The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-09-13
STATE TO PROBE
FISH HATCHERY
Governor With Two State Of
ficers Will Investigate.
To Verify or DisprOve Charges
Against Dyche.
LOOK over VAST EXPENDITURE
Hodges Would Peer Into Man.
agement Expense.
Elaborate Laboratory Brings
Up Another Question.
ARE THERE TOO MANY PONDS?
Water Supply at Pratt Worries
State House Officers.
Attorney General and Auditor
on Hatchery Trip.
Elaborate Laboratory Brings
Up Another Question.
ARE THERE TOO MANY PONDS?
Water Supply at Pratt Worries
State House Officers.
Attorney General and Auditor
on Hatchery Trip.

An official investigation of conditions
at the state fish hatchery at Pratt viii
be made Oct. Z by members of the state
executive council. That was the an
nouncement made today by Governor
Hodges. He plans to personally visit
the hatchery and study conditions and
will be accompanied by Attorney Cen
eraI Dawson and State Auditor Davis
Both Dawson and Davis have prom
ised to make the Pratt trip at the sus-
gestion of the governor, who declares
that he is anxious to know the real
conditions of the state fish ponds'
Many charges regarding affalrs at tne
hatchery and the management Oh tne
100000 plant have been made IN the
last few weeks and these charges, state
officials believe. warrant an Official IN
Vestiga ton.
Hodges Wants to Know.
1t was Governor Hodges himself who
MANNED the trip which will result in
state investigation of the hatchery and
its management. Many letters have
been received by the governor regard
ing alleged conditions and he wants
these charges either verified or dis
proven So when he called on Attorney
General Dawson and State Auditor Da-
Wis today. both of these officials read
ily consented to make the trip WITH
him.
only last May the governor spent a
dav at the hatchery. There had been
plenty of rain up to that time and con-
ditionS seemed to be good Then came
the drouth. Ponds which had been
bank full of water went completely
dry. others registered three to five feet
below the normal water supply. Some
of the ponds had but a few inches Of
water in them and still others were
muddy and covered with heavy green
scum and registered temperatures as
high as 80 degrees.
Harrington Was Satisfied.
Reports of these conditions reached
the attention of the governor 1t was
at a time when he could not make a
personal visit to the hatchery. So he
sent Grant Harrington, his private
secretary That was about a week
before newspaper reporters made a
trip to Pratt and secured photographs
of the dry ponds. Returning to To-
peka, Harrington declared that he be-
were good and that there was an
abundance of water and plenty of
fish.
But that didn't stop the rumors
about the states big fish plant.
Against these rumors were Professor
Dyche's assertions as fish and game
warden that he had thousands or
rather millions of fish and more water
came a letter from Professor O'Brien.
of the Nebraska
hatchery in which he laughed at the
Kansas warden's statements and as
serted in just so many words that the
author of such statements was either
a fool or a knaVe.
All of this came to the attention of
Governor Hodges. He didn't say
to make statements for publication.
But now he has called for an official
investigation and has set a day for
the visit to the hatchery.
Rains Have Helped.
Rains in the last few days, of
course. have improved conditions at
the hatchery. They have lessened the
tremendous evaporation which caused
trouble for the hatchery in July and
August. Still, there are about % dry
ponds which may or may not be filled
by the time the official visit is made.
According to Warden Dyche's
these ponds are not dry
because of the excessive drouth or
river to supply ample water, but were
drained in accordance with his in
structionS that they might be plowed /
and narrowed and put in condition
for the winter raising of fish. But |
hat isn't the only thing the state of /
ficials want tc know about They are
Just as anxious to know more about I
The manner in which money is being /
plant as they are to learn whether the !
river is unable to provide J
an S0-acre water surface for the ponds /
md whether it is advisable to aban-
Ion a number of the ponds which /
nave been built
Electric Lights for Hatchery.
For instance in the matter of ex- |
oense, there is the little item of an /.
electric light plant for the hatchery.
no other fish hatchery IN
existence is equipped with an indi-
-idual electric light plant and possible /
'uture white way for the fish ponds.
But that hasn't mattered one bit.
Money is being spent at present to
install an electric light plant at the
Kansas hatchery. And since electric
light plants are rather an expensive
M mprovement and not regarded as en-
irely necessary for successful fish
ulture. the state house officials may
want to know something about the
me which Professor Dyche is build
ng.
rip.
(ContInued on Page Two)