Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1917-09-05
FISHING AND SUMMER DEVEL-
OPMENT.

Under the title, "The Importance of
Developing the Fisheries in Ponds
and Lakes" the report of the state
fish and game commissioner, just is
sued, speaks of the development of
the summer business on Vermont wa
tiers. Some excellent points are made
and reference to some Orleans county
lakes leads the Monitor to quote:
1t would be interesting to know the
amount of the grand list of some of
the towns in which lakes are located,
where there has been noticeable de-
velopment of the shore property as
compared with conditions twenty-five
years ago. Take for example, Green's
boro, village of about $50 inhabi-
tants which, during the month of
August annually entertains, in con-
nection with summer camps and
boarding houses about Caspian lake,
approximately 1900 people.
If the town of Morgan owned a
fringe around Seymour lake, about
$50 to 200 feet wide, it could afford
to give this property to people as an
inducement to build cottages and
make summer homes thereon. lie the
shore property of Seymour lake was
developed like the property around
some other lakes the grand list of the
town would be increased many times.
Morgan is only one of many towns
lakes which may be used to illustrate
the possibilities for future develop
ment along these lines.
In this connection it must be borne
In mind that any increase in the value
of real estate of an individual adds to
the wealth of community. To put
it more broadly, anything which
brings wealth to the state indirectly
brings wealth to all the people of the
state, to all the people in each county,
and more directly to all the people in
the town where the increase in prop
erty becomes most apparent.
Long summer vacations are becom-
ing an established custom with pro-
fessional people, and the big business
men of the country realize the impor-
lance of taking absolute rest during a
certain portion of the summer months.
This creates a demand for property
either along the sea-coast or in the
mountains.
The use of the automobile in tour
ing Vermont is bringing to the atten-
ton of a large number of people the
beauties of the inland lakes, so that
there will naturally be an increasing
demand for property of this charac-
ter. This department has an increas-
ing number of inquiries about places
for summer homes where there is
some fishing.
1t viii be generally conceded that a
large proportion of this shore prop
erty would be almost worthless were
it not for the water in front of it and
that unless occupied by summer
camps the most of it is unproductive
In other words, the value of this
shore property is created by the de-
mand for summer homes and that de-
mand is often created by the success
some person has had when fishing.
The people who inhabit these sum-
mer homes provide a home market
for the produce of the farm and this
home market naturally enhances the
value of the farm as well as the value
of all other real estate in the vicinity
Practically all Of the lakes on which
there are summer camps are occasion
ally stocked with suitable species of
fish and the more popular lakes are
annually receiving liberal allotments
The number of ponds or lakes an
nually receiving fish depends upon
how many persons there are who are
sufficiently interested TO apply for fish
TO stock waters where they fish or
where they are otherwise interested
It is astonishing how little local in
terest there is IN some of the villages
located on or adjacent to lakes.
It is doubtful If there is a pond or
lake now containing fish which can
not be improved by the introduction
of more fish of the same species or of
some species which may be an i'm
provement upon the present inhabi-
tants without being antagonistic to
them.
Would it not be worth while for
towns or villages to vote small ap-
preparation to defray the small ex-
pense Of transporting fish from the
nearest railroad station and of labor
involved in planting fish in some of
the more popular lakes.
l.. L.