The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-25
GAME COMMISSION
WANTS MORE MONEY
Board VIII Meet Today and
Vote to Ask for $4,000
Appropriation.

The state game and fish commission
at its meeting today will vote to ask
the legislature at the next session for
an appropriation of about $4,000 with
which TO build q museum, dwelling
houses and additional fish ponds with
in the confines of the Willowbrook fish
hatchery.
The commission owns a collection of
stuffed animal heads, mounted fish
and birds, valued at over $4,000.
These are at present housed within a
small building, little more than a
shack, at the fish hatchery, and in
manner which does not do credit to
the exhibit. The collection Of moose,
caribou and elk heads is alone valued
at $4,000. The commission is having
new specimens mounted for the ST.
Louis exposition, and these will be
added to the collection after the ex-
position.
The commission recently acquired a
tract Of forty acres of land adjoining
the hatchery on the east, in which it is
proposed to build a series of fish
ponds for trout. The ponds will be
fashioned to resemble natural ones, as
much as possible, and will not be sur
rounded with cement walls as the
majority of the present ponds are con-
structed. The feeding of the fish can
thereby be dispensed with, the con-
struction of the ponds enabling the
fish to live on natural food. This
will make them harder and produce
better breedrs. The saving in food
for the fish in one year will pay for
the construction of the ponds.
Location of the Ponds.
The largest pond will be built near
the head of a large spring which is
sues from the bluff. The spring is on
high ground. A dam will be con
structed and the ponds supplied with
water from the spring. The spring is
considerable distance from the
dwelling houses situated on the hatch
cry grounds. If the appropriation is
granted the commission will build a
dwelling house near the spring to pro-
vide housing for Waterman whose
duty it shall be to see that no one in
terferes with the fish during day or
night. Without this precautien it
would be an easy matter for two men
with nets to sweep through the ponds
and gather in hundreds of pounds of
fish.
The commission is cooperating with
the park board and together the two
will strive to make the place one of
the most beautiful natural parks in
the Northwest. The park board in
tends to construct a road along the
bluff and running parallel with the
proposed fish ponds, to connect with
the old Point Douglas road. This
will make a very beautiful driveway,
while serving twofold purpose. Gut
ters will be constructed along the road
which will lead the surface water re-
sulting from heavy rain or the melt
ing of snow, to the river bottoms,
leaving the water in the ponds pure
and clear.
Should the appropriation be granted
it is the intention Of the commission
to construct several additional hatch
cries for the breeding of the fry.
Will Meet This Morning.
The commission will meet this
morning at the Windsor hotel to con-
slider revised plans for the new Glen
wood hatchery. Plans for dwelling
houses and hatcheries were submitted
to the board some time ago, and a pri-
vate estimate given regarding the cost.
The cost was found to be too great
and the plans were referred back to
the architect for revision.
An appropriation of $4,000 was
granted the commission by the last
legislature, and of this amount ST.
600 still remains. A portion of this
will be expended for fencing in the
new hatchery and for making i'm
provements on the old. The remainder
will be expended for dwelling houses
and hatcheries.
The commission will also complete
arrangements for the procuring of
breeding pike from the river below the
hatchery, Pike river, VermilliOn lake
and from the ST Louis river near Fond
du Lac, Mimi. The eggs and milk will
be taken from the pike through the
breeding season at the before named
places in turn, and thereby 1t is eX-
pected the commission will be able to
have a large supply of spawn on hand
throughout the season.
Commissioners w. P. Hill, of Fair
mount, D.6Wsll Meeker, Of MOorhead.
and H. G. Smith, of Winona, registered
at the Windsor hotel last night. Uri
Lamprey and Samuel F. Fullerton, of
st. Paul and Minneapolis respect
lively, complete the commission.