Birmingham age-herald., 1895-09-02
COMMISSIONER MCDONALD
Died in Washington Yesterday of Pulmonary Complaint-lnteresting Story of His
 Appointment to the Office.

Washington, Sept. 1.-Mr. Marshall Mcdonald of West Virginia, who for the last seven years has held the position of United States commissioner or fish and fisheries, died this morning at his resi- dence in this city of pulmonary disease, after an illness of several months. He went to the Adrondacks, accompanied by his wife, in the early part of the sum- mer and seemed for a time to be bene- fited by the health giving air Of that re- zion, but a change for the worse set in, and last week he was brought home to die.
 MT Mcdonald was the inventor of number of ingenious appliances, includ- ing a stairway to enable salmon and other migrating fish to ascend the rapidsl of, rivers, and his services were of great benefit to the cause of fish culture. His promotion from a subordinate position to>the responsible office which he held at the time of his death was brought about in rather curious way. The of flee as originally established by a joint revolution of congress in 1861 was an honorary one, the president being au- thorized to detail some person in the employ of the government, of proved sci entific acquaintance with the fish and fisheries of the sea coast and island wa ters, ito serve as president of the fish commission" without compensation. This resolution was especially framed to meet the case of Professor Baird of the Smithsonian institute, who being in the receipt of a handsome salary in that in situticn, could afford to superintend the work of the fish commission, which he himself had given so great an impetus by his researches without requiring ex- tra pay. In this way the entering wedge was inserted for the establishment of one of the most important bureaus of the government, which now disburses be- tween $S0O.00O and s400,000 year.
 When Profassor Baird died. during Cleveland's first term, that jovial gen tleman, Judge Alex McCue of Brooklyn (since deceased), then holding the office of solicitor of the treasury (which is practically a fifth wheel to the treasury coach) made application for the appoint ment.
 As he quaintly and frankly put the matter: "There seems to be lots of nice fishing and yachting going begging and would like to take them in" The pres ident, without having his attention called to the requirement of the law that the commissioner must be a man of proved scientific attainments," designated Judge McCue for the place, but as soon as he learned his mistake revoked the appoint ment and committed the office to the charge of Prof Brown Goode of the Ma
 
 Baird's chief assistant Congress was subsequently, induced to remove the re- striction requiring the fish commissioner to serve without pay, and appropriated a salary of $5000 for the office. AS soon as this was done Professor Goode re- signed, preferring to remain in charge of the museum, even at a less salary. than to encounter the tide of public criticism which for years had followed the dispens- ing of the very considerable patronage of the fish commission.
 Then MT. Mcdonald, who was chief as- sistant commissioner was appointed to the place. His successor whoever he may be, will have two steam yachts and one sailing vessel at his disposal and will have supervision over twenty-two fishing stations, scattered over different parts of the country. The requirement that he must be man of proved scien- tif1c and practical acquaintance with fish" still holds good. There are at pres ent three assistant fish commissioners, each drawing a salary of $2700 a year, Mir Richard Rathbun of New York, MT. Tartleton H. Beane of New Jersey and MT Hugh A. Smith of Washington, D. c. The probabilities seem to be that one of these gentlemen will be promoted to the commissionership vacated by MT. McDonald's lamented death.