Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-08-31
HOW FISH ARE
BEING KILLED
Dr.. James A. Henshall Calls Attention
to Their Wholesale and Wanton
Destruction.
WHOLLY NEEDLESS SACRIFICE
Screens Needed at the Intake Of All
irrigation Ditches-some suq-
gestions.

irrigation Oitches-Some Suq-
gestions.
DR.. James A. Henshall, the well
known author and sportsman, in
charge of the Bozeman Fish hatchery
has recently written an interesting
letter to the Butte Evening News in
regard to the wanton destruction of
fish and the necessity for some
changes to be made in the present
game law. The letter was as follows:
There are number of causes to
account for the decrease of fish in in
land waters. The one most destruc-
tive in eastern states is the contami-
nation and pollution of the streams
by the offal and by-products of paper
mills, starch factories, beet sugar fac
tories, oil refineries, distilleries, sew
erage, etc. The first effect of this pol
luton of the streams is to destroy the
minute organisms that constitute the
food of the newly Matched fry and
young fish. The young fish, being de-
prived of their food, perish at once.
Adult fish cannot withstand a certain
amount of impurity in water, for a
time, but eventually they also sue
cumb.
''The fouling of waters by the smelt-
ing of ores and it's disastrous effect
on fish is patent to every resident of
Butte. To the washing of coal and to
the mining of ores is also to be at
trlbuted a great loss of fish life.
Where the fish food is not entirely de-
strOyed by the soluble substances. the
insOluble matter is deposited on the
spawning beds, smOthering or killing
the eggs and newly Matched fry. Saw
dust and coal are destructive in this
way.
"The argument is often advanced
that the various industries mentioned
must, as matter of course, be main
tained even at the cost of the loss of
all fish life in inland waters. But this
is not necessarily the case. The evil
can be prevented in a great measure.
!, by compelling such plants to run the
!, offal and waste water in settling
ponds before flowing into the streams,
as is now being done in many places.
by the vigilance of game and fish
wardens the minor evils of illegal fish
ing, illegal sale of fish and dynamiting
can, to a certain extent, be prevent
ed, as punishment for these offenses
is provided for by statutory enactment
But there is another agency of fish
destruction in Montana, so appalling
and widespread that in comparison
with it all the other causes mention
ed sink into utter insignificance. It
is the wholesale destruction of fish,
both large and small. by means of IT.
rigating bitches.
2 mo one, except the ranchers and
: those who have investigated the mat
2 ter. can have a realization Of the awful
l loss of fish life, of the wantOn sacri-
fee of millions of Gods creatures, left
} to gasp out their little lives on the
!, meadows and grain fields all over the
5 great state of Montana. Often the
l stencil arising from the decaying trout
: the loveliest object on Gods foot
, STOOLS intolerable; it smells to
heaven And yet the past legislatures
y of the state have utterly ignored any
I attempt to prevent it.
3 ''There is a needless and unwarrant-
ed opposition to the screening of ditch
4 es at the intake, not SO much on the
d part of the farmers and ranchers as
by the average member of the state
5 legislature. The rancher knows that
Z the streams are clear of leaves and
o trash in the summer, and that but lit
i the screens clean. In know of ranch
t ers who, of their own accord, have put
n in screens at the head of their bitches
d and who assure me that but little at
r, tention is needed to keep them clean
e during the season of irrigation. l do
e not believe that farmers are more sci.
It fish or thOughtless than other men
e. or have less regard for life. even that
1t of a helpless fish. And if a screen
d law were enacted | believe it would
1t be cheerfully obeyed.
d But in order to do away with the
n objections to screens l devised a sim
d pie paddle wheel to be placed at the
If intake of bitches, which. while need
e. ing no attention after being put in
c. place would be more effective in pre-
t, venting the passage of fish than q
screen. Such a provision was includ
n ed in the fish and game law before
ID the last legislature, but it was elimi
1t mated by the fish and game commit
IL tee. Comment is unnecessary.
t, "The streams of Montana are as vel
s. pure and undefiled to great extent
n and should be almost as productive Of
ID fish life as when first viewed by Lewis
IS and Clark. But unless the awfu
a slaughter of the innocents by irriga
Is ton bitches is stopped, and stopped
1t now, the beautiful mountain streams
r of the state will soon be but barrier
W wastes. void of fish life. for which no,
the rancher, but the representatives
n of the people-the legislature-will be
J. to blame.
e JAMES A. HENSHALL,
d ~. S. Bureau of Fisheries, Bozeman
n Montana"