Evening journal., 1904-06-06
ADVOCATES
HATCHERIES
New Castle Man Indicates
Remedy for Preserving
Failing Shad Industry
TO OBSERVE FLOWER MISSION DAY
Special to The evening journal.

Special to The Evening Journal
New Castle. June 6.-The practical
failure of the shad season in the
Delaware is a subject which is creating
considerable interest throughout this
section, not only on the part Of the
fishermen and those directly concern
ed but also with the business men and
the public generally
Taking former seasons as an average
It is estimated that the fishermen OF
New Castle have heretofore cashed
about S50.000 by their seasons work. In
comparison 1t is stated that the pres
ent year brought In only about S20.000.
This shortage is a loss not only 10
the men who did the work but to the
town i'm general.
Various reasons have been suggested
as to the cause Of the failure. and those
who are in "a position to know charge
it up to the failure Of the government
matches to produce good results.
In speaking Of the matter yesterday
afternoon, Edward f. Rogers, who was
formerly in this service, said:
"The work done I'm the Delaware river
by the United States Fish Commission
does not amount to row of pins The
number Of shad placed in the river is
not q drop i'm the bucket. Only a
small percentage Of the fish live, most
of them being killed by filth. The sew
age from Philadelphia is rapidly de-
pleting the river of the young fish. The
large number OF nets amounts to moth
ing so far as decreasing their number
is concerned. They are decreasing be-
cause the government Is not paying
enough attention to the propagation Of
young fish. What we need is a hatch-
| cry I'm this part of the rivera hatch
cry which will do some good and is not
merely n junketing tour FOR those em-
ployed in it.
1T has been found by experiment
that shad viii invariably come back
to the waters in which they were
Matched. In making this test a small
silver ring was attached to the tails of
the young fish when they were liber-
sted. During the following seasons
! these fish were caught in their native
waters but were never seen elsewhere.
Like them artin which returns to the
nest where it was hatched, although II
migrates to Southern Texas, So does
the shad. The young fish go out TO
sea and when they reach the Brazilian
| coast off South America they myster-
! iously disappear. Scientists have never
| yet been able to determine what be-
! comes Of them, any more than they
know what constitutes their food.
Nothing has ever been found In a
shad's stomach which, upon investiga-
tiOn, would indicate the nature Of his
sustenance.
"The natural instinct Of these fish
causes them to return year after year
to their native waters for the purpose
OF depositlng The spawn.
"A few years ago the government
tried the experiment Of Matching then
in some Of the waters tributary to the
Pacific Ocean The work was success
fully accomplished; the fish grew anC
thrived, but when they went out to sea
they were lost, instead of having a
definite point in view they were ap.
parently helpless and remained neal
the coast and the neighborhood Of theii
home waters. They were thus a con
stant prey to the fishermen and were
taken at all seasons.
"A strong appeal should be made L
the United states Senators in this sec
tion to use their influence toward hav
ing government hatcheries tablshe
further down the river where the younl
fish would be free from the contamina
ton of Philadelphia sewage. 1t il
claimed that the Fish Hawk has lib
Grated about five or six million shal
this spring. The probabilities are tina
not more than a million and a half o
these have survived.
Unless something is done soon, tn
I shad viii follow the sturgeon and dis
lappear. Sturgeon that were formerl.
worth dollar are now worth sixt
dollars. They are becoming YER
scarce. Shad are doomed to the sam
fate unless the matter is taken up b.
our United States Senators and intelli
4 gent and effective hatcheries establish
{ ed in this section Of the river"
e Contribute to Flower Mission.
The many friends Of the local branc
r of the w. c, T. u. are preparing {
e contribute flowers for use on nowe
). mission day. which will be observe
p on Thursday next. The collection wi
be received at the home of Mrs. Ed
ward Challenger on Second street.
City Offices the sick. the several troi
ley crews and friends Of the ladies wi
e be remembered generously. There az
o many beautiful flowers i'm New Cast
= and the supply viii be drawn on unit
@ sufficient have been secured to 6
[ round.
l. Won Three Games.
Saturday was a lucky day for Ne
e Castle baseball teams all round. Thre
r teams from this city played and a
2 won out.
The only game played at home wa
:, that between the New Castle nine an