St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-10-24
LEGISLATIVE LETTER.
Editorial Correspondence. ]


interest in the senatorial contest, but ir
both branches MANY bills were intro
duced all the week and the committees
were kept busy discussing the merits Of
the same.
IN THE INTERESTS OF FISH AND GAME.
In the House on Tuesday morning Mr.
Houghton of Putney submitted the
report of the committee covering their
recent visit to the Roxbury hatchery. 1t
recommended an increased appropriation
for needed repairs and to produce better
results. Ordered to lie and be printed.
THE COMMISSIONERS BIENNIAL REPORT.
In this connection our readers will be
interested in the last report of the fish
and game commissioners, compiled by
John w. Titcomb and Horace w, Bailey.
1t is book fps pages and unique in
the distinction Of being the only report
of the state officers that is printed in YER
mont. The Montpelier Argus and Pa
triot did excellent work on this book.
In the report of Commissioner Bailey
as superintendent of the state hatchery,
that official says, During the biennial
period, ending June 80, 1900 no addi-
tions or Improvements have been made,
not even the necessary repairs to keep
the states property presentable, and
protect it from ordinary decay. The
reason for this is the meagre appropra-
ton Of $780, granted by the last legisla-
ture for the support and maintenance for
two years" He states that if the hatch
cry was in good repair it would be the
best equipped institution of its kind in
New England.
The total output of fish during the
past two years was 1512,169 against
2,347600 during the years 1897-98.
This decrease is owing to the lack of
funds the hatchery not being run to its
full capacity. In regard to the good the
hatchery has accomplished the commits
sioner says, Look at Champlain Morev,
Caspian, Willoughby, Dunmore and
and Bomoseen Lakes, with their elegant
summer houses. Look at the myriads
of ponds and brooks where summer
dwell. No conservative man
will say that the hatchery has not helped
to make these brooks, ponds, and lakes
In closing Mr. Bailey says
that the legislature should appropriate
fixed sum annually for the support of the
hatchery or drop it altogether. The re-
port contains the usual tables showing
in detail the work of the commissioners,
during the past two years. 1t also con-
tains several pages of matter covering
the much talked Of problems concerning
the regulations of fishing in Lake Cham
plain, which is of no particular interest
to people in this section of the state.
Several lakes are mentioned to which
some special interest is attached on ac-
count OF some matters Of law or existing
conditions. Among these are Lake Morey
This lake has been stocked with salmon
and trout, and enough of the fish have
been caught to warrant calling the lake
by salmon or trout, and fishing
through the ice has been prohibited.
Of Caspian lake the report says,
There is no sheet of water in the state,
of its size, which yields annually so many
fish of the trout and salmon species, as
does Capsian Lake" Peacham pond
comes in for share of attention.
The result of the work of the COM
mission at Lake Willoughby has been
most liatterlng, and, during this season
a large number OF salmon and steel head
trout have been taken from this beauti-
ul body of water, and the many people
who visit here are taking a lively in
terest in the work of tie commission.
Several pages of the report are devoted
to the matter Of game. 1t reviews the
history of the Vermont deer, published in
the last report and gives interesting sta
tistics concerning the killing of these
animals during the years 199S-99. The
report contains picture Of the head of
the last moose OF Vermont which was
killed in Island Pond in March 1899.
During the term Mr.. Titcomb, as
chairman Of the commission, has de.
livered twenty-five free lectures in the
state, on the subject of fish and game.
These have been fully illustrated by the
stereoptlcon and of great benefit to the
small communities in which most of
them were given.
The appendix contains an article on
the Spawning habits of the lake stur-
geon" by Livingston Stone, and one on
why forest preservation should interest
fishermen" by Frank H. Carleton of
Minneapolis, former resident of Yer
mont. The appendix also contains a
table of the ponds, lakes and streams of
the state and the fish inhabiting them.
The general tone of the report is bust
ness-like, and shows that much has been
accomplished, even at the disadvantage
OF restricted appropriation.
This commission should not be ham.