Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1915-01-29
AN ApoLoas 10 MR.. DIXON

IN your issue of the 18th, to nv
little piece relative to the great
salmon industry on Yaquina bay
intimates that | have been mis-
informed as to the work done at
this hatchery. want to be
right; don't want to say or do a
thing that will burt a friend fl
nancially or otherwise, SO will
Friend Dixon please answer me
the following:
Did the large force Of men. be-
ing FIVE or six, while experiment.
Ing with the so-called hatchery
close the river when forced to
stop them to get eggs, then force
them into the trap where they
were sorted, dipping out the fe-
males, then opening the small
gate SO the males could go up
the river to view the natural
spawning grounds? Were thew
allowed this great privilege of
visiting the birthplace of them
selves and ancestors through
mercy or otherwise?
Did this large force of men put
in racks at bridge Twenty-one.
also near the mouth of Thorn
ton creek, both on Yaquina river.
thus keeping the salmon from
going to their spawning grounds
on Yaquina and Little Elk riv-
ers? If so, why was it done?
l have been told this but want
to be right. Was the Elk salmon
hatchery abandoned by a peti-
ton OF all the fishermen on va
quina river and bay? have
been SO told. The trout industry
being almost an experiment Ca
good word is it a fact the river
has been closed during the en-
tire run of salmon this year, and
not single salmon has got I'D
Big Elk this season, but instead
during the season the salmon
have been caught at the expert
ment station, ripped open to Sc
cure the eggs to feed said trout,
and at this time the salmon are
held In large numbers in the
river below the obstruction.
You and ] are old settlers-is it
not q fact that prior to this
hatchery Yaquina was full of
salmon each year, that formerly
we had two canneries running
on Yaquina bay, besides Billy
Toner was shipping tons of fresh
fish? 1t is estimated that there
was 100 fish boats in use, EN-
ploying 200 men, which is a
great many more than 5 or 6.
II the experiment has nothing
to do with US having practically
no salmon, how do you account
for it? Please explain. No dearth
Of salmon on Alsea to our south
or Siletz to the north. Two can
neries run this year and all fish
ermen did well on each of these
streams, and the females are al
lowed to accompany the males
to the natural spawning ground.
l have not heard any complaint
of scarcity of trout in either OF
said streams. Who does Marsh
Simpson blame for the great
scarcity of trout? There is a
great loss somewhere, what
caused it? Is it not a fact that
salmon trout when not detained
by racks or wire netting, go to
the natural spawning grounds?
! sympathize with Marsh in the
great loss of trout, in fact our
sports formerly went to Elk City
to fish, came back with lots of
trout and reported such a good
time, having been treated roy
ally, but this season all visited
Siletz where trout was plentiful.
Before the hatchery we had an
abundance Of salmon, especially
silversides. You being on the
ground and II being only hearsay
with me, will you please explain
why both salmon and trout are
30 scarce in Yaquina and SO
plentiful in Alsea and Siletz, yet
the Commission has been so
heroically spending money doing
the work of nature for Yaquina
and neglecting the other two
streams? Did not the 200 fish
ermen, besides the army of Other
employees in the business bring
more money into the county
than the hatchery ever has, be-
sides the railroad formerly ran
a special each year giving oui
Valley friends an opportunity tc
troll for salmon. Each excur-
sion left more money in the
county than the 5 or 6 hands
employed earned In one season
/ don't want to knock the
county but you say that. hatch.
cries turn out 80 per cent Of al