The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-09-19
INVEST ICA Ting
DUCK MALADY

The constant rum0r tnat the duckS
OF Utah are suffering an epidemic OF
cholera or some other malady has
placed the sportsmen on the anxious
seat and they have patiently waited
for some definite conclusion regarding
the matter. 1t appears that some
thing tangible is being worked out in
this direction, that the trouble has
been found In bad water near Salt
Lake.
Reports from different sections of
northern Utah during the early part
of the week had ii that all the ducks
of the state were infected, and that
they would be all dead before the
season opened, OF that the state food
and dairy commissioner would put a
ban on the sale OF eating of tho
game,
Yhese rumors, as is usual with most
rHnors. had some foundation, but as
IN the case Of every other rumor,
Gey grew to such exaggerated pro-
portions that none knew but that the
wild ducks and the fascinating sport
of shooting them would soon be as
unheard of as is the olden buffalo
hunts.
The truth of the story is AS fol-
lows.
There is an infection OF the ducks.
and an alarming injection. too among
those that make the Jordan river
near its mouth their feeding place
Ducks are dying by scores in thai
section, whilo hundreds upon hun
dreds are infected with the disease
Scientific men have termed 1t dys-
eDtery. brought about by the stagnant
condition of tho sloughs and the riv-
er itself, from the heavy pouring Of
sewerage water into the stream from
Salt Lake City sewers.
Ducks affected with this disease
have been found on Promontory Point.
Several were dead. while others were
sick in the last stages of their bat
tie with the disease. It Is believed
that these birds flew straight from
the Jordan river district. where they
contracted the disease.
A committee of investigation from
this city made the trip to the Jordan
river flats yesterday and brought
eight of the sick birds back with
them for examination. The party con,
sisted OF Mr.. Bigelow. DR.. Baker.
Willard Hansen, state food and dairy
inspector; John Browning. Francis
Thomas. William Mathers, the Plain
City naturalist, and Game Warden ].
s. Carver and o B. Madison
The party after a careful inyesti
cation of the conditions prevailing
at the mouth OF the Jordan and in
the vicinity reports that 30 per cent
OF the ducks In that section are In
fected with the sickness or have died
from II. and that scores OF birds MI
grating there from other points have
fallen before the scourge.
Eight OF the stricken birds were
brought back TO Ogden. One OF
tagion that 1t died before reaching
here. Another one was killed and
Gissected by Dr. Baker who deter
mined to- flud out for himself the ma
ture OF the disease. After an exam
ination he reached the conclusion that
the birds suffered from dysentery,
and that the disease was caught from
feeding In the sewer water OF the
Jordan flats.
MIR. Carver took the remaining six
birds to his home and fed them gen
erously with bird food and gave them
liberal supply OF clear. fresh water
The ducks soon revived and at last
accounts were Tapping their wings as
active as any barn yard fowl
thorough inspection of the con
ditlons prevailing on the Jordan river
Will be made BY state food and health
officials. The state chemist will an
alyGe the water OF the stream. and
sporting clubs of Salt Lake VIII do
everything in their power to Danish
the sickness that threatens to spoil
such popular sport
Ii was suggested by Salt Lakers
that the river should be channcled
right to and out into the Lake. and
that the sloughs near the mouth be
interlined With canals and channels
that might draw off the sewer watcr.
but this is considered impracticable
by local people
The only feasible solution so far