The San Francisco call., 1896-05-29
SPRING VALLEY FISHES,
The Reason Why Lake Pillar
citos Has Been Closed
to Anglers.
A Milkman Who Was Prevented From
Making Money by the Water
Company.

Anglers of this City who in past years
enjoy ed many pleasant days outing on
Pilarcitos Lake were much surprised few
days ago when THE CALL announced that
the Spring Valley Water Company had
decided not to open the lake to anglers
this summer.
The directors of the company would not
state why the old favorite fishing waters
In San Mateo County must not be whipped
this season by the devotees of the gentle
art'' of fly-casting.
1t was surmised by some Of the stock
h olders that the directors had ordered the
lake closed because some one had
reported at the Office that a few of the
young muskalonge which were planted in
the lake several years ago had been seen
and TO prevent their capture angling was
stopped for this year at least.
1t now transpires, however, that the
muskalonge had nothing to do with the
closing of the place in question. In fact
the "destroyers of fishes" which were
planted in Lakes Pilarcitos and Merced.
have not been seen since the time of their
Liberation, and the presumption is that
the experiment has proven failure.
A gentleman who is in position to
speak correctly said yesterday:
citos Lake made it part of his business to
entertain numbers of pleasure-seekers at
his house, which is situated on the margin
of the lake, during the months when
angling was permitted.
Several anglers who iourneyed from
this City for the purpose of enjoying a
days trouting found, on their arrival al
the lake, that the tourists and health hun
ters had taken up all of the sleeping ac-
commodations, and as a consequence the
fishermen had to enjoy the nocturnal COM
forts found in lounges and chairs that had
seen better days.
1.-THE company grew tired of hearing
complaints from anglers who had met
with disappointment at the lake. and. as a
means of stopping all further annoyance
on this score, it issued orders to the keep
ers of each lake that they must not enter
tain guests in future at any season of the
year. This order went into effect at the
opening OF last year s fishing season, and
is still enforced.
when Fifeld, who is the owner of sew
eral acres of land surrounded by the prop
erty of the water company, learned that
Keeper Ebrlght had been cut off from
making his annual summers harvest OF
dollars, he Immediately decided UPON
erecting nice resort for anglers on that
part of his land which is within easy
reach of Lake Pilarcitos.
VI course Inc lIIOrmaLIOn regarding
Fifeld's intention was Immediately teIe-
phoned to the water company, and the
directors quickly decided to block the
mllkman's flshy game by threat to stop
his teams from travelling over road built
by the water company for its own con-
venience.
"Fifield sought legal advice, and when
he learned that the corporation could not
lawfully prevent his teams from going
over the road which leads to his residence,
he started in TO erect palace for anglers
and sportsmen, but the proposed little
house under the hilP did not make its ap-
peanapce, and in all probability it never
will be seen by either milkmen or fly
casters.
1.-THE water company was bound to hold
the winning hand, and, as a final means
of blocking Fiield's scheme for making
easy money, it issued orders about a
month ago to its keeper, Ebright, not to
allow any fishing on Lake Pilarcitos this
season, and now you have the story of
the lake. l understand that fishing on
San Andreas Lake will commence on
July 1.'