The state chronicle., 1893-04-15
SHAD IN THE SWANNANOA.
A Fish Put in a Buncombe Stream in
1883 Caught After Making Its Trip
to the Gulf of Mexico

a Fish fut In BuncOmbe Stream III
1888 Caught After Making its Trip
to the Gulf of Mexico.
Asheville Citizen.
Some years ago. in May, 1883, If
memory be not treacberous-an at
tachee of the Fish Commission at
Washin gton, was sent ont II charge
Of numerous Gems Of shad fry, n
the mlnutest stage of their exist
erce, to be deposited in the waters
of Western North Carolina. He WAS
directed to stop IT point as near
the head Of Broad river IS he could
fad accessible by railroads, and SO
be came across the mountains TO
Asheville, and found himself at the
depot near the banks Of the French
Broad, large, noble river, and near
enough 10 It's sources TO answer his
purposes, but to his 6jsmay on the
wrong side Of the mountains. For
the waters Of the French Broad
make their way through long tor
tuous, and, eventually, very muddy
channel, to the Gulf Of Mexico, a
distance Of quite 1000 miles;whereas
the directions had been explicit to
throw the young fry into the waters
communicating with the Atlantic.
The agent in charge was much
perplexed. To cbey instructions
literally involved rot Only the delay
Of return across the mountains, but
the loss Of tine and peril to lis
charge BY tedious land carriage
across the country after reaching
Marion to inl suitable place for
deposit. Seeking relief from his
dilemma, he was advised to confer
with Col. John d Cameron: then
ore OF the editors of the Citizsr,
and determine the best course TO
pu:sue.
That gentleman advised that, IN
der the circumstances, there was
but one course to take. To cary
tie fish back again across the noun
I teins IL their enfeebled condition,
and with tie long delays, in warm
weather, IN finding proper place
Of deposit, was to lose the whole Of
them. That it was true, in the
. event Of placing them III the waters
. Of the French Broad, their ultimate
, destination, the Gulf Of Mexico, was
= very remote; that the shad YVES a
stranger to the Gulf, and possibly
would not thrive IN lis waters; that
the route the young fish would fol-
! low from here was, under the best
; conditions, an unusually long one
for migratory fishes 70 obey the in
i stincts which guide fsh IN their
. multiplication; that the intermedi-
a ate waters were warm and muddy,
4 and that 50 many dangers BEST
! them, both in their infart stage, or,
should they survive, IN their adult
i condition, that return at any future
> time was very problenatical.
q But there was no alternative; and
! here was presented The unexpected
. and scarcely to be renewed oppor-
r. tunity for al importan. experiment
: Tie gentleman, whosa name is fer
), aotien, took Coz. Caneron's advice
il The cans CT tue young fry were
,s brought up into the city, and about
!. s O'Clock that night were taken Gu,
. to the Swannanca river MBj n
E Breese took tbs agent IL charg;
IN MS buggy TO tie riTer, and the
D cans We're placed in 8 wagon; anc
- then, in the presence of Mai Braese
y ard his soa, Wm E Breese, Jr
in Aessrs. Thomas Porter, Erwin "
i Patton, John S Rice and Jack Pat
Of ton, the cans were enpied into
- still eddy n the river, short dis
~. tance above tie bridge, snd left te
l. their hazardous future This Wa
- at q point about half mile above
~ the junction Of the Sgannanoa will
% tbs French Bread.
:, Now for the result Yesterda
morning, while Thomas Porter wa
A. examing his fish trap, about 20
:. yards below where the fish ware dc
= posted, he took out a sbaa, fftee
bo inches long ard weighing OF
pound aud half L was al III
mistakable sbad, IL poor conditio
from its long journey, but never
ed theless as true 3 sha5 as eve
ty sought tbs Cope Fear, Nause Z
en Roanoke rivers. It vas brought ,
OF to the city and critically examine
10 Several things were thus prove,
re Shad Will re'urn 70 the rla, i
he which the spawn or fly wera orig
est nally deposited they can mob
lk, their way up or down tbe long syI
on TEN Of rivers leading to tie Guli
ice Mexico; and they car thrive in Il
waters OF that sea, a thing that hs
he been doubted.
sm Ii one fsh returns 10 its brit
&C. place, others will 90 the same; en
7er this fact may be Of great fp- in
we poItance to this section, end is
on Itspif fart ri Yn,1al, ;,4cS,E4