Semi-weekly herald., 1916-05-18
OUR FISH HATCHERY
TO BE UNExcELLEp'

sion of the Durango fish hatchery is
progressing rapidly. Big improve
ments have been planned and when
the work is completed we will have
have one of the finest fish hatcher
les in the state
The whole San Juan is interested
in this improvement for the reason
that practically all the fish placed in
the San Juan streams by the state of
Colorado will be taken from this fish
hatchery. For this reason and in ac-
cordance with the bill passed by the
last legislature it has been deemed
advisable to build an up-to-date hatch
cry here and one large enough to sup
ply the San Juan streams.
Addition to the North.
A twelve-foot addition has been
placed on the north of the building,
or rather the old building has been
extended ~ feet to the north. Then
just beyond this there has been built
sump or retaining pond. Here the
water is either diverted and turned
outside the building or it may pass
thru pipes into the hatchery. Be
| fore there was no control of this
| water, it passed thru the hatchery all
| the time and there was no way of
diverting it.
An Immense Spring.
Coming from under the Fassbind-
er property and opening upon the
surface as it approaches the state
| ground is one of the largest springs
in the state of Colorado. The term
spring is not properly descriptive of
the stream of water that flows from
the north, coming out of the bank,
and directed into the sump, to again
| DE directed at will into the hatchery.
Since the excavation work has been
done the size of the spring is now
realized. 1t is simply big stream
of water, flowing at rapid rate as
it comes out from under the hill,
which belongs to Fassbinder. The
temperature of this water varies but
two degrees during the entire year.
| This is just the proper water condi-
tions for fish as they dislike chang
ing temperatures.
New Wall on North and West.
Along the north boundary of the
state property has been built heavy
stone wall five feet in height. The
length of the wall is 155 feet. 1t con-
| meets with the terrace wall of the
George Lane property. This wall has
been completed and preparations are
| now being made to run Il similar wall
along the west side of the state
grounds distance of 95 feet to a
point where the gate now is. At this
point new gate will be made and a
woven wire fence will continue around
the south and east sides of the state
ground upon which the hatchery is
located.
Cemented in this stone wall are
ron posts to which is being attached
enclosure. When finished there will
Ne u five-foot stone wall, then on top
of that the wire fence. Along the
west side the wall will be placed in
the ground distance of two and one
half feet or down to the waters edge.
The Fish Pond.
The fish pond where the speckled
beauties spend their time trying to
show everybody just how pretty they
are will be enlarged by excavating
several feet of earth at the west side.
In fact, the pond is to be straighten-
ed up, cleaned out and the sides
walled with a mixture of stone and
concrete. This should make a pretty
place and prevent water animals from
digging into the pond and polluting
the water and destroying the fish. 1t
is this pond that attracts all Duran
go visitors. Here may be seen the
fish which are cared for by Tom Ha-
NOR, the fish man.
Main Building Repaired.
The little fish, being out of the
Dblihihk stb WIS biiiiN, IL was eiAStpltd
as proper time to repair the whole
building. A new floor, ceiling, sid
ing and windows makes the building
look new in every particular. The
windows on the west side we're put
in the east side and larger windows
were put in the west side. The build
ing will now have plenty of light
and it will be healthy place for the
little fish that are to be cared for
here until they are large enough to
take care of themselves out in the
running water. At the north side
Of the building is a large pipe ii ru
which the water is admitted from the
sump on the outside.
The East Extension.
The excavation work for the east