Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1898-07-06
RUINED FOR FISHING.
Coal Mines Spoil Pennsylvania
Rivers Tor Angling.
Not Ever q or Frog Ii Now
to BE Found in Waters That
Once Teemed with
Game Fishes.

Game Fishes.
Nowhere in Pennsylvania has nature
been more generous in providing the
deeps and shadows hat are so dearly
loved by the trout, when in his native
clement, than in the Wyoming and
Lackawanna valleys, and nowhere
could the expert angler find richie re-
ward han in this region some years
ago.. The oldest inhabitant" remem-
beers we'll when the Lackawanna river
was famous for its trout fishing. but
that was before the opening of the
mines along its banks, from which the
sulphur water is pumped into its cur
rent.
The miDe water destroyed the fish in
the Lackawanna and its tributaries.
First the trout disappeared. The hardy
bulihead, being less sensitive, fingered
for a time, but he, too, succumbed 10
the sort of drinking water they are
now having in Philadelphia, and as the
years went by the 7 .ckawanna became
a 1ishless river, with no sign of life in
its waters, not even a frog or a minnow,
all the way from Carbondale to Pitts
ton. AT the latter point it empties into
the Susquehanna river, and there does
its share in killing the shad and other
fish which that noble stream once
abounded in as far up as Campbell's
ledge. the rock that owes its name TO
the author of Gertrude of Wyoming"
Above the coal mines fish may be
caught both in the ~Lackawanna and
S~usquehanna rivers, and in the latter
some splendid bass are taken in sea-
son. but the trout departed long ago,
and is not to be had any nearer than
the wilds of the Pocono.
Of course. the anthracite mines are
a source of vast wealth; srilI, some
men with the love OF Izaak Walton's
favorite sport lingering in their veins,
feel rather resentful every season when
the laws of Pennsylvania tell them
they may catch trout, as they contem-
plate their ruined rivers. Anybody ac-
quainted with the habits of trout would
naturally expect to find this beautiful
fish along certain portions of the Lack
awanna. The plan of the river contem-
plates a perfect trout stream. and Il lit
tie more than 100 years ago, when there
were more Indians than Huns in this
latitude, the noble red men. when not
engaged in the pleasant pastime of scalp
taking, caught trout in great abun-
lance. This is known on the authority
IF the late DIR. Hollister, the historian
of the Lackawanna valley and one of
the most devoted anglers that ever in
Cured a cold in a trout hunt.
1t was not surprising, in view of the
favorable appearance of the river, hat
a gentleman from New York last year
had rather an a~ggravating experience.
He went shortly after the opening of
the trout season and was equipped with
a superb outfit. He went forth at an
early hour, and after a brisk walk
along the river bank, came upon a syl-
van scene which filled his mind with
visions of trout. 1t was a bend in the
stream, with a pool shaded by ancient
trees, and an eNpanse of sandy shallow
beyond Here the metropolitan angler
unfoloed his tackle and tried his skill,
but alas, his efforts were fruitless. He
Was patient, of course that being the
prime requisite of a successful fisher
man, but all the patience of job would
not avail. He might just as well have
fished for whales. He tried the river
up and down until he became hungry
and the day was well spent, and would
probably have tried longer had not a
group of slate pickers on their way
home from work caught sight of him.
The black-faced urchins could not at
first make out what the man was do
ing. None of them had ever seen any
body fishing in the Lackawanna river.
To their minds it was as absurd to fish
in that fishless river as it would be to
fish in one of the principal streets of
the city after a rainstorm. The weary
fisherman, seeing that the boys regard
ed him with unusual interest, spoke to
them. He asked if they knew where
he would be likely to catch any trout.
whereupon they roared with laughter.
You Amt trout fishing there, is you,
boss ?" asked one.
"Well, to tell the truth" he replied,
81 don't think l am. / haven't had a
bite in hours"
The boys laughed some more at the
idea of anybody expecting to get a bite
in the Lackawanna. The little chap
acted as spokesman said this:
"Oh, pshaw, mister; there amt no
fish in that river. The sulphur water
from the mines kills 'em ALL"
Then it dawned on the angler that
appearances are sometimes deceitful,
and he lost no time in gathering up
his tackle and returning to town. Some
years e an effort was made by the
Pennsylvania legislature to prevent the
pollution of the streams, but it might
well undertake I o make the rivers
h other way as try to keep them
free from the mine water which kills
all the fish in the rivers of the anthra-
cifa onal rnninn N Y Gun |