Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-24
FISHES FOR THE FAIR.
Exhibit to Be Given by the Fish Com
mission at Chicago.
LIVE SPECIMENS IN TANKS.
Nothing Like 1t Has Ever Been Seen In This
World Before-A Building to Be Devoted to
ADMINISTRATIONS Future of the Fishing
Industry.
nF ALL THE EXHIBITS TO BE MADE B,

OF ALL THE EXHIBITS TO BE MADE BY
Othe United States government at the ap-
preaching Columbian fair, the most interesting
will be that Of the fish commission.
Up TO the present time comprehensive
display has ever been made Of the fauna
belonging to ne waters Of this country. 1t is
intended that such exhibition shall be made
in Chicago. This ought to be interesting in
consideration merely Of the fact that fishing
was the earliest industry of the New World,
dating from the period of the discovery of
America by Columbus.
A writer for The STAR was informed that
if Congress does not refuse the money asked the
commission proposes 10 exhibit alive in aquaria
the principal forms of fishes and invertebrates
OF both oceans. the Gulf of Mexico, the great
lakes and the inland rivers, with particular
reference to those which have commercial
value. Not only will marine creatures of all
sorts be shown. but the finny denizens of the
streams also. and likewise the white fish. the
eat fish. the big pickerel and the huge stur-
geons of the interior waters. Such a task will
necessarily be one of great magnitude, mas
much as the labor and skill required to fetch
the fishes in good condition from points so re-
mote. over thousands of miles of railway must
be enormous and of the very highest order.
HOW THE scALY cAPrrvEs WILL BE SHIPPED.
1t has been contended hitherto that such an
exhibition this was impracticable; but thanks
TO modernized devices and the discoveries of
the fish commission no serious difficulties are
anticipated. The marine fishes will be cap
tured on the coast and forwarded alive by rail
in tanks flied with sea water TO Chicago Not
only on the Atlantic seaboard but on the Pa
eific likewise. the vessels of the commission
will devote attention TO this work. They will
secure the scaly captives in seines select such
RanObt in rha md, ,at,
OF the fishermen and take them in tanks ashore
where they will be shipped 70 the exposition
The tanss utilized for rail transportation will
be of wood. of sufficient size not 20 crowd the
occupants and provided with a device for cir
cuiatlng and aerating the water. Ordinarily
fshes transported for exhibition purposes are
So Ill accommodated rs to space and air that
they arrive at their destination half dead and
much wounded. The aquaria shown at the
centennial in Philadelphia we're a failure chiefly
for this reason But these things are under
stood better row. Consequently the fish COM
Missions display at the Columbian fair will
probably attract more attention than any other
feature Of the enterprise
THE AQUARIA ANNEX.
. An annex to the government exhibit at the
fair viii be devoted to the show of the aararia.
Windows in the roof will admit the sunlight.
which is essential to the Wal being OF fishes,
while the water Is KEEP. Dltinually aerated by
appara tus ut high pressure. Thus the occu-
pants OF the tanks viii remain in healthy con-
ditiOn. All the salt water requisite will be
brought from the sea shore by rail- and it is
probable that one car load of water per week
with fab in IL viii serve to keep up the supply
OF both for the exposition while it lasts In
the aquaria viii swim around all the valuable
food fishes OF the country, both inland and of
the ocean. together with whatever other forms
OF marine and other aqueous fauna worth
exhibiting al curios or otherwise interesting
Also the mollnsks and other fascinating in
yertebra;es viii be displayed.
Eut the greatest interest attaching to this
exhibit of the fish commission apart from the
aquarEl altogether, has to do with the very OBJ
lect for which it was originally organized
namely, the procuring from the waters of food
for Man. In the no. distant future the human
race VIII depend largely for proyender upon
the water. At all events science does so assert
Already 1t has been proved that one acre of
pond or iandlOcked inlet can be made to pro-
duce more food per annum than ten acres of
dry earth Even now the fisheries form one of
the leading fOOd-prOducing industries Of the
United states, but they amount TO nothing
compared with what is destined to be their de-
veiopment within the coming century. The
business Of propagating food fishes artiieially
Is in Its infancy yet, but it has progressed
far enough to show that il is alone capable of
feeding the entire human race if its possibili-
ties are taken obvious advantage of.
DEVELOPMENT OF FISH CULTURAL IDEAS.
Tie exhibit of the fish commission will in
c,ude historical collection of apparatus
showing the development of fish cultural ideas
in this country. Methods will be shown by
Illustration for transporting fish, eggs and
young fry for planting in waters all over the
United States. Hatcheries and ponds will be
presented in miniature; likewise the cars.
boats ami cans utilized. Also will be displayed
the eggs OF different species of fishes at various
stages of Development Eggs and fry arti-
fclally propagated will be represented by pre-
served specimens and By models in wax and
glass fun series of adult fish that have
been artiicially propsgated and raised by the
commission will graphically illustrate the
value Of the work And, in addition to all
this. interesting points will be demons trated as
TO the liberalization OF fishes and the acclima-
tizatiOn OF species
Another important division of the fish COM
missions show will consist in a display of the
creatures pursued BY the fisheries and of Others
concerned incidentally. For example aquatic
Mammals. such as sea offers, manatees dol
Pins. porpoises, grampuses and whales will be
Epreselted by stuffed specimens and casts
likewise the pinnipeds. such a. the wairus.
pe sea elephant and the seal. Sea and inland
fines viii be represented by casts and speci-
ntns in alcohol, and mounted examples will be
Exhibited of reptiles and batraehians alliga-
t.s. turtles, terrapin. water snakes frogs and
s.amanders- Mollusks and other invertebrates
All sea weeds viii be displayed, dried or in
Ptservatlves- Included among the inverte-
bates will be crabs and HOLSTERS, sea worms
81 urehins. sponges and corals.
MODELS OF yIsHIxa CRAFT
.ncidently the fish commission viii show. by
mans of models and otherwise all the types
ofishing craft used in the United States. to-
ther WITH their appliances for their equip
ltnt- The DEVELOPMENT of the fishing vessel
vi be represented historically. and the ex-
hit viii include all kinds of apparatus en-
ipyed In the capture Of fish and other aquatic
annals Commercial fishermen. their ap-
Irel, food, medicine, shelter, habits and out
s. will also be shown Likewise with anglers
hd their equipments, showing all kinds of
tekle used by them such as rods-from the
ommon alder pole to the split bamboo-reels
ines, hooks, &c- In the same division will be
displayed all manner Of fishery products and
heir preparation This will embrace ma terials
and apparatus utilized in the preparation of
hsh. &c. for market, models of packing houses
canneries and freezing houses, products pre-
pared for food, used as clothing and EMPLOYED
In the arts and manufactures. Also representa-
tion will be made by models OF the bottom of
the ocean. showing the fishing banks. Special
collections will illustrate the development Of
marine life from its lowest form, and, mas
much as many Of these are exceedingly small
microscopes Of high power will be used to
make visible their characteristics Relations
TOO. between extinct and existing forms Of
L.