The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-17
A STATE FISH-CAR.
Plans in the Hands of the BuiIders-Tc
Be Ready for Use>in February.

u
Be Ready for Use in February.
The State Fish and Game Commissioners
have submitted recently to several railroad
car manufacturing companies in town plans
and specifications for bids for new fish-car
for the transfer of fish from one hatchery to
another and from hatcheries to public water
where fry is to be distributed. Owing to the
small appropriation it will not be possible to
fit up the car at once with appliances for
Matching fry in artificial propagation OF hsh.
A hatchery on the car will not be needed until
after the spring distribution of trout and other
Try IN February, March and April. Nearly all
the railroad companies In the State have con-
sented to permit the fish-car to run on their
tracks and to stand on side tracks free of
charge to the State. The Delaware and
Hudson Canal Comrany the New York and
Northern Railroad Company, and the New
York, Ontario and Western Railroad Com
pany consider 1t privilege to pull the fish
car free. They find that distribution of Try
in trout streams increases travel by sports
men and by seekers for summer resorts.
The railroad companies also object to the
transfer of cans of fish fry on express-cars
because the water slOps over from the cans
to the floor and vets the express packages,
and because the men who have to care for
the fish are in the way. The New York
Central too, will haul the fish-ear Tree
Fish Commissioner Burden says the plans
are the best he could suggest after seeing
the three cars OF the United States Fish
Commission and the fsh-cars of the States
of Michigan, Nebraska and Missouri. The
appropriation being small, the greatest
economy will be used consistent with get
ting strong car and fulfilling the specified
requirements. Commissioners Blacktord
and Burden were the committee to build the
car, and the plan is both Mr.. BlackfOrd'S
and MIR. Burden'S-perhaps more Mr.. Bur
denis than Mr.. Blackford's, on account of
the long illness of Mr.. Blacktord. In every
new step taken, however, Mr.. Burden and
Mr.. Blackford have conferred together be-
fore coming to decision.
a new feature in the Commissioners car
IS the building OF the doors at The side on
level with the floor in order that the cans of
Try may be loaded and unloaded easily. The
lockers are to be made OF heavy matched
wood of single thickness and lined twelve
inches up the side aud bottomed with GAL
yanZed iron. On the bottom VIII be tracks
to slide the cans on. Galvanized iron pipes
soldered in the bottom Will carry off water
that may be spilled. The lockers have no
partitions, but are open from end to end.
On the top are to be cross strips dOyetailed
into the sides to hold the lockers together
and ret the lids or covers on. The covers
Will have no hinges and may be lifted up
and slid along when can is to be lifted out.
The cans are kept surrounded by pounded
ice, constantly replenished.
The crew to go along with the fry and
care for it Will have good accommodations.
Their state-rOom at one end of the car will
have two upper and two lower berths. A
table in the center will fold in. three parts,
to be tucked away when not wanted. There
will also be little kitchen. The car will
probably be completed in time for distribu-
ting fry in the latter part of February. The
Commissioners will award the contract at
the February meeting in this city.
After the fry are distributed the car will
be reftted for shad Matching, and will be
stationed on side track on the Hudson
River. In one end of the car there Will be
an engine for pumping water from the Hud-
son and maintaining a constant flow through
the fish Matching jars. The jars, which are
about the size and shape Of fruit jar, will
be arranged in rows on the top of the lock-
ers. After the fry are partly grown they
will be turned into the Hudson.-N. Y. Sun.