St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-12-17
VOL. LXV---NO. 3415

improvements at the Hatcnery'
No More sawdust in sIeepers River
Over a Million and One-Hnlf Trout
Eggs already Received.
The passage of the bill TO prevent the
pollution OF Slesp,rs river vi h saWdust
assures extensive improvements at the
National Hatchery and brings about a
result which Former Supt. Titcomo had
long been striving for. Ever since the
Hatchery was established the sawdust
from the two mills at North DanvllIe
village has bothered the officials at the
station and only last week the ice had to
be cut away above the dam and the saw
dust removed to get pure water tor rear
ing the fish. In fact If the bill had not
passed it can be stated on good author
ty that the hatchery would have been
abandoned.
Ever since it's establishment here about
ten years ago, the hatchery has accom-
p!ished much good in stocking the
streams anu ldkCS VI fCl hOhN WA"
trout. 1t was the ambition of John W.
Tt comb during his tsrm as superlntend--
ent o make it one OF the best stations in
the United States, and the new super1n
tendent, E. N. Garter, is working Tor the
same end, and this result is now assured.
The hatchery takes it's water supply
from Sleepers river, but while the water
| is of excellent quality tor the purpose, the
| stream is small and the storage equip.
r1ent so inadequate at certain seasons OF
the year that 1t is simpossibe to MAINTAIN
the water at a temperature necessary for
Matching eggs successfully. To overcome
this difficulty Congress at recent session
appropriated the sum of $4,000 for the
purpose OF improving the water supply.
At this time it was planned to build a
dam across narrow gorge above the
hatchery thus forming reservoir cover
ing a surface of more than one hundred
acres and giving the hatchery an mex
haustible supply of cold water. This
was objected to by E. & T. Fairbanks
& Co., whose extensive scale factory is
located on the river about mile below
the proposed dam. Because OF this OBJ
lection the project was abandoned, but
the appropriation is still available and
another plan has been devised which will
bring about the desired result, and IS
free rom objections.
The plans contemplated include the
raising Of the dam eight or ten inches
and the construction of the big reservoir
to hold nearly three million gallons of
water. By raising the dam the water
above would be deeper and lower tenn
perature could be secured in summer Tor
the hatchery. The present reservoir con
tains about 270,000 gallons OF water
which is not enough for half days sup
ply and by having one many times slargei
water could be stored to last severa
DAYS and more uniform temperature
secured. The appropriation must be
used for "improving the water supply al
the ST. Tohnsbury station" and tor nc
other purpose and the great trouble has
; been to secure a uniform temperature
| In December the temperature is almost
: 80 and in midsummer it often runs into
5 the hatchery at temperature OF st
| degrees, coming as it does directly iron
the hot stones OF the river without havln&
time to get cooled in the reservoir.
Incidentally it may be remarked tha
d this is the time OF the year to see tn
Hatchery at its best as trout are nov
Matched "while you wait" Supt. Carte
has received l, 100000 trout eggs tror
the various stations and there are 200
900 lake trout eggs.