Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-09-28

can be duplicated in the possessions Of
all the nations of the earth combined,
which significant circumstance goes to
show how near the world has reached
the extreme limit of it's salmon supply.
The locality referred TO is an island
in the North Pacific about 75O miles
nearly due west of Sitka. It's name is
Afognak, and it is the northernmost of
the two largest islands OF the group
called the Kadiak islands. It lies just
north of latitude So and between 152
and 153 west longitude. 1t is a small
island, probably not more than fifty
miles across at it's widest part, but
there are several streams flowing from
various points of the island to the sur
rounding ocean that at the proper sea-
son contain salmon innumerable. 1t is
no exaggeration to say that salmon
swarm up these streams in countless
myriads "In 1889 the salmon were so
thick in the streams that it was abso-
lutely necessary, in fording them, to
kick the salmon out of the way to avoid
tumbling over them"
This story illustrates as well as any
thing the wonderful abundance of
salmon in the Afognal1 streams; and it
can be easily believed when it is re-
membered that about a month earlier
$4,000 salmon were caught in one day
at the mouth of the Karlul1, which is
river only sixty feet wide where it
ernpties into the ocean. The salmon
are there in as great numbers as could
be wished All the varieties also
which inhabit the Pacific ocean come
to AfOgnak. The list is royal cata-
logue: The red salmon, the ''blue-
back" of the Columbia; the king
salmon, the ''quinnat" or 'spring
salmon" of the Columbia; the silver
salmon, the ''silversides" of the Column
bia; the humpback salmon, the dog
salmon, the steelhead, the square
tailed" trout of the tributaries of the
Columbia, and the dolly warden. :"
What paradise for salmon this island
is, and what a magnificent place Of
safety it would be if it were set aside
for national park, where the salmon
could always hereafter be unmolested!
Tho island is inha bitable all the year
round; with a comparatively even tenn
perature, although SO far north, the
winters cold is not excessive, probably
not equaling that of parts of New
England. It is colder than New Eng
land in summer, but there is
much less variation of tempera-
ture between summer and winter.
The island will never be wanted for
anything else, and it is inhabited only
by a few Aleuts. Artificial Matching
can be instituted there at any time and
on large scale. Thus, all of the
streams of the continent can be re-
peopled with these beautiful and de-
sirable inhabitants at small expense to
the government.
In presenting his argument for the
establishment of a national salmon
park, the fish commissioner makes lib
eral quotations from the opinions of ex
perts who have studied the question,
and his efforts will undoubtedly have
an effect upon the minds of our ma
tional legislators. Certainly every man
who loves the sport, and everyone who
realizes the Importance of maintaining
our supply of fish food of the best quail
ity, will concede the forcefulness of
the plea which has been officially made.
The wonderful abundance of salmon
in the waters of Alaska has been known