Omaha daily bee., 1893-12-04
Commissioner Mcdonald on the Needs Of
Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota and Wyoming.
RESULT OF A CAREFUL INVESTIGATION
Actual Tests OF the FISHING Capacity OF the
Local Streams Tested and the Re-
quirements of the Region scien-
tificaily Decided On.
WASHINGTON BUREAU OF THE Bee,
5l3 FOURTEENTH STREET,
WAsufNcTn~ nac 2

laSt year, In pursuance Oh Il provision IN tne
sundry civil bill approved August 8, 1892, re-
speeding tie ACCESSIBILITY of establishing fish
Matching stations in South Dikota, Iowa,
Nebraska and Wyoming. The Investigation
was mad by Prof. Barton w. Evermann
of the fish commission, who was assisted by
Louis NJ. Mccormick and various well known
residents of the states in which the investi-
cation was made
Fish Commissioner Mcdonald stated to
THE BEE correspondent today that he would
recommend that the stations be located upon
geographical lines rather than state bound
aries. aud that he believed 4 number of
sta tions would Re provided for by congress.
He does not expect that there will soon be
more than three or four hatcheries estab-
lished in the northwest.
the conditions which determine the de-
STABILITY of locating one or more fish hatch
cries in South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska and
Wyoming Fish Commissioner Mcdonald
will say in his report to congress, ARE such
as made it most expedient to conduct each
investigation as being part of one general
inquiry. The investigations were conducted
with reference to the general tish-cultural
needs of the entire group of north central
states west Of the Mississippi river. 1t be-
came early apparent that what this region
most needs is a station for the Matching aud
rearing of the various pond and river fishes.
With the exception of a few streams in
northeastern Iowa. two or three small creeks
in northern Nebraska and the Black Hills
streams in South Dakota the waters
of these three states are not adapted
to trout. The streams of Wyoming
which are suitable for trout are,
with few unimportant exceptions, confined
to that portion west of the Powder river and
north of the Sweetwater. This is a region
which can probably be best reached and
stocked with trout from the station now be-
ing established at Bozeman, Mont.
Where 1t May Bs Located.
at therefore appears that if but one sta
tiou is established for these states it should
be chiefly devoted Ito the Matching and rear
ing Of the species of fish which are indigo
nous TO the waters of this region. and that
the best location, geographically, would be
somewhere in South Dakota, Nebraska or
Iowa. Ii it should be regarded as desirable
to establish at any time a second station in
these states it might very we'll be a trout
station, ana should be located in or near
the Black Hills. If but one station is es-
tablished it should be a composite station, or
one which, though chiefly devoted TO pond
and river fishes, could also engage in trout
culture to some extent. The conditions
necessary to the successful operation of such
a station are n constant supply of
800 to 1000 gallons per. minute of
pure water, the temperature to not
exceed b0o as it comes from the spring,
and it would probably be better if it did
not exceed 550. There should be no dan
ger of contamination from any source, which
would practically limit the selection to
spring water. There should be from twenty
TO thirty acres of ground, conveniently To-
Gated near the source of water supply, and
there should be sufficient fall between the
spring and the hatchery building TO permit
of gravity supply, as pumping should not be
depended upon. The ground should lie in
such a way as TO permit of easy and COM
plete drainage of any of the series of ponds.
The location should be central with refer
ence to the region 10 be supplied and afford
good railroad facilities"
Recommends Cedar Rapids.
The report of the commissioner goes into
the details of the Investigations made in the
various states, opening at Deadwood on
October ., 1892, and working down through
Nebraska, out into Wyoming and back
again through Iowa. Prof. Evermann and
his companions fshed in nearly every fish
bearing stream in the states named, and the
result is carefully chronicled. There
was a most thorough examination at Long
Pine and in rorthern Nebraska generally.
The North Platte was ished and the party
went from Casper to Glenrock, Wyo., to
Douglas. and other places in that region.
George w. Holdrege, g. j. Ives and other
prominent railroad men are mentioned by
name as having extended extraordinary
courtcsies TO those conducting the investi-
cation.
"Among the numerous locations examined,
says the report, 1.-THE following are regarded
as being the most desirable: DEBORAH, Cedar
Rapids, Spirit Lake, Manchester and Coun-
Gil Bluffs in Iowa; Long Pine in Nebraska;
Speartish and Rapid City in South Dakota.
DEBORAH and Cedar Rapids are, everything
considered, the most satisfactory locations,
and | would respectfully recommend that
one OF these places be selected, if the neces-
sary ground can be obtained upon reasonable
terms
In Iowa a number of excellent fish streams
were discovered IN which black bass, wall
eyed pike, pickerel. white bass, fresh water
drum, channel cat, mud cat, suckers and sun
fish were found, and trout are reported 10
be abundant IN the colder streams in the
northeast part Of the state. The address OF
Frank Trimble, Council Bluffs, is given as
the proper one where formation may be
Obtained regarding the site for a station at
that place.
Long Pine Has a Chance.
"While the Platte and some other rivers
OF Nebraska says the commissioner in his
report, ARE shallow and filled with shifting
sands, there are many deep and important
fish streams, the value OF which for fish-cul-
tural purposes has been underestlmated.
The collections of fishes made show that
this state Is not greatly inferior 10 neigh
boring states in the richness of its fish
fauna. Besides making Investigations for
a hatchery site we also examined a number
OF the streams of the state. The only place
which we found in Nebraska that seems at
al lAhkiy " uihA1 u requirements LOT
such u station as is contemplated is at Long
Pine.
with regards TO South Dakota streams
and the fishes they may contain, that state
does not differ materially from Nebraska.
The larger streams in the eastern part of
the state aud the lakes in the eastern and
northern portions are wei, supplied with
valuable food fishes, and the amount taken
from these waters annually is of very great
Importance 20 the people of that state. The
half of the state lying west of the Missouri
river is but poorly supplied with permanent
streams. and many of those which are found
there are more or less strongly alkaline, and
in consequence are not inhabited by many
species OF food fishes, The few species
that are of value as food are catfish
and suckers. This is particularly true of the
southwestern quarter of the state, in which
are found the bad lands. The only region in
the western half of the state which has
really excellent streams is the Black Hills.
and our Investigations for the selection of a
hatchery site were chiefly confined TO that
section. The streams studied were ia the
vicinity of Mitchell. Chamberlain, Scotland
Springfield aud Running Water, Hot Springs,
Buffalo Gap, Rapid City. Custer, Hill City,
Dead wood, Spesrfish, White Wood, Crystal
Cave, m ranch, Relic Fourche and
Beulah in the Black Hills. There are good
springs and suitable conditions in this re-
gion."
Whisky Tax Not Yet Settled.