The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-25
FISH ARE READY.
State Hatchery Car Will Soon
Be on Way.
Every Stream in Kansas Will
Be Stocked.
HODGIN is IN CHARGE
Pratt Man Fills Bent MurdOck's
Chair.
Will Be No More Fish for Pri-
vate Ponds.
HODGIN is IN CHARGE

The annual distribution of fish from
the state hatchery at Pratt will COM
mence the first of next week. The car
will leave for the eastern part of the
state on its initial trip. The distribu-
ton will last during the month of No
vember. During that time the officials
expect to have every stream in Kansas
stocked with the best fish ever raised
in this state.
A new plan for the giving away of
the fish has been inaugurated by War
den Murdoch of the hatchery, Cover
nor Stubs and State Auditor Nation.
This plan is to have every representa-
tive of the extreme western and east
ern counties make arrangements with
men in their districts and meet the
hatchery car. Here they will receive
their share of the fish to be distributed
by the state and with them they Will
stock their streams.
In former years it has been GUS
tomary to stock private ponds with the
state fish. This year Warden Murdoch
has planned to do away with this
scheme and he has given his assistant
to understand that nothing but the
public streams of Kansas; will receive
an apportionment of the public fish.
Acting Warden Victor Hodgin has
been in Topeka the last few days in
consultation with Governor Stubs on
the new hatchery plans and he is en-
thusiastic over the state wide stream
idea.
No Fish for Private Ponds.
'It does not do the state any good
to have these fish stocked in private
ponds" said Mr.. Hodgin this morning.
"The original plan of Mr.. Murdoch
was to have the streams over the state
placed in good fish condition and it
is my policy to carry out his plans. We
will try and see that every stream in
this state is sufficiently stocked to war
rant a good crop of fish and this is the
idea of asking the representatives of
the state to attend to the stocking of
their own streams"
Formerly deputies from the car at
tempted to stock the state streams but
this is a task that can not be accom-
plished to the satisfaction of all. The
county representatives will appoint
their own deputies and through this
source the streams in that county will
have proper attention and the private
ponds will be ignored.
Ever since Warden Murdoch has been
seriously i'll at his home the work at the
state hatchery has been under the care
and supervision of Victor Hodgin- IL
young man who owns practically all of
the property around the hatchery and a
man who has taken such an interest in
the institution that he has contributed
thousands of dollars worth of material
and labor to the upbuilding of the fish
plant It is the opinion of Governor
Stubbs that Mr.. Murdoch could not have
appointed a better substitute warden.
Mr.. Hodgin has carried out the plans OF
the warden to every detail and he has
inserted several ideas of his own that
have greatly improved the efficiency OF
the hatchery.
Only Bass and Croppie.
The two predominant varieties of fish
10 be distributed out over the state dur
Ing the coming month will be lass and
croppie. These are the best food pro-
ducers in Kansas as far as the fish
hatchery is concerned. This statement
viii startle the old guards who havl
haen Aghtdng for cat fsh-includinS th