Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-06-04
Commissioner Lincoln Says Mil
lions of Them We're Car
"ied Into Ponds
WILL DIE WHEN WATER LEAVES
Immediate Action Should Be Taken to
Rescue Them and Return Them to
the Rivers-state Asked to Furnish
Money to Take Up the Work-Thou-
sands Rescued Already.

Des Moines, June 4.-George A. Lin
coin, of Cedar Rapids, state game and
| fish commissioner. arrived in Des
Moines yesterday morning to consult
the best plan to pursue to raise funds
TO prevent fish carried into the low
lands by high water from being de-
erlmated as soon as the waters begin
to subside. Mr. Lincoln stated after
the conference that Governor Cummins
had taken the matter under considera-
ton. and that there is little doubt that
some action will be taken to secure thu
needed money.
According to Mr.. Lincoln the number
of fish endangered by the floods
amounts to millions They are TO be
found in thousands in the ponds and
bayous along the rivers Of the state.
Unless some action for their rescue is
taken. Immediately, they will all be
killed when the water subsidies.
The bayous along the Des Moines.
Cedar Coon and Wapsipineon rivers.
are literally alive with fish, said Mr..
Lincoln yesterday. There are mill
ions of them and unless immediate ac-
ton Is taken they will be killed. Last
year we had trouble in taking care
OF fish stranded by high water. but
this year the matter is much more SER
ious and unless prompt action is taken
the finny tribe in this state will be
wiped out of existence.
The fish sought the quiet waters as
soon as the rivers commenced to rise.
This carried them into the flats in
thousands and they continued there
after the waters commenced to sub
side, owing to their Discrimination to
get into the swift current. that would
have taken them back into the main
body of the stream. Today hundreds
of thousands of fish are stranded in
the ponds. so shallow that their fins can
be seen every time they move. AS soon
as the waters in these ponds begins
to dry up. these fish will all die of
During the past few days I have !
been working with a crew of men in the
of Cedar Rapids. We have
been taking the fish out with seines
and throwing them back into the river. |
have been rescued in this /
way. but there are hundreds of thou I
sands of others that will die in other
parts of the state unless something is
done for them right away.
in a public park at Cedar Rapids,
which has been flooded with water, we
found thousands of fish. The water
was fairly alive with them. l went to I
work there with seine and within a I
few hours had taken most of them /
out and placed them in the river.
Last year the state legislature. thru
IN oversight, neglected to appropriate
money for my department. All OF the
'llnds l had at MY disposal have been
spent and the department in the pres +
mt contingency is helpless unless
money is raised TO hire men, and ge.
hese fish to the rivers. ! have already
.ent out all of the nets owned by the
department. or seized in recent years.
,ut there are not enough to cope with
he situation.
Governor Cummns has assured
he that money will be raised from
ome source 20 pay the bills. and I am
o go ahead with the work. | hope
within few weeks to save thousands
# fish"
owing to the fact that the executive /,
ouncil spent most of the money in the
contingent fund some
months ago. it finds itself in a serious
at present. Money is !
eeded for number of uses and the
aembers of the council have already
zen compelled to borrow money on
heir own signatures in order to defray
he expenses of needed repairs at Glen !
rood 1t is not known how money is