Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-21

CATCH Of CRAWLING.
Two Local Anglers Succeed in Land
inc 81 of the Rarest Fish on the
American Continent.
OIL INJURIES THE FINNY TRIBE.
A Friend Of Colonel Heron Says Mrs.
Sehenley Will Give the NewSbOys
d Site for Their Home,
PROHIBITI0NISTS WILL RALLY AGAIN.
Dill INJURIES THE FINNY TRIBE.
PROHIBIFIONISTS WILL RALLY AGAIN.
How Careless People Carry OF Pens and Holders at the
rOstcffce.

Fish and snake,stories are in order at this
time of the year. Pittsburg Is reputed to
have more followers of Izaall Walton to the
square inch than any other city in America.
Just-now there are two fishermen gadding
the town who, like Yankee Doodle, are
wearing big feathers in their caps. The
cause of all their. pride is a catch of
81 grayling in Michigan streams, and
the uninitiated will wonder why
men should be puffed up with record of 81
fish. When it is said, however that many
an, .old angler in these diggings has often
he&d of grayling but never saw one, the
success of these fishermen will begin to
dawn on even schoolboys. The successful
fishers are General Passenger Agent A. E.
Clark and Travelling Passenger Agent L. NJ.
Worden, of the Lake Erie road They re-
turned to the city during the last week with
10 of the fish and the scalps of the others
dangling from their belts. e., --.---'- r.
q A Very Rare and Gamey Fish.
Mr.. Worden states that CRAWLING is one of
the rarest fish on the continent, and is only.
found in three places in America, in the
Manistee and Au Sable rivers in Michigan,
a certain Montana streem, and in one of the
rivers of Alaska 1t is much like a trout,
but larger, and is one of the gamiest fishes
that swim, and for this reason gives so
much pleasure to the angler.
When they arrived at the Sturgeon
river on the trip, the natives,
as usual, had the old story to tell that it
was too early in the season to catch gray
hing, but one old fellow was found who; said
he would show them where the fish abound,
but it was in the Manistee river, and they
would have to drive through a thick forest
TO get there. With their guide, they
started in a wagon through the wilderness,
and it was at the time of the Michigan
forest fires. The flames ragged all around
them, and at times, Mr. Wordeu
said, he thought the thick smoke
would choke them to death
The ground was knee deep with hot ashes
where the fire had swept away the trees and
underbrush. Despite such disadvantages
they pushed on and finally reached the
river. 80 .s.
No. Anglewor1ns to Be Found.
1t was a great day, and they caught
plenty of grayling. In that country angle
worms are not found. Repeated efforts
have been made to transplant. them, but
14lCA Ndl L 14NO III lIlc SduuY sOll T.
NOrden insisted on using a worm and
adopting trout tactics, but the guide said it
wouldn't do The plan, however, worked
all right.
Grayling prefer to lie in little pools near
the surface of the water. They shine like
silver, and when they take the hook thev
dart at it with swiftness that makes the
Eportsman's head swim. Then begins a
magnificent struggle between man and fish,
=. IL
victorious. Mr.. Worden showed some of
the tishto the veteran angler, DR.. Shearman,
and Fish Warden Hague They knew all
about grayllng, were well posted on its
habits, but confessed that they were the
first they had ever seen. 1t is not much
wonder that Nessrs. Clark and Worden are so
highly elated over their success. Many fish
for Crawling, but few get them.
In this connection it NAV be said that
Superintendent Porter is making a featurein
the census ofthe annual catch of fish in inter-
ior streams of the country Many middle
aged Pittsburgers can remember when the
local rivers were a great fishing ground until
oil was struck in the Bradford -t.gion, and the
greasy stuff has succeeded in depopulating
the rivers OF the fnny tribe. AT least, this
reason and the construction of dams in the
Monongaheia are given to account foT the
loss Of fish in the three rivers.
A Beautiful Sight of Long Ago.
What beautiful sight the confluence of
these streams, with their wooded banks,
must have presented to the early settlers.
In those days the rivers teemed with life,
and great many varieties of fish were
caught. A gentleman said the other dav
that as late as 1860, when McKee's Rocks |
still retained much of its pristine glory, he |
passed many a pleasant hour catch |
ing fish at this point, and he |
always weut home with large |
string. He added that he could re- |
member when boy that his father and |
grandfather were in the habit of spending |!
the summer evenings fishing in the Ohio |
river near Woods Run. This was between |
1850 and 1856, and in those DAYS the river |
away below that place was lined with RATS |
brought down from the up-country districts. |
he says in the spring fresh water herring in
great schools would come up the river, and |
his father would stand on the RATS
and in few hours catch |
any number of them. No one /
hears of herring in either of the rivers
now, and outside of catfish and suckers few
fish are found in these streams. A good |
deal Of acid is turned int ! Che rivers from
various manufactures, and the fnny Great
ures have either been killed or forced to