The morning call., 1894-01-07
FISH AT The EXPOSITION.

Those who remember the controversies
which arose over exclusive concessions at
! Chica go will not BE- surprised that signs OF
! f-ictio on from the same cause are becoming
ma nifest here. One of the most interest
| ing class Of objects which San Francisco
fair might be expected to display would be
Pacific fish exhibit. We have in the
waters which wash our coast number of
fish which are not found IN the Atlantic
waters. We sent TO Chicago twenty-three
varieties of fish which would not have been
seen in the National Aquarium but for our
contribution. They attracted considerable
| attention, and were studied with care by
! pisciculturists from all ! arts of the world.
When the Mdwinter Fair promised to
become reality the State FISH Commits
sion proposed TO the management to
gather and arrange collection of marine
and fresh water life and TO SUPPLY COM
petent man to superiBtend the display,
provided the fair would buid a suitable
! aquarium" To this the management of
the fair replied that it could not comply
with the request, because 1.-THE cost OF con-
! structing and maintaining an aquarium
would be greater than the exposition cares
to assume" The Fish Commission cast
about for a solution of the problem ard
communicate the result Of its endeavOrS
! in second letter 10 the fair managers,
stating that sufficient money 'can be Sc
cured by voluntary contributions to build
the tanks and equip the aquarium, and
that nothing will be wanting but supply
of fresh and salt water to enable the COM
mission to make an exhibit of fresh and
salt water life which would be one OF the
most attractive features of the fair" The
fair managers replied that they cOnld not
entertain the proposition, because "a con-
cession has already been granted for fish
exhibit of an exclusive character in con-
nectiOn with a restaurant"
Here the matter rests. The incident is
to be regretted. There is probably no
spot in the world where S large and varied
an exhibit of fish could be collected as
| here. Our peculiar topography. our i'm
mense coast line, our lakes and rivers
bring an unequaled variety of fish TO our
shores. and the Fish Commission has ia
ciiities which no individuals can possess
for collecting specimens. 1t will not be
cOntended that a cOncessiOnary, who pays
for the right of keeping a restaurant all
the traffic will bear. will go TO unusual eX-
pense to make an aquarium which will be
of scientific value. The utmost that can
be expected of him is that he will display
a few California smelt, rockfsh and
salmon in tubs. which may perhaps be of
glass. 1t will not be surprising if the pub
lie conclude that the exclusive concession
to the restaurant company will deprive the
fair of the attractive feature of a Pacif.
Coast fish exhibit.
Whether the concession is like the laws
of the Modes and Persians, or it can be
revoked or Cancelled for a consideration, in
view OF the public interest, the fair man
ayers are alone competent TO decide In
I'll former alternative they must not be
surprised if ill-Datured things are said.
A restaurant which advertises tina, it cor
tains an aquarium embracing fish ex-
hibit, and that that exhibit is the only
exhibit of Pacific Coast fish. would, of
course, do a considerable business. For
the sake of seeing specimens of the fish
which he has so often heard of sn Eastern
man would be willing TO masticate many a
tough steak, though after mis- survey and
his meal he might conclude that marine
life on this coast is not as prolific or as
interesting as he had been led to believe.
But the profits of the restaurant company
would hardly console Califoruians for an
made Quate representation of one Of the
most curious features Of the CO asst IT, in
some way, an official display of fish life
got up by the Fish Commission could be
ruled not to be a violation of the cnnces-
sion, the fair would escape a grave danger.
and would avoid criticisms hereafter which
the managers would hardly enjoy. These
things are being said not in the spirit of
cavil. but simply because every one wants
the fair to succeed.