Kansas City daily journal., 1896-11-27
COL. CRISP WAS ECONOMICAL.
GOLD FISH CHIEF
PRODUCT AT ST. JOSEPH.
Operation of Entire Department Cost
About SS,OOO-Appropriatio Was
$I5,OOO-Ne1t Legislature VIII
Reduce This Amount
Few Useful Fish.

there is every reason to believe that the
amount allowed the fish commission by the
last house will be materially reduced and
for the coming two years that body will
be expected to do business on a much
smaller sum. This conclusion is arrived at
by the fact that Colonel John T. Crisp.
chairman of the state fish commission,
will undoubtedly have to his credit at the
end of his term of Office, next January,
between 5000 and 5000. As this is the
case. it is only right to suppose that the
next body of lawmakers will consider that
this excess can be used for other purposes
and not be left lying idle in the treasurer's
hands.
From investigations at the St. Joseph
hatchery it is only right to suppose that
the cost of operation Of the entire COM
mission Is about 5000 for the two years.
AS the appropriation was $4,000. plus $1,000
salary for the chairman's secretary, it can
easily be deduced that there will be a good
sized credit when January next rolls
around.
The history of the commission being al
lowed the largest appropriation ever given
that department before is fresh in the
minds of all members of the Thirty-eighth
general assembly at least.
The last appropriations committee, in
making its report back 10 the house,
recommended that the organization of
which the portly and talkative member
from Jackson county, Blue township, is the
absolute head should be allowed 5000 20
conduct the department for the coming
two years. The report was accompanied
by letter from H. NJ. Garlich, of ST.
Joseph, at that time a member of the COM
mission, saying that this amount was quite
sufficient, and, Furthermore. declared that
the salary of secretary could be dispensed
with, thereby saving, as he termed it, an
unnecessary expenditure of $1,000. Garlich
furthermore affirmed that he would be glad
to do the secretary's work for nothing.
Upon the reading of this letter Colonel
CIisp took the floor and proceeded to pour
out the walls of his extreme Jackson
county wrath upon the gentleman from st.
Joseph, who, by the way, was not there
TO defend himself. The colonel, in a strik-
ingly pedantic way, threw in a few ideas
about German carp, Missouri river cat,
bullheads and few other delicate products
of Missouris streams. Before he had fin
ished he had called Garlicn an ass, mot a
common. ordinary, single ass, but double
ass" He made him ou- illiterate and not
competent to be secretary to person of
81
The colonel won his point, not SO much
on account of the worthy object of mis-
fight, but chiefly because there was no one
on hand to do battle for the opposition.
The outcome of the days, or rather nights
Gt was a night SESSION. proceedings was
that the fish commission was given $4,000
and $1,000 extra for the salary of a secre-
tSry to the chairman. This made a total
appropriation of $4,000, or nearly 5000
more than had ever been allowed before.
The Journal correspondent visited the
hatchery to-day TO learn how much money
had been expended in operating the insti-
tuition at this point since the new commits
sicner, DR.. E. A. Donelan, took charge.
DR.. Donelan is a man most highly re-
speCted by the community in which he
lives. His character is above reproach and
his word is taken as law. He has served
many terms as a member of the legislature
besides being chosen on numerous occa-
DIR. Donelan, H. NJ Garlich, ex-commis-
s:orer and Thomas Fife, the Journal cor
respondent drove to the hatchery, dis
tGnCe of about three miles from st. .Jo-
seph. The drive was pleasant one, Civ
ing one an opportunity to see the beautiful
scenery of a portion of Buchanan county.
The hatchery is a modest affair. 1t con-
sists of small unpainted frame dwelling
for the superintendent another frame af-
fair wherein the fish eggs are Matched and
where the little fellows are cared for until
they are old and strong enough to battle
for themselves in one of the outside ponds.
In the front yard near the road are two
cement lined basins about ten feet in di-
aTeter, sunk in the ground. In the rear
are four or five small ponds probably two
or three feet deep. Water is piped to the
shed from a spring directly across the
read. and that furnished the ponds comes
from a large spring in nearby cornfield.
This water is forced by modern wind
mill
Ones first impression on passing through
the front gate is that the great state of
Missouri is raising goldfish to supply orna-
mental fountains for both the cities and
country. Naturally the sight of these
yellow boys in one of the basins is
shock when MiSsouri's vote on the burning
issue of the recent campaign Is consid-
cred. There are dozens of these goldfish,
all big fellows, averaging in weight from
two to five pounds. The other basin con-
tains probably dozen of the joy of Colo
mel CriSp's heart German carp. They are
also of unusual size.
If one is startled at the sight of the gold
fish in the front yard basin he will be daz-
zled at the sight of thousands of golden
minnows within the hatchery building.
They are there in swarmS. Once more the
free silver idea is forgotten and one is
compelled to congratulate Colonel Crisp
that his constituents knew nothing of
these plutocratic, yellow, Lombard street
vertebrates or his loyalty to the Is to l
theory might have been doubted On this
first point no one can doubt Colonel Crisp's
ability to raise ornamental fish.
The average seeker is inclined, however.
to look about for a variety with which the
good people of the state can stock their
ponds and streams in order that in the
course of time it can be made a portion of
the taxpayers diet. 1t might be men
toned here that fish is the brain food and
a wider distribution might be beneficial 10
those who have recently declared for Will
lam Jennings Bryan.
Aside from the pIutocrats one has difficult
ty to ascertain what the place contains in
the fish line. True there are a few-and
precious few fwenty-five, DR.. Donelan
said)-of breeding crappie. One solitary
trout occupies cell by himself. The Ger
man carp have been mentioned before.
That Colonel Crisp is practicing the most
rigid economy there can be no doubt He
is evidently determined that the next legis-
lature shall see upon what a small amount
of money his department can be conducted
The scarcity of fish at the hatchery was
commented upon. To this DR.. Donelan re-
piled:
II have aDnIiad time and again 70 Colo