The San Francisco call., 1910-03-11
CHINESE OPENLY
VIOLATE FISH LAW
Tons of Fresh Sea Denizens De-
stroyed Daily by Shrimp
Fishermen

arc being destroyed daily was estab-
Iished yesterday by the state senate
committee investigating the high cost
of living. In trip around the bay the
committee found large sacks of dried
shrimps ready for shipment to China In
violation of the law.
The committee issued a statement to
the effect that two companies controlled
the catch of sanddnbs and soles, and
that independent dealers were refused
fish by these two companies. Remedial
legislation Will be proposed to the
next session,
Attorney General Webb and District
Attorney Fickert decided at a confer
ence to submit the case against the
fish trust to the grand jury.
Evidence of the wanton destruction
of fish in the waters of the bay was
established yesterday by the state SEN
ate committee which is investigating
the high cost of living. cruise to
McNears point, in Marin county, on
San Pablo bay. took the committee to
one of the three or four Chinese shrimp
fisheries in this vicinity. The senators
were astounded by the discoveries and
were not slow in demanding to know
why the state fish commission had not
been enforcing the law.
DEAD FISH ON SHORE
On the shore of the bay the commit
had just been thrown out of the set
nets used by the Chinese to catch
shrimps In the mass of dead fish,
which would soon be carried out by
the tide, were tom cod smelt, silver
smelt, English sole. plain sole, sand
dabs, eel, herring, skate and small crab.
Most OF the fish were very small. Cats,
tame ducks and gulls were feasting on
the dead fish. Back of the Chinese
shacks were found tubs of fresh fish
which had just been called. These were
the most desirable fish which had
been hauled in by the shrimp fishers.
Large quantities of shrimps were found
spread out on boards to dry. There
were also sacks of dried shrimps ready
for shipment to China in violation of
the law.
The approach of the investigation
party spread alarm among the Chinese.
With but two exceptions they fed to
the hills back of the beach and did not
return until a horn was sounded as the
party embarked.
Considerable quantities of oil which
had escaped from Point Richmond was
also noted on the waters OF the bay by
the committee.
CONFESSES VIOLATIONS
Walter H. Mack, secretary of the
Western fish company, made the as
founding confession yesterday morning
before the state senate committee in
vestigating the high cost of living that
his company had been In the habit of
breaking the law because its cempeti-
tors were doing so. He said the small
fine was a joke.
Joseph Catania. a wholesaler and
Mack both testified that shrimp fishing
should be stopped indefinitely, as the
set nets used by the Chinese caused the
death of large numbers of smelt and
other small fish.
V. Fabris, wholesaler, of the Klon-
dixie fish company, said that he had
been deprived of outside fish for 10 days
by Paladini and Trapani, during which
time he had to secure these fish through
Chinese peddlers.
Chairman Wolfe announced that
when the committee should reconvene
next Tuesday morning Chief Deputy
Fish Commissioner Charles VogeIsang
would be called and that any others
having information as to the high cost
of meat. fruit vegetables or other
necessaries of life would gladly be
heard
The committee made the following
statement:
The committee is of the opinion
that sufficient evidence has been
produced here with reference to
sanddabs and soles and other deep
water fish TO prove that the entire
supply is controlled by two COM
panies; that they are sold at prac
tically the same price and that the
sale of this fish has been refused to
independent fish dealers who ap-
peared to be in the way of those
already engaged in this business.
This committee will recommend a
law to the legislature closing the
shrimp season for at least two
years and also amending the law
increasing the minimum fine and
term of Imprisonment for catching
understood fish, striped bass in
particular. We shall recommend
such amendment to the antitrust
law as in the Judgment of the COM
mittee will make 1t easier to con-
vict men engaged in cornering food
supplies.
we shall recommend a more Wig
orous enforcement of the law pro-
hibiting the deposit of oil and
poisonous chemicals on the waters
of the bay.
UP TO PROSECUTORS s..
AS to anything further that shall
come of this investigation, that
will depend on the district attor-
ney of San Francisco and the at
torney general of the state This
committee has done its duty in pro-
curing the evidence, which evidence
will be turned over to the proper
officers of the state, and it is up to
them to prosecute the offenders of
the law and to see that they are
properly punished.
A conference was held yesterday be-
tween District Attorney Fickert and
Attorney General Webb, as result of
which an investigation of the fish trust
will be undertaken by the grand jury
at its meeting next week.
From an independent investigation
he has made, Fickert believes the facts
justify the return of an Indictment