The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-09-24
FRANK Z. HOWE, Editor and PubIishe
sawdust In Closed Streams.

Local attorneys have expressed the
opinion that there are good grounds
for a suit. to be brought by the attor
ney general In the interests of the
state at large. In the case OF the saw
mill which was recently constructed
ON Cold brook In the town OF Arllng
ton.
A year ago n number OF pub.
lie spirited citizens OF Arlington assist.
cd by County Game Warden Harry
Chase, carried through the necessary
legal steps 10 close Cold brook. which
Is q small tributary OF the Battenklll
river. for a period OF three years, In
order 10 make the stream breeding
water for trout The brook II too
small TO ever be- OF any value as a
/ fishing stream but the conditions were
deemed to be especially good for the
raising OF small trout which as they
attained sufficient size to become game
Tor the angler would naturally find
their way into the Ba'tcnkill.
The necessary releases Of the water
20 the state for the purpose OF growing
trout were secured from the land
owners along the stream and after
the brook had been legally closed the
warden made application TO the hat.
cherries and secured $4,000 fry and
5000 lingering trout which were plant.
cd In the closed water. During the
summer the little trout thriycd won.
dcrfully. thoroughly demonstrating the
correctness Of the judgment OF those
who selected the stream for a breeding
feeder. a few weeks ago when John
W. Titcomb. OF the bureau OF fisheries.
was in this section h. inspected the
brook and stated that he had seldom
seen so many trout in such small
stream.
These conditions. so gratifying 70
the sporismon and to an who are inter.
csiod In maintaining the reputation
OF the Battcnkill territory as the third
best trout fishing section In the United
States. Il IL asserted by those who have
made a study Of fish culture. are b..
Inr aunihilatsd by the sawdust from
the mill recently put In operation by
/ g. 81. Vaughn. County Game Warden
Harry Chase states that the bottum
~ the stream below the mill ~ covered
with n coating OF sawdust and that h.
found in this deposit a number Of dead
trout State Fish and Game Commits.
sioncr n. O. Thomas Of Stowe H.
thoroughly wrought up over the matter
and condemns the location Of the saw.
mill NJ this particular spot In vigorous
terms
The matter may b. laid before At.
toncy General Fits 10 determine II
possible whether or not the state g.
entitled 10 protection OF trout that
have been placed In closed waters
The state has lcglslaicd to the effect
that Il will nnc a fisherman $50 Tor
catching a single trout In stream
that has been closed and stocked By
the state. Why then. say the fisher
men. has not the commonwealth some
redress AGAINST what they claim is
wholesale destruction.
The location Of tho sawmill on Cold
brook 81 particularly condemned hy
the Arlington sportsmcn for several
reasons ono of them II that the
owner Of the land at the time the
stream was posted signed the release
~ the water 60 the state. Another
claim u that the pollution 81 tn bronx
could have been avoided By the 10
cation Of the mill NJ some other point
az tn water ~ used only 10 on TIE
boiler and carry away the sawdust a
trench having been dug 20 that Inc
stream flows directly under the sew.
Should n suit be- brought hy the a.
tonoy general u r. hoped that u vii
settle some Of the questions that hay,
developed IN the controversy. II th,
state cannot protect closed water
from pollution by sawdust and othci
refuse. n the claims Of the hsh cultur
lists that such pollution IL dcstructiy,
of nsh life are correct. then II u use
less for the state 10 continue the prac
tlcc Of closing and stocking streams
Mr.. Vaughn declares that he ~ Il
no way responsible as he does not owl
the mill but merely conducts II for tn
l owner who states that the mill II onll
a temporary AFFAIR and will be shu
down for good In about three weeks
| tie says that 20 dispose Of the sawdus
In my other way would have been to-
oXponclyc.
II To the Hammer. at least. the explain
alton appears 90 make the matte
worse II is we'll known that turninI
sawdust into stream spoils Il 70
trout for n term Of years. No othc
one thing has done 40 much 10 destro
the trout fishing In Vermont waters a
the sawdust IN streams and when
stream IL deliberately ruined just 4
| get rid Of the snwdust Of paltry Nj
: weeks saving II IN more rcgrettabl
. than II the mill were 10 be- perma
nont institution from which the CON
munity could derive some continues
good az an Offset 10 the sacrifice OF on
moro of Vormont'a rauidly decreaginl