Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-31
OUR oNE-PIECE NAVY
Pennsylvania Battle Craft PIows the
Vastly Waters OF Lake Erie and
the Commissioner Of Fish
cries Is Admiral
BY GEORGE NOx MCCAIN

NATHAN X. BULLER, state commits
Y sioner of fisheries. is just back from n
trip to Buffalo to inspect the navy of
PENNSYLVANIA. 1t is in course of construc-
tion there It's like the navy of Nenzueln
it consists of one vessel.
Few citizens of this state are aware that
pennsylvania has navy. The commits
sioner of fisheries is the admiral 1t con-
sists of one vessel, n large tug that plows
the waters of Lake Erie.
Its principal business is that of fish
nursery; or conservator of fish eggs, as you
may choose to designate it. In addition
it is patrol boat for the preservation of
international amenities.
One of its principal functions is to see
that Canadian fishermen do not poach on
Pennsylvania preserves or fishing grounds
New York and Ohio also maintain these
fishing ground patrols. If they did not
every once in so often the careless Canadian
fisher folk would stray across the interna-
tona water line-particularly when fishing
is poor on their own side-and scoop up
tons of white and other fish that properly
belong to Pennsylvania, Ohio or New York.
This particular tug which Commissioner
Butler is having built is, he tells me, one
Of the completest craft of its kind in the
United States. 1t will be equipped with all
the latest scientific paraphernalia. 1t is to
replace another smaller craft that has grown
too small and antiquated for the purpose.
TIME Butler family are natural pscicul
= turists. The commissioner himself has
made life study of fishes. There are four
of them now in the service of the state. One
brother has been with the fisheries commits
sion for over forty years.
Nathan X. Butler tells me that Pcnnsyl-
vania has the finest fish hatcheries in the
country There are five of them, located at
Pleasant Mount, Wayne county; Torres
dale, Erie, Cory and Union City.
The entire system of Matching has under
gone a change in the last two decades. In
the old days the fish eggs were hatched out
and when the fish were couple of inches or
so long they were placed in the state streams
to be stocked.
Now the fish arc reared. the brook trout
particularly, in the ponds until they are five
or six inches long and are then planted
in the streams. There are two great ad-
vantagcs in this: 1t gives the young fish
better chance to live and the sportsmcn
do not have to wait so long to permit them
to reach the legal length to be taken with
hook and rod.
GEORGE II. BlLES, assistant highway
VI commissioner of PENNSYLVANIA. is
istration he was second deputy commissioner
When Lewis S. Sadlcr became state com
missioner he sent George ii. Bles up to
the front.
1t was one of the many wise moves that
Commissioner Sadler has made to strengthen
the department. Mr.. Biles has the exper-
fence, education. executive ability and the
'how' of handling men. Besides he has
the glorious heritage of young manhood as
an asset.
With approximately 100000 900 to
spend in building and lettering the high
ways of the commonwealth, the commits
sioner should have his hands as free of de-
tail us possible. He should be at liberty
to study the problem in its broadest aspects,
leaving routine to the subordinates.
Fortunately George II. Biles is in pcsi
tion to relieve his chief of many minor
responsibilities, by reason of experience and
a thorough knowledge of the highways of
the state. He knows the topography of
Pennsylvania as we'll as he does that of
Capitol Hill, in Harrisburg. At least that
is his reputation among the roadbuilders
of the state.
HARMON NJ. KEPHART, in his capacity
L L of state treasurer, is paymaster for some
of the oldest jobholders conceivable; places
undreamed of in the employment of the com
monwealth a quarter of a century ago.
There are, for instance, nearly forty
''charmen." They are the male of the
species known in Great Britain as Char
women" They are the cleaners and washers
and scrubbers in the public Offices at the
Capitol. These are in addition to the care
takers, of whom there are FIVE
But among the odd and presumably ncces-
sary craftsmen employed on the Capitol Hill
there are, permanently on the payroll. or at
least recorded in the treasurer's books:
Florists, 81 carpenters, 6; marble workers,
9; metal furniture mechanic, hardwood
floor experts, ., and cabinet maker, /.
Further down the line comes upon
these Locksmith, clock repairer, up
holsterer, guides, electricians, wiremen,
steamftter and matrons
The executive mansion payroll includes
butler houscman, night Waterman, house
maid, laundress, cook, Aousckceper, chauf-
fcur and footman.
When the Legislature is in session the
variety of vouchers calls for nearly every
thing kept by Il first -class country store.
DROMLEY WHARTON. general agent
ID and secretary of the State Board of
Charities, and his efficient assistant, Edward
Wilson, have about completed their report
on the wartime activities of the charitable
and penal institutions of the state. It will
be an interesting presentation when it gets
into cold type.
1t strikes one as peculiar that the in
mates of the houses and asylums, hospitals
and prisons of the state could be useful in
such IA crisis. But they were. In proper
ton the institutions under the supervision
of Mr.. Wharton and the State Board of
Charities did their Bit as fully as more
powerful and more pretentious agencies
outside.
The lame, halt and blind knitted and
sewed month after month, making socks
and sweaters, bandages and hospital gar
ments by the thousands. They helped con-
serve food, meat and sugar and everything
Even the prisoners in certain institutions.
gave money and sacrificed their meager
privileges, in some cases, to help win the