Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-08-18
A PALACE on WHEELS.
The United States Fish Commissioner,
Cars-Iaroa Turtles


The United States Government has fur
nished the Fish Commission with three
elegant cars for the transportation and
Matching of fish. The cars were built
some ten or twelve years ago and are
perfect palaces on wheels. They cost
when new $4,000 each. These cars have
what is termed captain and a crew of
i've men, who live in the Car all the time.
and are almost constantly on the road en-
gagged IN the transportation of members of
the finny tribe from the lakes and rivers of
one section to another, and sslt-wate food
hsh are transported from one sea-board to
the other. While this is a Commission
that little is known of by the public gem
orally, still it is one of the most important
10 the Government for food fish are eaten
everywhere
Some two months ago, through the in
strumentality of State Fish Commissioner
j. d. Redding, United States Fish Commits
sioner Colonel Mcdonald sent a car to this
coast with 332 large Holsters, and 1874. 600
Holsters were Matched out in the car, which
is full tiedged hatchery, at Monterey. The
large Holsters were distributed along the
coast south Of San Francisco, and will be
protected for some years. until they have
chance to multiply. Two thousand of those
Matched out were put in San Francisco bay,
but II Is thought they will not do very we'll
there, owing to the muddiness of the water.
The car was in charge of ]. Frank Ellis. a
gentleman who has had years of expert
ence in the business. Mr.. Ellis came to
this coast with carload of carp and other
species of fish some years ago, when the
late b. b. Redding was at the head OF the
Commission in this State.
On the 18th OF July Mr.. Ellis started
East with load of Tomale Bay CLAIMS and
$50 of those very large crabs that are
caught in the Pacific ocean lust outside
the Golden Gate. He also had sixteen
large turtles, or land tortoises, which were
obtained on the Galapagos Islands Some
OF the large ones weigh one hundred
and twenty-five pounds each and can carry
a man on their back. These islands belong
to Ecuador, and are of volcanic origin.
Their general appearance is not at all in
wiling. but in the interior of Charles Island
Is an extensive plain cultivated by convicts.
and producing iuXuriant crops of tropical
fruits. These islands abound in these ele-
plant or land tortoises, which sometimes
attain weight of several hundred pounds
Their legs are several inches in length, and
they can walk tolerably fast. They have
an attenuated neck, and a head about the
size OF goose egg, and similarly shaped.
Their eyes are large and cat-like in appear
ance. They have very small mouth, are
quite docile and never show fight. In their
native island they live on cactus and
grasses, and are said to never go near the
water.
Five miles beyond the Humboldt House,
on the sandy plains of Nevada, on the 18th
OF July, about A. M, the train to which
this car was attached was ditched, caused
by broken rail, and the car almost de-
molished. The six men in the car luckily
escaped, only one being at all injured, and
he but slightly. The car was thrown on
its side and literally torn to pieces
from one end to the other. The clans
and Holsters were spilled out and fur
nlshed rare treat to the Cinnamon who
were sent out with the wrecking-car The
tortoises, with the wrecked car, were
brought to this city. The car was taken
into the shops, and yesterday turned out
as good as new, and Mr.. Ellis starts this
morning for Washington. Last evening a
reporter called on him and was shown
through the car, which is a model of beauty
and convenience. Mr.. Ellis SAYS in the
twelve years that he has been in charge of
this car he has been in every State in the
Union, from the gulf to the lakes and from
Maine to California. He has had occasion
to visit the principal car shops on the con-
tinent, and, in his opinion, those of Sacra-
mento are superior to any of them. He
spoke in the highest praise OF the gentle
men in charge of the railroad works in this
city and of their kindly treatment toward
him