Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-11-20
Fisheries and the Fair.

M ,,,a NloP!dX. there Is
w w one item in the work Of tx
y. /" ashlngton worlds fair commission
mat Will interest SO many Pnrat
saunders as the work in the fisheries
department. In no other branch
OF work will the commission find 60
many opportunities of introducing
att,tIfFactlve and novel features
mere IS a mine of wealth untold
IN a hundred fathoms deep" and
,ioln TINS mine can be extracted
lllueh OF this wealth in all its gro
tesqUe forms.
President \. G. Blalock bv con
slant and attentive correspondence
mas secured promises from the fish
cry department of the exposition
ana from the United States fish
commission that space will be al
iotted IN the immense aquaria, and
that specially constructed tank cars
Will be sent here for specimens of
our live fish. Here is an opportu-
MY OF making a wonderful display
at little or no expense outside of
the catching Of the fish. The GEN
eraI Government Will transport and
care for the fish when put in the
acquaria.
HON.. G. Megler, the well-known
fisherman Of Rockford, Wahkiakum
county, has been asked to take up
some work in connection with this
states fishing display. Mr.. Megler,
1t will be remembered, was chair
man Of the committee on fisheries
IN the house Of the first and second
legislatures. He is enthusiastic on
all matters pertaining to Washing
tons fish industry. State Fish
ConmissionerJamcs Crawford saws
Mr.. }. G, Megler is just the man to
undertake this kind of work for the
worlds fair commission.
The members of the executive
committee, as far as they have ex-
pressed themselves Oh the subject,
do not favor alcoholic specimens of
fish owing to the difficulties and ex-
pense in preparation and trans
portation. They will favor col
lection prepared by taxidermists
supplemented by alcoholic spcci-
mems Of such kinds as the taxider-
mist finds impossible to prepare.
Mounted specimens of all kinds of
Puget Sound and Columbia River
fish would make a famous attraction
at the exposition.
But one Of the most unique and
attractive features in the whole ex-
position from this state will be that
which Judge James G. Swan of
Port Townsend has been commiss-
Toned to prepare
The Makah tribe Of Indians at
Neah Bay are probably the only
tribe in the state whose members
still catch and kill the great whale
III the old and original manner Of
the aborigines. A collection Of the
implements used in this work would
certainly be interesting to the
curiosity seeker as well as to the
ethnologist and the practical fisher
man. Judge Swan made such a
collection for the National Govern
ment many years ago, and the col
lection has been successfully eXhib-
tied at London, Paris, Berlin, PhiIa-
.dclphia, New Orleans and Cincin-
natl. Now the venerable but vigor-
Gus pioneer Of Puget Sound pro
poses to make a collection for the
worlds fair commission that will
completely eclipse the famous col
lection owned and exhibited by the
National Government.
The judge, besides possessing I'M
questionably the best talent in the
state for this work, also has large
share of public spirit, for he pro
poses to doall this work free of cost.
All he asks is that the commission
pay such actual expenses as are in
CURED in preparing the exhibit.
The Indians are already at work
on this exhibit. Amongot things,
it viii include a model whaling
canoe, all complete in ornaments
and gear, sealskin buoys, nicely
painted, towing lines, harpoons,
Iances, nets, fish hooks, kelp fish
hooks and all other things needed,
such as ropes made from the bark
Of trees and dresses made from
fiber. These were all used by the
fathers Of these Indians before the
arrival Of the white man, and are
still being used with great success.
Besides these things the same in
dustrious Indians make whale oil,
which they prepare for food, and
they prepare vast quantities of
smoked halibut for food in winter
The other branches of the world 5
fair work in this, the Evergreen
State" are in just as progressive
and satisfactory condition as the
fisheries department, notably the
timber ana mining departments.