The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-04-08
DEAD FISH
Al Lewlst0Wn Reservoir Bring
Out a Communication.

In your lsaue Of March 81 IA noticed
the report of the Fish and Game Com
mission and through their investigation
find that in every instance where the
dead fish We're found they were of the
carp variety. This is q mistake and
can be proven by many people. In
many instances dead carp were found
but in great many more instances
dead bass and blue-gills were found. 80
numerous a. to greatly out number all
other kinds. as instances can be proven
where one hundred ind fifty bass
were gathered in one boat load of fish
without moving the boat. They were
bass that would weigh from one to six
pounds.
LIKE HANDLING POTATOES.
Many instances occurred where
screened scoops were used and dead
blue gills and bass handled as one
would handle potatoes or corn with e
scoop shovel Chief Game Warden Por-
terfield states sit was q good thing in
a way that many carp have been
killed. II ii WAS such good thing
that many carp have been killed would
il not have been better thing to have
given people privilege of killing them
and taking them out at their own cost
rather than the State of Ohio bearing
the expense of burying them. II is
true that many tons of carp have been
killed yet when we consider numbers
they can soon be replaced by q very
few big old fellows when we can safely
count on about eight million young
ones TO each old one.
NO GAME FISH.
II il was such good thing that many
carp were killed and if Mr.. Portsrfield
expects to exterminate them by the
freezing and smothering process then
there will be- NO game fish left The
bass die FIST. next the blue. gills. lastly
the carp.
THE bass and other game fish al
ways hunt deep water said he.
'when cold weather comes on and
consequently escape death. . This is
another mistake as facts OF the past
can be proven. I refer him to one in
stance. The winter before the present
law was passed or in the months of
December and January. 1900 and 1901
respectively, there were nearly ten tons
of chilled bass taken out through the
ice. the water being from two to three
feet deep. in which were multitudes
of blue gills. yet not one dead carp
could be seen. All hAd access to deep
water yet the game fish did not seek
il.
FISH WANT AIR.
When these numerous holes were cut
through the ice and the fish got access
to air it stopped their dying or at least
there were no dead fish TO be seen the
next spring. But not so this spring.
conditions being the same except thar
tine people were not permitted to cut
out the chilled fish while they were
bNoA- AhO Acoaih 30 ~ hhc iCo't toita-
lstion that one hundred tons of fish
have perished for the want of air.
worth at market price $4,000. and
more than would be caught in set nets
in three years Besides it will cost the
state nesry 5000 to bury them.
/ will offer question for discussion
as follows: Resolve, that the present
law caused more loes when considered
as dollars and cents in destroying of
fish at the Lewistown reservoir than
would be required to paw the officials
for the lime spent here protecting
them.
The above question is open for dis
cussion. We challange any man in the
state of Ohio to take the negative side.
JOHN NEwLAND,
Lakeview, O., April 8, 1904.