The San Francisco call., 1896-08-30
ARRESTED FOR
DAMMING A CREEK
Farmer Hogrefe Positive
He Used No Vulgar
Language.
DISCOVERS HIS ERROR.
Ordered to Build a Fish-Ladder
Worth More Than His Ranch
in Crow Greek.
FURNISHED WITH A PUZZLE.
Unable to Solve 1t, but Certain There
Is No Room for It in the
Creek.
FURNISHED WITH a PUZZLE
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANcIsco CALI

sos Broad way, Aua, 20.
II. Hogreie Of Crow Canyon Greek is to
be prosecuted next Tuesday in the Justices
court OF San Leandro because he did not
erect an elaborate fish-ladder, costing
about $1,000, across a creek in which there
is but TWO inches of water and in which
any fish protected by the State Fish Com
mission would be stranded. At least this
is Mr. Hogrete's story.
Farmer Hogrefe owns subject to a
mortgage, of course-a little ranch near
Crow Canyon. He has few horses and
cows, and although he manages to grow
sufficient food for his stock, he has diff
Guilty during the summer months in pro-
curing water His position is similar to
that of dozens of other farmers in his To-
cality, and hence the great interest taken
IN his particular case.
A few weeks ago Farmer Hogrefe built
q small dam across the fast-lowering
creek and in the middle be placed fish
ladder, such as he understood was re-
CURED. He applied to the headquarters
of the Fish Commission, and followed
their instructions as best he could. Sew
eral iays ago he was arrested ''for illegally
damming a creek"
Aogrefe read the warrant, and as he is a
religious man he was greatly discon-
certed. He could not recall any time
when he had used any Vulgar language,
and so went posthaste to his friend George
.Toyne of Haywa7ds and asked his assist
ance in regard to the alleged infringe
Ihent of the rights of tue people of the
State of California. Mr.. Toyne is an
orator and a veIy erudite naturalized
Englishman. He read the Declaration OF
Independence last Fourth of July and to-
night officiateds at a select Populist gath
ering at Sunol. Mr.. Toyne at once set
his friend Hogrefe right. The warrant
was issued by the Fish Commission for
illegally restraining the waters OF the
Crow Canyon Creek.
Farmer Hogrefe at once asked the
proper authorities what he should do.
He received a very elaborate plan of a
fsh-Iadder that must be placed in all
creeks that are damned. There were side
. elevations and front views and rear eleva-
tions and end sections, and rows of figures
and hieroglyphics that were as Sanskrit
to Farm er Hogrefe.
The big blue print looked something like
q cathode-ray ne .atlve OF the ruins OF a
large frame building, wherein each piece
was seen through those between it and the
eve. Neithrr Farmer Hogrefe nor Mr..
Toyne could do anything with it, and, in
fact, neither would have made an affi-
davit as to which was the top or which
was the bottom.
II don't know what to do" said Farmer
Hogrefe to-day. ,"The plans / have were
used for a big State dam near Folsom,
and in Crow Creek there is not room
enough for the plans, much less for the
elaborate structure that would cost not
less than $1,000. 1t is all nonsense To ex-
pect me to build it. 1t would cost more
than my farm is worth, and yet am told
that ii I do not put it in 1 shall be fined
$500. The commission has never even
stocked the creek with fish. and it would
useless for them TO do so, as there is not be
an inch of water in 1t at this time of the
wear, and if l had not saved some water
in my little dam 1 should have to go out
of business"