The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-09-19
Must Give Fish
, Open Passage

llHl birmingham, Dtdlte Hdiiie adiu
Fish Warden, arrived in Pennington
Tuesday morning, in response to
.numerously signed petitions which had
recently been sent to him from st.
Francois county, making vigorous pro-
test against the dam on the st. Fran
co.'s river, eight miles southwest Of
Fredericktown. With characteristic
energy and attention to the many de-
tails Of his office, Warden Birming-
ham lost no time in making a person.
al investigation into this matter, but
took the first possible train for this
city, without notice of his coming.
He was accompanied by w. w. Ellis,
of ST. Louis, deputy in his office.
Mr.. Ellis is also editor of the pisca-
torial page of the st. Louis Republic,
and knows practically everything
there is to know about the various
fish families, their desires, habits,
etc, as we'll as the best methods Of
protecting them from "race suicide"
Though Warden Birmingham Slip
ped in" on the people of Pennington,
some of the enterprising citizens of
this city were not slow in becoming
acquainted with his arrival, and has
tened preparations to put him in di-
rect touch with the object of the va
garding the dam on the st. Francis
river, in Madison county. County
Collector J. +. Brewer and A. w.
Bradshaw, The Times man, accom-
panied Messrs. Birmingham and FL
lis in an automobile to the scene of
the dam in controversy, distance of
% miles, which brought the party in
to contact with much of the land and
roads both Of this and Madison coun-
ties, The comparison thus afforded
did not appear well for Madison coun-
ty, as the change from the rock roads
Of this county to the dirt and loose
rock roads of Madison county was
very noticeable Much of the route
led through very rough part of
Madison county, yet the trip, with
Myers Maybele at the steering wheel
of the machine, was not noticeably
rough, and. was very enjoyable.
Arriving. near the destination, it
was necessary to leave the machine
and walk about half a mile to the
dam, over rocks and powders of ev-
cry size, through which the waters Of
the st. Francis river rippleS making
ideal haunts for all kinds of game
fish. The dam proved to be really a
wonder, especially when it is known
that such dam was constructed some
thing like thirty-tve years ago, when
such projects were in their infancy.
1t is about twenty feet high and iif-
teen feet thick, about two hundred
feet long, ovaling upstream 1t is
constructed of immense stones and
mortar, with heavy iron rods running
from top to bottom to strengthen. 1t
was evidently constructed to furnish
power for operating the old silver
mines on the western bank, though
mining operations probably ceased be-
fore the water power was ever util-
lied. The only use Silver Dam has
perhaps ever been is to cut the St.
! Francis river in twain, and to serve
as handicap to the fish in the en-
joyment Of their natural privileges,
as it serves as a positive barrier TO
their further progress, either up or
down stream, unless the fish were
equipped with wings, flying machines,
ladders or derrick.
What has been termed for a long
time by those who have been opposing
any correction in this dam, as a fish
way, on the east side of the river,
was inspected, and was found to be
absolutely useless for such purpose.
Warden Birmingham soon came to the
conclusion that it would be necessary
to open this dam for the benefit of
fish propagation, and determined. to
notify the owners of the property of
citnh faat Tf 4hn le
in accordance with such order, then
the Warden will take the matter in
his own hands and open up d suitable
fish passage soon as possible. The
ownership of the property has been
in litigation for years, and the case
is set for final disposition in the Iron
county circuit court next month.
Should there be further delay in de-
Gliding the merits of this case, then
the State Game and Fish Warden will
himself look after such work and as
seS the costs against the property.
1t Us not his intention to destroy the
dam, which may be useful at some
future date, but will make an opening
ten or fifteen feet wide on the east
side of the river.
This action of Warden Birmingham
indicates that "Tim" is "on the job,
and is ready and anxious to do any
thing for the protection of the fish and
game of the State, which protection
is in strict accordance with the State
laws. 1t also demonstrates that Gov
ernor Gardner made no mistake when
he recently appointed Mr.. Birmingham
to another four years term as guard
ian of the game and fish of the State.
County Collector E. ]. Brewer, of this
city, is also entitled to much credit in
bringing about such a righteous de-
cision in regard to Silver Dam, which
has long been an impossible barrier to
fish to the upper part of the st. Fran
els river, which courses for many
miles through st. Francois county.
This happy solution will be hailed
with delight by the hundreds-yea
thousands-of sportsmen who will
soon be able to enjoy greatly inn,
proved fishing conditions in that
stream.
H Reports come from those who
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