The National tribune., 1901-08-15
CHAT OF2THE CORRIDORS.

Monument, and the Superintendent, Mr..
Chester X. Green has just made his an
nual report. 1t is mainly concerning the
work of Matching and preparing for ship
ment of large-mouth black bass and crap
pie, sometimes called bitter heads" The
Superintendent says there is such strik-
ing similarity III shape and color between
the crappie and strawberry, or calico bass
that the forrncrSare often mistaken by
anglers for the species of bass mentioned
The Matching season for bass and crap
pie is ended, and several of the larger
ponds are now swarming with young fish
of sufficient growth for transportation.
The shipment of bass, in lots ranging
from 200 to 1,2O0, usually continues until
January. Last season $1,000 large mouth
black bass were sent from the ponds to
various points, on requisition from the
Fish Commission
Superintendent Green says this seasons
hatch has been unusually successful, and
not less than the number recorded last
season will be shipped this year. There
are great many beds and young fry in
| the ponds, he says, and the outlook Is
hopeful. He also expects that about 100
young chappie will be distributed The
crappie were first placed in the Govern
ment Fish Ponds in 1898. These fish
are not so game as bass, but they are
an excellent pan fish and very prolific
They are Indigenous to the Eastern
States, from the Great Lakes to Texas,
and west of Kansas and Nebraska. They
thrive in rivers and ponds.
The Superintendent has to take an
active hand in the eternal warfare that
goes on in the animal world. He has to
necessarily fight the providers on his do
mains, such as kingfshers, bitterns,
cranes, fishhawks, an occasional gull, and
the queer little fish ducks known as the
water witch" or hell diver" besides
water snakes, minks and domestic cats.
Shotguns and a .22-caliber rife are kept
at the STATEN, with plenty of ammuni-
ton, to be used i'll killing the predatory.
visitors named.
The snakes swim about the ponds with
their heads protruding from the water,
and Superintendent Green, who is n good
shot, has killed many of them with his
life. its cartridges being loaded with fine
''mustard-seed shot. During the present
season he and his assistants have also
killed with the Shotguns 10 kingfishers and
three bitterns. Snakes have proved to be
very destructive and have eaten many
young fish. Domestic cats have been seen
TO perch themselves on the lower walls
about the ponds, and when a fish appeared
near the surface of the water the cat
would, by a quick movement, shoot for
ward its paw and throw the fish from
the pond to the surrounding sward. Then,
after playing with its prey for awhile,
pussy would deyour it.
Rear-Admiral Henry Lycurgus Howl
son, retired, has been appointed member
of the Schley Court, instead of Rear-Ad-
miral Kimberly, declined. RearAdmiral
Howison is man of commanding pres
ence and such judicial habit of mind that
his selection is claimed to be pleasing to
both sides. He was born In this city, but
appointed from Indiana, and was a class
mate of Dewey. He was in Admiral Du
Points feet at the battle of Port Royal,
saw long, hard service in front of Charles
ton, and participated in the battle of no
bile Bay. He has done great deal of duty
in the Navy Department, and is very
familiar with its inwardness. At the time
of the Dewey celebration at New York
he was present, and outranked Admiral
Sampson, but knowing that the Depart
ment wanted to give Sampson the honors
Of the occasion, he kept in the background,
and allowed Sampson to command. He
lives at fonkefs, n. Y.
Representative G. C. Curtis, of Kansas,
is very popular in Washington. and
though almost everybody seems to be
away on vacation he found quite circle
of friends TO greet him on the evening of
his arrival. He came here to see about
the establishment of some rural free mail
delivery routes in his district, and also to
urge the appointment of John Higgins,
Postmaster at Lensing, Kan, as Deputy
Warden of the new National prison at At
lanta, Ga. With regard to Kansas, Mr..
Curtis said:
The rains have done a great deal of
good, following the terrible drought our
State suffered, and the farmers are now
planting rough fodder to feed their stock
next Winter. The rush to sell stock was
due to the fact that the farmers had moth
ing upon which TO feed them, and pieces
rushed TO such figure that no man could
afford to buy hay to feed common stock
Hay jumped from SIS to $50 per ton in
Topeka in Que day. The liyerymen held a
meeting and raised the rent for each horse
they boarded 81 per month. There will be
only half crop of corn in some places
and less than that elsewhere, but there
will not be any great suffering"
The outside of the White House has
been thoroughly reprinted, with two coats
or paint, and now glisteDs as if new. 1t
took 1890 pounds of white lead, 500
pounds Of oil, and 200 pounds of turpen-
tine. The cost Of materials and labor was
about 81 800.
Comrade VIM. Vickers, 114th Pa, Will
Transport, Pa, was in the city last week,
the hrst time since he came here, wound
ed, after the battle of Charlottesville
The thing of most interest that he saw
was the old steamer River Queen, upon
which he, with others of his regiment. did
guard duty for President Lincoln during
the iatters memorable visit to City Point
and Richmond, in the Spring OF 1865.
Comrade Nickers manages the Union Ex-
press and Transfer Co. at Williamsport.
Start "pyramid this ueek. For