the Potomac, which
are " feet high, and over which BY
means of inclined "Ways," causing the
water to flow backward, the fish swim
with perfect ease. A singular fact in
the life of the California trout is, that il
is sent into the world provided with ra-
tlons for six weeks, which are carried in
haversack affixed to its stomach, and
which serves to sustain its life until able
to work for its own sustenance. If any
of your readers wish to establish fish
pond and want supply of carp, they
can address l. +. Ellis, u. S. Fish Com
missioner, n. O., when theirrequests will
be promptly attended to. Ours is frat
ternal government, and will not permit
any OF her children to needlessly suffer
from want of fish-any ''carping,' criti-
cisms to the contrary.
so much for fish, and word about
fowl may not be out of place. In va
rious legislative bodies next winter,
propositions will be made for approprla-
tions to foot great many bills incurred
by various Commissioner" in charge
of state exhibits. While doubtless most
of these bills will be found correct and
fair, 1t has, in more than one instance.
been openly charged that some have
been lavishly and unnecessarily con-
tracted. 1t has been charged that "dep-
uties" have been and are attached to
some commissions, at 50 per day, whose
sole duty consisted in spending few
minutes each morning In dusting the
exhibits, work that any boy could have
as well done for few cents, as some
are so engaged. And it is notorious
fact that very often, when some of these
deputies" or 'superintendents have
been really wanted. they were off on
pleasure trips, or hidden away in some
secure nook, engaged in the laborious
work of sparkling" or in sucking iced
brandies through straws. While it Is TO
be hoped that these criticisms cannot be
applied to many commissions, it is GER
tainly true that some so-called assistants.
or acting commissioners, when they even
had duties to perform, have neglected
them, being absent from. their posts
when wanted, and of no earthly use, ex-
cept to draw fat salaries. 1t might be
well for some legislatures, before paying
bills, TO do as the government Is doing
before paying out its late appropriation
to the Exposition, require an itemised
statement of account, or appoint inves-
tigating committees, etc. Honestly |
commissions could not object, |
and ornamental deputies who have idled |
The winter away here at 50 per day, |
might look elsewhere for pay for useless, |
Or no services at all.
But criticism of this sort Is not so |
pleasant as to indulge in Just praise, and |
leave II for more agreeable subjects. |
While "loafing about the thronep the |
other day and passing through the mod |
81 educational exhibit of Iowa, | found |
an exhibit there which, in complication,
variety and ornamentation and beauty |
and finish, rivals the five thousand dol |
ar dressing case from Mexico. 1t is a |
piece, or work, of penmanship, which
has never been equalled among its class. |
In size, it is 5x4 feet, and consists of a |
dozen varieties of lettering, with winged /
figures of Mercury, Corinthian columns,
4 vine-wreathed border, shading as ex-
luisitely fine as gossamer, the whole so |
perfect and picturesque as TO be fire. |
luently mistaken for fine steel engrav-
ng, The artist whose work It is, Mr.. |
7. ). Chapman, q student of Prof. Bal |
lies Commercial College, at Dubuque,
was engaged nine months in the produc- |
ion Of this splendid 'Pen Picture" his
only instrument being an ordinary steel
pen. 1t has on It his perfect portrait |
and that of his instructor, and is valued |
1t Sl5O0.00. Among the beautiful let
-ering, We are informed that his school |
IS the Oldest of its class in the North
west. and the still more gratifying fact
hat 1t is designed ito fit its students for
he active pursuits Of business, what |
cannot be said Of many old institutions,
which oftener unfit their graduates for
making an honorable living, turning
hem rather into very Indifferent speci-
mems of the dude, or into professional
failures.
The weather Is now exceedingly fine,
and the people are still coming In large
numbers TO see the Fair. A prominent |
Iowa farmer who has been here a week,
Just said 70 me that he. would not have
missed seeing the exhibits for five hum
tred dollars. This is the general YER