The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-06-14
WHAT A FISH STORY /!
Astonishing Long-Distance Fishing in
an Artesian Well.
With a Line 500 Feet Long - Four
Curious Blind Fish From the
Bowels of the Earth.

This very remarkable fishing story was
published recently in the Goshen hide
pendent Republican, in Goshen. Orange
County. n. Y:
Thomas Mould, of the firm of Thomp-
SOB & Mould, the well-known dealers in
grain and feed, and editor b. l.. Roys OF
the Goshen Democrat. are the heroes OF
fishing story beside which the stories OF
ordinary fishermen sink into insignifi-
canoe. Both are we'll known as ardent
devotees OF Izaak Walton. and Whenever
their business permits they are usually
found in pursuit of the gamy black bass
or the voracious pickere. On Saturday
they visited Glenmere together. The hsh
were not biting with much enthusiasm,
and at about o'clock they started for
home.
AT HOWELL condensery they stopped
to talk with some workmen who were re-
pairing the pump at the artesian we'll. 1t
will be remembered by readers OF this
| paper that at the time this we'll was sunk
an account was given of the striking OF a
subterranean stream at depth of nearly
800 feet, the volume OF which could not
| he ascertained except that soundlngs
showed it to be OF considerable depth.
| The stream and its probable size were the
subjects of discussion among the little
| group az tuo W6lls dilO SOiliOOouy WIN
dered if it contained any fish.
A bright idea al once occurred to
Messrs. Mould and Roys. Each had in
his basket long trolling line, and by
uniting them a line long enough TO
reach easily to the bottom OF the we'll was
formed. Amid the good-natured Jolly
ing" of the bys;anders the lines were
| baited with a big "night-walker" fish
worm and lowered 29S feet through the
six-inch hole. The distance had been
carefully measured off on the line. to
which heavy sinker had been attached
| and the hook fastened short distance
above to stout piece OF line.
| Every body laughed except Mr.. Roys
as Mr.. Mould carefully lowered the line
and waited anxiously for the little tug at
the bait which brings joy to the heart Of
the ex perienced fisherman. After few
minutes the expression on "Tom's" face
face became one of rapt attention. "By
darn! | believe Tve got bite" he said.
A moment later he began to pull in the
the line rapidly hand over hand. "Pve
got something" he said, and as every
| body gathered about the we'll he drew
out fish. 1t was about half a pound
in weight. and one of the eyeless species
which are sometime found in the waters
| of caverns. The fish was nearly a foot
long, shaped something like perch, and
its struggles as it lay upon the ground
| showed that it was game to the back
bone.
Unlike fish which dwell in waters on
| the earth's surface and which have dark
backs and light colored or white bellies,
this fish was of uniform color of light
gray 1t had very small scales, and
where the eyes might be expected to ex-
ist there were slight indentations as Of
rudimentary eyes.
When the excitement attending the
capture had died away the hook was
baited again and the line lowered. Editor
Roys took charge this time, and, after
waiting for about ten minutes, he drew to
the surface another of the fish a trifle
larger than the first one. Five fish were
caught altogether, the largest of which
weighed plump pound and half. One
fish was brought part of the way to the
top, but loosened itself from the hook and
escaped. Mr.. Mould. who had hold OF
the line at the time. says it was the largest
| by far of any that fastened themselves on
the hook, and he is positive that the rea-
son he was unable to land the fish was
that it was too big to pass through the
| we'll, which is only six inches In d.
ameter.
The singular appearance of these fish
and the remarkable manner In which
they were captured made them objects oil
curiosity to the persons to whom they
were shown. Reference to the encyclo-
pedia shows that these fish are remark
able, aside from their appearance, in that
they are viviparous, bringing forth their
young alive and not depositing eggs after
the manner of most other tish. They
have rudiments of eyes, by no optic
nerve, and are therefore incapable Of
being affected by the most intense light
Those who tasted them say they are Of
excellent flavor. but rather too plenLi-
fully supplied with bones.
The we'll at the Howell condensery is
again in use, the repairs to the pump
having been completed, SO that for the
present at least there will be no more
specimens of the Amblyopsis Speloeus
taken from its depths.