Omaha daily bee., 1896-09-03
FISH FROM THE H.TCUERIES.
Finest Collection Ever Seen at a
Western Fair.

western Fntr.
Judged by the crowds that swarm I'm
from early morning until late in the after
noon. and by the length c. time the visitors
tarry in front of almost every exhibit,
there is no more interesting or attractive
hall on the grounds than the Fisheries
building. Always popular. the display of
fish and fish products Is attracting more at
tention this year than ever before. Tues
day was the first day that the display was
really complete. and it was given a most
cordial reception by all. The children and
the pioneer settlers, Boys and girls and
men and women thronged the aisles of the
building throughout the day.
The excellence of the display drew forth
many fine compliments for Commissioner w.
L. May, who has given the exhibit his espe-
cial attention., for his associates, Superin-
tendent william J. O'Brien, John Meredith
and for the others who assisted in preparing
the interesting display. 1t is said on good
authority that for several years past there
has been a sentiment in the Board of State
Fair Managers adverse to the department of
fisheries. Ex-Governor Furnas has been
among those who stood up for the support of
this department, and when he visited the
building devoted to fish and fisheries Tues
day he said he felt repaid for all the fighting
he had done for that department. He
praised the work that had been done and
said the display was beyond all doubt the
finest in that line ever shown in Nebraska.
Many were heard to express their preference
for the fisheries exhibit over all the rest on
the grounds. and some enthusiasts declared
that the exhibit of fresh water fish rivalled
that of the Worlds Columbian exposition.
1t cannot be denied that the fisheries exhibit
appears to interest a greater number of
visitors than any other on the ground.
Innumerable improvements over the dis
play of last year are noticed. The change
that strikes the visitor first is in the deCora-
tion Of the hall. The walls that were so
bare and unattractive in appearance last
year are covered with white cloth. which
forms the background for a splendid lot of
decorations. Wreaths OF evergreen, festoons
of gaily colored ribbon and appropriate de-
signs of hk-Sar-Bcn bunting on the white
walls interrupt any monctony that there
might otherwise be. Twenty paintings of
fish, upward of POO photographic portraits
OF fishes and a large portrait Of Prof. Baird,
the first United States commissioners of fish
and fisheries, also adorn the walls. The
decorations are the work Of Mrs. Lewis May,
who has taken a lively interest in the sue
cess Of the fish display, and p. Il, Jennings
MANY FINE SPEC. MEMS.
At the north end of the building, occupy
ing a central position, 81 Mrs. w. l.. Mays
private exhibit. A handsome aquarium
contains a number Of large Japanese gold
fish and Japanese fantail goldfish, All OF
these have grown to an unusually large size
Above the aquarium are a lot of interesting
things from the deep seas. A sawtish bill
and a swordGsh bill from the New England
coast are crossed over the top OF Prof,
DaIrd's picture. Two horseshoe
crabs from Long Island sound, two large
starfshcs from the m Islands and a
porcupine FISH from tho Mediterranean sea
complete this exhibit.
There are twenty-five aquariums In all,
~ which number twenty are the property
of the state Board Of Agriculture. Tie two
private aquariums are those OF Mrs. May
and Mr.. Foster Of the Hussie Hardware
company. The latter C~ontaius 4 lot OF gold,
silver and pearl fish. Commissioners May
also has a private exhibit consisting OF a
dozen globes with specimens OF deep sea
fish. preserved in alcohol, and nifty jars
containing more than 500 varieties OF ma
rine Invertebrates. Prof, Ward of the State
university at Lincoln has an interesting
exhibit In Jars. 1t includes dogfish. startish,
sea urchln. squid. sea crab and other speci-
mems. There are more than twice as many
specimens of preserved fish In alcohol as
there were last year, Though not the
strongest feature Of the fisheries exhibit
this is a very important part of ii, and one
that would require volumes to completely
describe.
But it is in the tanks of fresh water
rather than In the jars OF alcohol that the
displays OF the most interesting nature are
exhibited. The exhibit of fresh water fish
is one Of the finest ever chown In the
United states, and the best ever placed at
a western state fair. II Is an almost COM
plete exhibit OF the fish fauna OF Nebraska.
More varieties of the nsh Of The state are
shown than ever before, and the specimens
are considerably finer, and in most cases
larger than those seen a year ago. The
northwest section OF the building Is en-
tirely given over to a display OF the game
fish Of the state. The bass, tie trout aud
the pickerel are especially fine, and are
larger than their ancestors who visited The
fair a year ago. The excellence OF these
exhibits has an educational value, and all
those who gave the fish any attention what
over should have a better knowledge con
corning the hsh OF Nebraska streams than
they ever had before, The fine appearance
OF the FISH, especially their size, Is conclu-
sIve proof that the working OF Matching
gul distributing the fish has been most
suoc ssfu.ly carried on during the past