Jefferson jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 1907-1926, 1911-11-10
PEARL INDUSTRY.

o0vO vovOOOo Uvss
San Marcos, Tex. Sept. IS, IL
Hon. Morris Sheppard, Tear
kama, Texas.
Dear Sir:
Your letter OF the 18th inst. 70
hand, and found me just return
ed from Caddo Lake and Cy.
press river. did not get over
the Sulphur, but from what l
could learn the conditions are
the same with all streams that
flow into the lake, mussels every.
where. But the lake has extern
sive mussel beds, 20 great that
it seems possible to fu rni sh moth
er of pearl buttons and orna-
ments for years to come, and
which can be gathered with lit
tie expense. Further, it seems
that these mussels are rich in
the product of pearls and that
many thousands of dollars worth
of this valued ornament has al
ready been taken from its waters
and tributary streams, and there
is no telling the value of this
future fisheries.
To secure the pearls thous-
ands of mussels are opened by
the pearl-hunters and tons of
this valued shell are left to go to
waste thai could be made into
buttons and other mother OF
pearl ornaments of much COM
mercial value.
doubt if this body of water,
Is by 25 miles in area, can be
equaled in it's fisheries products
in the world. l regret to state,
however, that much feeling ex-
lists between the fishermen and
the state authorities. This can
be cured by q cool head and pro-
viding laws giving equal rights
to all. Fishermen are readily han
died with kindness, when you
can assure them that their avo-
cation is not to be taken from
them and can easily be pursua-
ded to obey any reasonable law
that will protect their rights. l,
myself fished for the markets
for twenty years and have seen
some of the evils of One-sided
laws and game wardens who in
many instances wish to exploit
their authority beyond the refs
on or justice. Being an old fish
erman, and always law abiding
one, / believe the following sug-
gestions would go long way
toward preventing bad feeling
between all parties concerned
First. There should be a
closed season, while the fish are
spawning, say from the 18th of
February to the 3Oth of May
each year. During this time
fishing of all kinds should not be
allowed.
Second. When netting is used
for the capture of fish, nothing
less than one-half inch bar mesh
should be allowed. This would
allow all young fish to escape,
and nothing but marketable
sizes would be caught. Hook
and line fishermen seldom catch
very small fish and never in
harmful numbers.
Third. That a reasonable IL
cense should be required of all
fishermen, whether club mem
bers or not. These restrictions
would appeal to all reliable fish
ermen and the reliable ones
would look to their interests and
regulate to the bad ones, and
would relieve the Fish and Game
Wardens of much trouble in
regulating the law.
Now as for water fowl that
visit this lake. The law is al
ready a good one, except the
gunner should be allowed to sell
his surplus and all dealers should
be required to keep a record of
ducks and geese and other water
fowl bought, and of whom. These
provisions, with a moderate fine
for their violation, would, in my
belief, do away with all unkind
feeling. Too much law is not
good, especially when it rather