Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-08-19
10 AID FISH HATCHERY
United States Governme tt lras
Over Boat Curlew to iowa
Service.
Millions of Fish Left in the
Ponds by the High Water
Saved.
Setter Service and More Effect
i've Work by the Fish Com.
mission.

Manchester Ia. Aug. 19.The com
pletion by Rock Island boat builders OF
the Curlew for the United States fish
commission. department of Iowa. marks
4 forward movement in work whic
has been carried on in a desultory man
ner for Il humber of years. but which is
certain eventually to occupy an impor
tant place in the fish interests of the
country at large.
An interview with Superintendent X.
S. johnson of the United States fish
hatchery at this point brings out some
interesting facts regarding this work.
During the spring freshets great num-
hers of fish seek the shallow waters of
lakes and bayous bordering the Mis-
sissippi river. and there spawn. AS the
water recedes these young fish are cut
of from the main channel ana millions
OF them perish annually during the
drought of summer or because of these
inland waters freezing solid during tine
winter.
In the summer of 1899 Superinten-
dent Johnson secured a small appropr-
alton TO establish substation at Belle
vue, on the Mississippi. his idea being
to seine out these fish and transfer
them 10 living streams and lakes. Al
tho handicapped by a somewhat limited
equipment, the effort WAS quite sue
cessful. Last year there We're distrib-
uted from the Bellevue station to the
rivers and lakes of Iowa and adjoining
states 1000 black bass, 10000 crop
pies, and 10000 catfish. pike. perch
pickerel. etc. In addition. there were
about 100000 fish seined out and
placed in the main channel. not being
taken to the Bellevue station.
The United States fish commission.
quick to recognize the wisdom and inn
portance of this effort OF Mr.. johnson,
appropriated $1,000 to construct this
new boat. which is added to the equip
ment at Bellevue. 1t is stern wheel
er. so feet long. with 23 feet beam over
all. There are eight galvanized steel
fish tanks. each safely carrying from
500 to 1000 fish from six months to one
year old.
Air and water are so supplied as to
make it possible to keep them several
days. or until an opportune time to
transfer them TO the wareroom tanks at
Bellevue. The boat is complete. with
officers cabin. staterooms. hunks for
the crew of ten men. ana every conven-
fence which adds to its efficiency for
this special service.
Thus far this work has been limited
to a territory extending twenty miles
each way from Bellevue. having TO be
done with small launches. With the
new boat Mr.. johnson plans immedi-
atcly to extend operations rs far north
as Prairie cu CHEN and south TO Bur-
lington or Muscatine.
There is practically no limit to the
number of fish thus TO be reclaimed.
and the expense is merely nominal
when compared with that of propaga
ton at the hatcheries. An illustration
in point is the experience of the Georgia
hatchery. Turnout the south the sum
fish is a staple food fish. and the Geor-
gia hatchery has been to great expense
in supplying, a necessarily limited
quantity of them.
Last season at one haul thru a shall
low pond bordering the Mississippi Mr..
Johnson's SEEMING crew captured fully
100000 young suntish which We're
promptly dumped into the main chan
nel. If the south demands sunfish. the
of the local hatchery
will supply in a weeks time more than
all the hatcheries in the country could
breed in year
This work was started fifteen Years
ago by Superintendent Bartlett OF the
Quincy, H.. station. and is row being
carried forward along the Illinois and
rivers. Mr.. Johnson has
been a prominent figure in the move
ment, and is constantly working to the
end of establishing stations all along
the mississippi. at once greatly in
creasing the effectiveness of the fish
and materially reducing
the expense of the same. What is now
is AN increase in government
appropriations.