Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-12-29

A contract mas been signed at
Fredericton by which the New Bruins
wick provincial government guaran-
tees principal and interest on not more
than SIS, 200 900 of bonds of the st.
John & Quebec Electric Ry., that
guarantee to cover bonds issued upon
POS miles of electric freight-carrying
railway from st. John. along the val
ley of the St. John river to Grand
Falls. The 1870 miles from st. John
to Aroostook Falls is TO be part OF
the proposed electric railway between
the cities of st. John, \. L, ana
Quebec, P. O. The promoter is Ar
thur r. Gould of Presque Isle, Me,
president of the Aroostook Valley Il.
r.. which railroad was granted a
charter by the Maine Legislature las;
March for that portion of the line
which will cross northern Maine.
Harry y. Atwood, the aviator, has
signiffed his Willingness to permit
Portland To share in his fame Mr.
Atwood wishes to add TO his laurels
by excelling the worlds over water
hyGroplane record, and is confident
he can accomplish this. in his new
hydro plane, by making the Point OF
Pines. Mass, his point of departure
and Portland. the port into which
his -hydro-plane sails. Mr.. At
wood asks no compensation of any
kind for his exhibition before the
crowds of strangers who will flock to
Portland, and the dangers of his
journey, other than the aeeruing fame
~ H., of him Golf and
his crew in making the costly flight.
which expenses will reach about 5000.
The scallop season is now at It's
height, and 100 power boats are gath
ering them all along the Maine coast
for the markets in the large cities.
1t is estimated that nearly 100000
pounds, valued at nearly 100000 will
be shipped from the State this sea-
son. About q gallons per day has
been the average catch. 2. X. Reed,
of Owls Head took, one day, 175 gall
Ions, which would net him, at the
average price of 80 cents, $3.50 for less
than "A hours work. The largest
catch between daylight and dark is
said to have been 40 gallons. Two
men working together took 63 gallons
in two hours and three-quarters. In
rough weather fishing is Impossible.
and many fishermen therefore leave
home in the early hours. when the sea
is ealmer than later in the day and
long before il is light. The power
boat and the dredge used in fishing
are costly. Many of the dredges are
lost, and each new one costs $40 to
replace II. Recently, some fishermen
in Penobseot bay carefully and labori-
ously brought 300 pound rock TO the
surface, which although a. conclusive
proof of the former tensile strength
Of their dredging apparatus was
hardly a satisfactory substitute for
the seven or eight bushels of scallops
which they expected would greet
their eyes and fill their wallets when
it reached the surface. However, the
fishermen have further opportunity,
until April Is, to meet Dame Fortune
through the kindly offices of the little
scaliops.
The interest in the State fish hatch
cry on Rangeley Stream is wide
spread, and not infrequently from 90
to 200 visitors register their names in
the book kept for that purpose in the
main building. In this institution are
exhibited eggs and salmon of all sizes
from the tiny fish beginning TO swim
to the ten or 20-pound salmon. The
hatchery was established in 1903.
During the past three years the rec
ord shows more spawn taken and
more frys planted than in any four
previous years. This has been the
banner year, showing a gain of 3oo,-
600 eggs. in 1911, over 1910, these being
divided into an increase of 100000
trout eggs and a decrease of 100000
salmon eggs. 10000 fish have been
planted widely in streams. ponds and
lakes, throughout the Rangeley Sec
ton: and the work of transporting
them to their native element is an
arduous task rather than the simple
achievement one would lightly sur
mise without learning the details.
The small fish are shipped in cans,
made especially for the purpose, and
sometimes have to be carried on the
backs of men for a distance of two
or three miles. Long rides have to
be taken, on teams, boats and trains,
some destinations can often only be
reached by long and tiresome walks,
in arriving at suitable places to re-
lease the tiny creatures who are 10
grow to edible size and help fill the wa
ters with food for the human race. An
interesting event is the annual sweep
ing of the pool on Rangeley Stream
lust below the railroad bridge. When
this is done, men in a boat haul IN
the seine, and when the net is IN
shallow water, it is sometimes neces-
sarv TO use a hand dip net to clean
IL out. il is so crowded with fish.
This fall, in three sweeps there were
taken from this little pool, which IS
only about 100 feet wide, between ESQ
and 900 fish, beside the spawn. the
latter were of course returned TO the
pocl to run back into deep water Tor
she winter, and the big fish, which IN
Guided a 15-pound salmon, were car
ried in tubs to the hatchery.