Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1909-08-19
DYNAMITING UNLAWFUL.

Our attic ntion is called frequently to
the fact that people with no regard for
law persist in dynamiting the streams
of this section, thereby destroying
great numbers of fish, large and small.
This is a practice which should be
stopped, and the law of Tennessee is
very explicit on the subject.
Chap. 4S9, Acts OF 1907, Sec. ., de-
clares:
"That it shall be unlawful, except
as hereinafter provided, for any person
or persons to catch, take, KILL or
wound any fish in any of the streams,
lakes, rivers or ponds in the State OF
Tennessee by seine, trap, gun, grab
| bling. gig, poison, dynamite, giant
powder, gunpowder, fish berries, lime,
orin any way or by any continuance or
device whatsoever, except by angling
with rod and line, or by trot line. Any
person or persons violating this sec
ton, or any of the provisions thereof.
shall be guilty of misdemeanor, and
upon conviction shall be fined in sum
Of not less than twenty-five, nor more
than one hundred dollars for each Of
Tense; and if the conviction is for the
use of dynamite or other explosives,
shall pay fine of two hundred dollars
and be imprisoned not less than six
months nor more than one year.
Dynamiters will note that the penalty
is extra heavy for the use of dynamite,
as this is a peculiarly aggravating
method of fish destruction. When a
charge of dynamite is exploded In a
stream, the young fish are destroyed as
we'll as the old, and moreover not half
the fish that are of size to be consum-
ed on the table are recovered as the
bass, or trout, as they are popular
" misnamed, sink to the bottom, and
can only be gotten out by diving, and
as dynamiters are towards they do not
linger long in the vicinity of where
they have exploded charge for fear
of detection, and large number of
fish remain in the water to decay.
This penalty as we have said, is ex-
ira heavy--a fine of 5000 and from 6
months to years Imprisonment, and
it is the duty of every lawabiding
citizen who may come in possession of
evidence which will convict parties
guilty of dynamiting, to give such in
formation to the proper parties to en-
force conviction. The streams of Ten
nessee would be filled with fine game
fish, besides other varities, if this
abominable practice was stopped, and
stopped it will be, sooner or later, for
men, who have their eyes open to the
advantage of keeping the streams
stocked with fish, are going to take &C.
ton to protect the fish in every way
possible, and will take every means
possible to detect the dynamiter, and
stop him from pursuing his nefarious
business.
The use of dynamite means no fish
for any except the rascal who drops ii
into the river. In other words the one
benefits at the expense of the many.
To satisfy his own appetite for fish he
destroys great numbers of the fnny
tribe, converting waters that are TEEN
ing with fish into barren wastes, de.
void of fish life. That man is a scoun.
drel and a coward and knows he is,
for he is fully aware that he breaks
the law when be dynamites, and sc
slips around until he has completely dy,
namited locality. This is the actor
of coward and scoundrel, and is or
a par with the malevolence of tn,
barnburner. 1t is also on a par witt
the man who sets fire to the fores
leaves and destroys millions of buckle
berry bushes, which in season would
be loaded with luscious berries, afford
, ing revenue for poor families.
Let us stop this extravaganza ant
act like thinking men in preserving
the things which God has given for tn,
{ use of all and not the few.