East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-11-12
LOCAL ANGLERS WAX
EXCEEDING WROTH
CRIMINAL WASTE OF
TROUT AROUSES INDIGNATION
Display of Beautiful Redsides IN Lo-
cal Window, Representing Part of
Waste I'm IIermston Dltchos
Through Failure to Screen Outlets
of ReservOlrs-Action Will Be Ia
ken.

If there is anything in the old su-
perstition about burning ears, the
government officials who are respon-
sible for the wholesale destruction OF
trout in the Umatilla project at Her
mission, have certainly needed ice
packs on their heads today. They
have been censured and condemned
in the past but the verbal roastings
which they received heretofore has
been nothing in comparison to the
quantity of abuse which has been
heaped upon their guilty heads dur
ing the course of this day by the citi-
zens Of Pendleton.
The cause for the extra amount of
indignation expressed was the display
of beautiful trout in the window of
the LaDow & Peterson store on Main
street, with sign declaring that be-
tween 10000 and 10000 fish, just
like them and larger were destroyed
on the irrigation project during the
past few weeks because of the negli-
gence of the government officials.
Nearly all day long there was a
crowd about the window and the
opinions expressed would not look
good in a family paper or be permit
ted to be transmitted through the
mails.
Confronted with unmistakable evil
dence of the destruction at one full
sweep of more trout than have been
taken by all the anglers of Umatilla
county within the past five years, the
officers and members of the local
anglers association are determined
to bring the guilty men to justice. 1t
is not the desire or the purpose of the
organization to prosecute men, but II
is the desire of the organization to
protect the fish and II in order to pro-
tect the fish it becomes, necessary to
bring prosecutions against indivd-
uals and against the government, this
will be done and done without any
more delay than will be absolutely
In order that every provision of the
law may be complied with, District
Attorney Phelps is now engaged in
drawing up a notice which the Mast
er Wish Warden will authorize to be
served upon the official in charge
Of the government project, 1t will be
served by the sheriff, and II he does
not then comply with the require
ments of the law in the matter OF
screens he will be prosecuted III
there is not money enough In the [
hands of the proper state officials TO |
carry on the prosecution. the local |
men will go down into their own
pockets to provide the necessary |
funds In addition to this. the serv-
ces of two local attorneys have al
-eady been volunteered.
The indignation Is not confined 10
hose who fish for one man in the
,rowd before the display of fish TINS
morning was heard to say, Il could
,ot catch trout in so years, out that
G outrage and the man
Who is responsible for such condi-
ion should be made to suffer-
The statements made by the en-
,ineers at Hermston that the screen
aw cannot be complied with Tor the
.eason that the screens could not De
,ept clean is secuted by those VINO
,hould know what they are talking
,bout. 1t is admitted that the screens
vould need cleaning, but it is de-
dared that screens are maintained
n California, Colorado, Nevada ana
nany other places where there is ir-
.igation and that in those states the
nan who constructs a ditch without
,royiding the necessary screens Is
ooked upon with the same degree Oh
.ontempt as a cattle thief.