Evening star., 1898-04-01

the public road. Their rights go no further
than such free use of the stream is not
inconsistent with the rights of his neigh
DorS and the pubIlc. no further than to
turn the water on 10 the next man Uelow
in TIE same condition they md 1t. 'rhey
may neither change its direction nor its
condition. They may neither endanSer the
health CT others by that use nor Iestr oy
their fish
Intimately related to sawdust n the
character or part of the refuse and its sup
posed dele;erlous effects on fish life is the
uiScnarge from pup mills, with which the
Potomac is piag gueu lar down rs Har-
pers cry. From the mills on both sides
the point, not only chemical impurities but
the more substantial refuse of shavings,
are thrown into the river, and members of
this association are familiar with this
nuisance. as far down at least as the mouth
of the Monocacy, Nnere at low water the
poplar curls. covering probably spawning
grounds and feeding grounds. the deepest
pools lasting for seasons, but in time de-
cay1ng and adding in their decomposition
to the Impurities with which the river is
laden. Mechanically it destroys by suffo-
cation plant life; chemically it renoers the
water unfit for fish and their food.
In addition to these are the -anneries
and other factories, whose offensive dis
charges are certain death to fish life till
diluted. These have been numbered and
their discharges measured or approxim1-e ed
by Prof Newell. our chief photographer.
session. The condition of the water has
been declared to be that of sewer at
Great Falls, but it must be remembered
that it is better at that point than at any
have disappeared by sedimentation oXida-
tion, the action of light and, most import
ant of all. by dlution.
Poisonous to Fish.
Many claim that fifty miles below the
source of pollution the effects are lost
through these powerful causes. Your own
opinion, Mr.. President as announced at
our meeting in December. that they did not
disappear in 200 miles. is borne out by the
condemning of the water at the intake by
our medical authorities. But it must not
be forgotten that the claim is made in
reference to deleteriouS effects on health of
such pollution.
Certain dangerous bacteria may not find
eongenial conditions too long exposed to
light and air, but the poisons, for lack of
a better word. which are dangerous to fish.
may prove injurious to spawn, or to the
plankton even far out at sea. They may
not affect the fish the half of fifty miles,
but if they destroy the fish or their spawns
or food for only ten miles it works seri-
Gus injury and damage to the public and
the residents near that ten miles, not only
in the destruction of part of their food sup
ply, but IN robbing their vicinity of an
attraction for visitors, who are usually
source of welcome income wherever they
go.
Maine admits receiving two millions of
revenue annually from visiting fishermen
and hunters. New Hampshire. with less
gs me but more popular summer resorts,
claims to circulate five millions in enter
tanning ner visitors and anglers and to
catch three millions. So impressed is the
latter state with the Importance of Offering
Inducements to the angler that she has
r ore trout hatcEeries than any other state
ard is working steadily toward an increase
of good water and good fish. The revenue
TO the state from the summer influx of an
glers is of such importance that the In
terestS of the factories are dwarfed in COM
rarisOn and there would be no question
or hesitation about the people demanding
c-ean rivers and the restoration of the fish
ing but for the numerous ponds and smaller
streams as yet uncontamnated. For the
protection of these a general law has been
all eady adopted protecting them for the
future. The state could make no better in
vestmant than to purify its streams. once
famous for the excellence of the fishing
they afforded. now notorious for their foul
ness. The health of communities would be
benefited ard more visitors attracted and
more revenues realized from their enter
tainment.
AntnEonfsm to Anglers.
'One of the drawbacks which impedes
progress; in this work of reforma ton is the
natural attitude of antagonism assumed
by all industries interested, as II few
anglers were seeking to inter-
fere with established manufactures simply
to make better sport for a few weeks in
the year. This is hardly Il fair statement
of the case. What is demanded is that
the pure and unoetiled streams that were
and ought new 10 be the pride and joy of
our country. blest purveyors of health and
happiness. shall no longer be used sew
ers; that if Il mill situated on a river
makes saw3ust il shall burn that refuse,
and thus finally dispose of it. instead of
dumping it into the water to kill the fish,
to ruin he beauty of the stream, to poison
their neighbors, and to become a public
nuisance The factories have plenty of
rights, and ought to have, but that is not
ore of them. That it has long been Gus
tom to thus misuse the waters is but an
argument for it's sooner ending. There is
health in stopping IL; therefore Ii ought
to be stopped, that all may profit. More
and better food will be secured by stopping
il: therefore It ought TO be done, that all
may profit.
More and better sport will be brought
within reach of those of moderate means
who are not able to go a thousand miles
for their outings, to say nothing of those
who live along the streams: therefore it
of dollars are spent along the
Potomac every year by anglers. and if
there were twice many fish ten times as
much would be spent. And SO of every
stream in The country.
The problem of stocking waters mas
been solved by our fish commissions who
beat the world in their methods and re-
suits but these ere thrown away on rivers
where useless and criminal refuse makes