The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-25
STATE GAME AND FISH CoNuts
SION WILL ASK TILE COMING
LEGISLATURE
TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY.
COMMISSIONERS WILL ASK OTHER
FAyoRs DESPITE THE PROS
PECT OF FIGHT.
STATE NEEDS MORE HATCHERIEs
Financial Condition of the Board-
NO prosecutions Under the State
Law at This Season.

The state game and fish commission
met yesterday. But for the interest i'm
the election the commission would have
transacted it's business at the October
session and there would have been lit
tie for the body to do yesterday. All
the members of the commission were
present and the day was profitably
spent and some matters that have a
distinct bearing on the life of the com
mission and the success of it's work
were informally discussed
1t is pretty certain that an effort will
De made to abolish the commission at
the coming session of the legislature.
There are a good many people in the
state who think that the commissioners
and their agents interfere with the
rights Of private individuals and there
will be sufficient number Of Iegis-
lators to take the sides Of the kickers
ana make very respectable showing
when the fight comes up But the
members of the commission are not
only satisfied that they are engaged
in great and good work, but are pre-
pairing to go before the Legislature ask
ing additional favors The commission
is supported by an annual appropri-
atiCn of $4,000 from the state. Its
members work for glory. The actual
cost of supporting the commission is
about one-tenth of the appropriation
That it has accomplished satisfactory
results Is testified to by sportsmen.
And, believing that the good work
should be carried on, it is the purpose
OF the commission to go before the
legislature and ask for favors that it
is believed will be granted when the
work of the commission is fully ex-
planned.
Among the items of expense in the
annual statement that has been pre-
pared is one Of $500 for the rent of the
present site Of the fish hatchery. The
commission believes that the work at
the hatchery has progressed to a
point where the people of the state are
willing that it should be continued on
larger scale. The legislature will be
asked to buy the land There are
twenty-five acres, of which but five are
in actual use by the commission The
commission will ascertain the cost of
the land and will represent to the
legislature the necessity and advisibil-
ity Of permanent home for the hatch
cry, and the fact that the land can be
bought at this time for a comparative
ly small sum. 1t is thought that the
city will be interested in the deal, and
that portion of the expense will be
borne by the municipality for the priv
ilege of retaining control Of the lnSti-
tuition. The work Of the hatchery this
year has exceeded that Of any previous
year, and the records show definite
results of great benefit to the state.
For this reason 1t is probable that an
increased appropriation will be asked
to extend the work of the commission.
The commissioners are of the opinion
that other hatcheries should be estab-
lished in other parts of the state, but
this extension will necessarily be SLOW
The figures showing the receipts and
expenditures of the commission, that
will be submitted in the annual report,
which will be read ct the annual meet
ing in January, are hattering. The
receipts since January aggregate $16,-
983 80, Of which 81, 20 came from
fines and sales Of confiscated game and
fish, and the remainder from the state
The total expenses during the same
period amounted to SIS, 65C. AZ, leaving a
balance of nearly 81, 400.
Yesterday the refusal Of express COM
panies to submit to seizures of game
held in their hands for shipment came
up for discussion. T. E. Byrnes, attor-
ney for the commission, was present,
and advised that the game warden
and his deputies be directed to pro-
cure warrants for searching and selling
game in the possession Of express com
pa mics where there is suspicion OF law
violation 1t was suggested that the
advice would be valuable at some fu-
ture season. as the period when ex-
press companies can handle wild game
of any kind has about expired. 1t Is
not likely that there will be any prose
cutiOns Of the companies under tne
state law at this season, but that al
ditional safeguards will be thrown
about the system of handling game De
fore another year rolls around.
The report of Supt. Morgan, OF the
state fish hatchery, showed tnat trout
are now being transferred to the hatch-
erv from the st. Croix Fails region.
About 500 female trout have been
transferred and 1900 more will be
brought to the hatchery within the
next fortnight. This is the spawning
season for lake trout and the fish and
eggs are being separated and pfougnt
to the hatchery separately. rms plan
has been found better than to bflhg
the fertile fish to the hatchery for sep
aration The spawn will be Matched III
February and about 100000 will be Sc
cured to the hatchery from the invoice
now being received there. The results
with pike and pickerel this year have
been unusually satisfactory. Millions
Of these fish have been propagated and
distributed to the waters of the state.
A communication from Col. William
Westerman, of st. Cloud, was received,
requesting the commission to recon-
mend to the legislature the amendment
of the game law so as to permit DUCKS
TO he shot ten days later in the spring.
The change was suggested because
blue-biII ducks do not begin their
northern flight until after April 10, and
sportsmen in this latitude are deprived
Of the best game bird that flies through
the region at that season of the year.
During the latter part of April the
Mississippi valley is filled with this
species of duck, and the only time they
are found in Minnesota Is after the
northern lakes break up in the spring
and birds are flying northward.