The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1911-02-10
SPORTSMEN Will Be
INVITED 10 MEET IN
CITY OF COLUMBIA
MIDDLE TENNESSEE ASSoClA-
TON WOULD HAVE STATE
CONVENTION.
The MILLERS MAKE A PROItST
Are Opposed to the Requirement That
Fish Opening Be Placed In All the
Dams of CONFEDERATION Goes to
Committee of Seven.

O'Clock according to call, and the
meeting was one of the largest and
most enthusiastic that has been held
since the organization. Each repre-
sentative present had the interest OF
the association and its work at heart
President John w. Jackson called
the meeting to order and stated the
purpose of the call.
w. J. Webster appeared before the
meeting in behalf of the millers of
the county and presented petition
from the millers signed by more than
fifty mill owners or persons interest
ed in mills in the county asking that
the portion Of the call pertaining to
fish ways be struck out. A motion
was made to this effect, but G T.
Hughes made motion in lieu that
the present meeting take no action
in regard to the mill dams. ETC., but
that the president appoint a commit
tee of seven to communicate with all
other clubs in the State asking that
they meet in a State convention to be
held in Columbia at a near future.
The former motion was then with.
drawn and John B. Ashton made a
short talk stating that the owners of
mills did not object to the fishermen
using their dams and considered the
requiring of putting in fishways would
be a hardship and asked that this not
be suggested to the legislature.
The motion made by G. T. Hughes
was then voted on and carried, with
the amendment that the president
and secretary be part of the com
mittee. The president then appointed
the committee as follows: John w.
Jackson, w. D. Hastings, G. r.
Hughes, Jr, J. J. Gray, w. A. Dale,
John s. Brown and J. M. Dedman.
The secretary read communica-
ton from Senator r. L. Taylor, stat
ing that his sympathies were thor
oughly In accord with Reinforcement
and that all that was required would
be to throw the proper protection
around the fish to secure all the
stock the streams of the State.
W. A. Dale read communication
from Marshall Morgan in regard to
what was being done by the Nashville
Association for the protection of fish
and game. Mr.. Dale also talked about
shortening the hunting season which
was voiced by every member OF the
association present.
A communication from J. G. VIII
liams, of Eagle, Tenn, was also read
before the meeting. The communi-
cation endorsed the action being TAX
en- by the Middle Tennessee Fish and
Game Association and pledges the
support of the sportsmen of that vi
cinity.
Following is the petition present
ed by Mr.. Webster on behalf Of the
millers of the county:
To the Sportsmen's meeting to be
held in Columbia, Tennessee, on
the First Monday in February, t911
We have heard with regret that
there is a movement to force owners
of mill dams to erect some sort Of
fish ways to allow fish to pass up the
streams across which the dams have
been erected. We think this danger
Gus legislation interfering with es-
tablished rights that have been en-
joyed for long periods of years and
entailing on mill owners useless ex.
pense. We are satisfied that any
such laws will be unconstitutional
because interfering with vested
rights They are useless as uncon-
stitutional, as any well informed fsh.
erman knows that all of the best fish
ing for trout and other game fishing
is up stream above these dams. There
is not single year during the run
ming season of fish that the water is
not high enough below the dam 10 al
low the fish to pass over. This Is
proven by the fact that all of the best
fishing is above and the mill ponds
furnish great winter grounds for the
fish. So that these dams instead Of
being in any way deliterious to the
fish culture are a benefit. Besides
this the milling interests of this coun-
ty is far more important than any fish
interest. and the millers should not
be burneded with the expense and
trouble of building and maintaining
any such fish ways.
We therefore earnestly protest
against any such legislation.
We call your attention to the fact
that It Is far more important for your
organization to appoint committees to
nroaacuta ali offenders OF the present