The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-01
PROTECTION Of FISHES
MILL COMPANIES MUST REFRAIN
FROM THROWING SAWDUsT
INTO OPEN STREAM
STATE LAWS ARE STRINGENT
Numbers of Complaints Against the
Practice Have Been Received
From People Near Duluth
and Elsewhere.

Executive Agent Beutner has received
a number of complaints from people liv-
ing in Duluth and elsewhere of the prac-
tlce, very common with numbering firms,
or dumping sawdust into flshways use
as streams for driving legs The saw
dust is almost fatal to fish, as particles
become lodged in the gills and the resnira-
tory organs soon become diseased re-
sulting fatally. Many streams nave been
depopulated Of their hnny Inhabitants in
TINS way, and warning mas been i sued
by Mr.. Beutner, addressed 20 logging
companies, which calls attention to the
law prohibiting and Furnishing careless
ness in this respect
A complaint has been filed against the
Weyerhaueser company, at Cloquet, for
obstructing the Cloquet river, and Mr..
Beutner has asked the company to build
a fishway around the dam at that point
The Weyerhaueser company use, the dam
to supply power for their sawmill at Gle
quet, as well as the wood pulp mill, one
OF the largest industries in the state. Mr..
Beutner has no doubt the company will
comply with the request, as the law,
both state and federal. is quite GEAR on
that point. and nc individual or corpora
ton can, by virtue of any right, obstruct
the free running of fish In the public
stream.
The United States game and fish com
mission secures a very large number Of
pike spawn, amounting to millions, some
miles above the dam at Cloquet, and 1t
is important that the fishway be con-
structed in season for the breeding Il h
to run up stream and deposit their eggs.
If the stream is INSTRUCTED they stay on
the more open water in Spirit lake and
the mouth of the st. Louis, and there is
no way of capturing the old fish, and thus.
procure the eggs. Shortly after the ice
goes out the old fish start up the stream
for the purpose of attending to paternal
duties Confined within a limited space,
1t is very easy for the commission to cop-
ture the fish with nets and strip them Of
their eggs. They are replaced III the wa
ter and dart back down stream fer the
open water. The state and national fish
commission secure all the way from l01,-
0000 900 to 300,000000 spawn in Mimi sota
every year
Several well-known trout streams
around Cloquet and Carleton-haVe been
ruined, so far as fishing is concerned, by
sawdust, as fish will not remain long in
streams where any foreign matter IS de-
posted. This is particularly true Of brook
trout, but applies to very nearly every
variety of game fish A dozen or more
sawmill companies have been notified by
Mr. Beutner of the law and asked to
throw their sawdust elsewhere.
Notices have been sent to a half dozen
mills owning dams that obstruct the
stream and provide no outlet or inlet for
fish, asking for the construction of a fish
way around the obs ruction. The follow
ing is the form of notice:
Notice Is hereby given that we, the un-
dersigned 1.-The Board of Game and Fish
Comm issioners Of the State of M1nneso-
ta," in and by such. act created, having
determined upon the form, capacity and
location of the ,fishway to be provided and
constructed by you for the passage of
fish between the waters below and the
waters above the location of such OBJ
| struction, which said fishway is known q
E"Buck's Fishway," the plans and speci-
| fieations for building which are hereto
attached and made part of this notice;
that you are required to build and pro-
plans and specifications, and Of the form
and capacity and in the location indicated
upon and over the said artificial
and after the service Of this notice
upon you, and to keep such fishWay
open and free for the passage Of fish be-
tween the waters below and the waters
day of April to the first day of October
in each year. And you are hereby fur
Their notified, That failure on your part
to comply with the terms of said act, or
pains and penalties provided for in and
by said act for such failure. See section
AZ, chapter 221, General Laws 1897. The
board of game and fish commissioners of
the state of Minnesota.
Three companies have already complied
with the order, and those whose time of
grace expires will have the fishway built
for them by the state and the amount Of
cost and penalties charged up against the
property.