The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-12

suckers ("flat-back'D 90 back to the
rivers ana ponds from thv.crrcis after
'neir breeding season is over.
seems that they are not In the
hahlt OF climbing the streams in the
periods OF heavy floods when thcv
could pass over the dams, owing prob
amy TO the extreme mudd!ncss OF the
watcr. 1t therefore becomes necessary
to build nshways. commonly called
nsh-ladders. over the dams. in order
thht the nsh may get over. This il
no impractical scheme. These ladders
are IN use on many rivers. both In
North America and In Europe. There
was once noted aalmon river in Scot
,amd' IN ascending which the salmon
Were nlways stopped by n heavy fall.
700 nigh for them TO jump; a fish
ladder was built around this fall and
Thereafter the upper half of this river
was fuli or salmon each season. Many
States after being damned were found
to gradually become almost clean OF
hsh. while the shad disappeared as
completely as It has in the waters
Later on these dams We're providul
with ladders. were stocked with young
shhd and other fish. and now afford
a Douhtifui supply, just would the
streams OF the James River system II
inc dams were properly arranged.
have been told that Boshcr's dam.
above Richmond, once boastcd "A fish,
ladder. but that instead Of helping
.
nice fish trap for the people OF the
neiShborhood. II such were the facts
II was the fault of the men who built
Usnicr tho old contract +, devo,vea
upon The owners OF the franchise. g.
me canal company and aftcrward the
'aliroad comphny-to maintain the
on all its dams. Later on a deal
to take out all the dams not in use
ana TO build certain bridge. the
state taking over upon herself all
the duty OF Keeping ladders on the
dams remaining In place. But since
thht Time II a single effort to build
or keep Il ladder has ever been made
L nave never heard OF IT,
PREVIOUS to the building OF tho dams
the James swarmod with shad every
spring, and have been told they wcr.
often s0ld from the seine at from
20 TO so cents barrel. Now. shad
must go UP river into fresh water
10 breed. Thus IL appears that Il spawn
Ing ground of size sufficient to breed
untold millions of young, besides fur
nishins to the pconic Of this valley
hundreds of thousands OF pounds III
food fish, of which they are now de-
priHcd, all hinges on the c;Lrelcssncss
of these same people. harsh thing
were to arise and declare themselves
they could I'm three or four years time
nave. The beginning of n supply of nsh
which would ultimately. astonish them
1t IS tho fish who arc permanent
residents that VIC must keep in mind
also--bass, club silver perch. pike.
Dream Ga rosy headed. tsamcy ilsh
called white chub). suckers of Mt least
three kinds, catfish and other less
valuable kinds. All arc present in
small numbers. but would be plentiful
If they had the free run, OF the
rivers. And to these I am quite GER
tain several more would be added If
the ladders were built, as then We
could ask the United states Fish Com.
mission to stock tho rivers.
I have recently had some CORE
spondcncc with the Fish Commission
and from recent letter relative to
the scarcity, Of fish IN the James
may he attributed to number of
causes. excessive fishing, pollution of
the waters and inadequate protective
laws being the most important fac
tors.
There is more or less Of a mtgra.
and the erection of flshways in dams
forming an obstruction to the free
passage of Ash Is strongly advocated
Tho construction and maintenance OF
coming wholly within the jurisdiction
of the States concerned, tho Federal
government having no authority in
such rnattera.'
II any one were to suggest that the
Federal government should take charge
to this matter II would be cried down
as being an invasion of States rights;
yet tho people who arc most concerned
In the question pay no attention at
nil to It. While IL the subject Of lad
ders be mentioned to tho owners OF
of hystcria, saying that the cost would