The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-09-21


". visited the GllHoa streams Of south
sFn Alaska and made very valuable OBJ
seFvations on the salmon run n the va
riOus rivers. Capt uOseTS report on
the seasons work Is the most Important
document on the salmon and salmon
fisheries OF the territory that has up 20
this time been prepared. supplying a
much needed. accurate and detailed ae-
count OF the physical fateures OF the
streams, the abundance Of the different
kinds OF salmon. the extent and meth
DDS OF the fishing operations, the pro-
ductive capacity OF the rivers, and other
pertinent data Il had been the inten-
llon during the present year 70 con-
:inue the Investigation In other parts Of
Alaska. but on the declaration OF war
with Spain the Albatross was placed at
the disposal OF the navy department.
aud the contemplated Inquiries viii
have to be deferred until next year.
other salmon inquiries were conducted
by agents OF the commission in Cali
fOrnia. Oregon and Washington.
The mos. valuable Of the fishery re-
sources Of the country. the oyster. has
been the subject of a number OF special
investigations In response to a request
Of the general assembly OF Louisiana.
the commissioner detailed the steamer
Fish EaWk. Lieutenant Franklin Swift.
United States navy. commanding. 20
make survey OF the oyster grounds Of
that state. TO furnish accurate infcrma-
ton on which TO base revision OF the
oyster laws. with view TO putting the
oyster industry on a more substantial
footing. Experiments In the fattenlng
OF oysters fO= market were continued at
Lynn Haven. Va. where the commits
sion has constructed special ponds for
the purpose. The prevalence Of green
oysters IN the Chesapeake region and
elsewhere proved very serious. imam
ciaiiy, to the oyster growers, and receiV-
ed the prompt attention Of the commits
sion II Is the general opinion among
oyster consumers that green oysters are
made 50 by copper with which they
have been contaminated. and. therefore.
are unWholesome. This belief results In
larger losses TO oystermen, who are pre-
vented from marketing the crop when
the greenness Il marked.
II has been demonstrated repeatedly
and announced by the commission that
the green oysters owe their color TO
vegetable matter which serves as food,
ana that no impairment in the food
value OF the oyster results from this
condition. The announcement IN the
press OF the discovery OF copper IN con-
siderable quantities In English oysters
led the commission to make = re-exam-
InatIon OF the subject that confirmed
previous tests
The desice OF the commission 20 give
the people OF the Pacific coast a plentl-
full supply Of eastern oysters has re-
suited in the shipment OF number OF
carloads 10 suitable points in Calitor-
MIA and Oregon. the plants being guard
ed by the local authorities during the
time required for the acclimatizatior
and propagation. In order to determine
the condition OF the introduced oyster,
the commission detailed Prof. Wash
burn. OF the oregon University, TO visit
and report on the beds. Prof. Wash
burns observations, extending over the
years 1887 and 1855, show that all the
ptante5 oysters have survived and