The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1919-11-06

of view and has helped US.
During the past year the Rainbow,
car of the State Fish and
Game Commission, has made innumer-
able tr ps here. leaving at Hood River
and way stations Of the Mount Hood
r. K. Co. approximately 450. 900 trout
fry. Ranchers ana business men meet
the distributing ear with automobiles.
rigs and pack horses. In
instances the fry have been transport
ed more than 10 miles on horseback,
over hazardous mountain trails. Since
the car began to make its annual trips
here in 1912 it has brought for plant
ing in local streams an annual average
of 300. 600 young fish.
The fish distributing car is filled
with interesting apparatus. The little
fish are transported in ordinary milk
cans. But the usual capacity of ! 1000
mlnnows to the can crowds the reeep-
tacle TO such an extent that the oXv-
gen is soon exhausted. But for an air
compressor, stored at one end of the
car, which sends a constant trickle Of
air bubbles into each can by means
of rubber tubes, the little fish would
soon die. When the trout are trans
ported for long distances by motor car
or rig. it is necessary to change the
water frequently or to keep il agitaed
thus forming new air bubbles to fur
nish oxygen. The agitation that is
caused, when a can is placed aboard
pony's packsaddle avoids the necessity
of changing water.
T. j. Craig has been superintendent
of the Rainbow since it was put into
commission. He has visited every rail-
way station in Oregon within proXim-
ity of streams that need restocking.
Because of his frequent visits here
every sportsman knows him. While
life aboard his fish car. which carries
kitchenette and berths. is one of rou
tine. each days journey is to some
new point and, for that matter his love
of transporting the little minnows in
good condition, prevents monotony.
From early spring until late fall tfe
Rainbow. like a shuttle in giant
loom. the state of Oregon, travels
daily in and out. At some time or
other its metal wheels sing their song
along steel rails on main line and the
remotest feeder.
The work of the Hood River County
Game Protective Association. although
it has been lacking in ostentation. has
won repute throughout Oregon. 1t has
attracted the attention of men bent on
fish and game preservation in other
parts of the nation. Although Repre-
sentative Sinnott. while on visit to
the home of a fellow congressman
from Rhode Island, declared that he
believed an eastern Oregon jack rabbit
would make the state in two jumps,
the Unions littlest state is interested
in game land fish conservation. and a
members Of the states commission for
such work. B. Cecil Burgess, spent
several weeks here last summer in
vestigating the accomplishments Of
the Hood RiveraGame Protective Asso
citation. He journeyed up and down
Hood river, felt the thrill of landing a
40 inch steelhead. inspected fish lad
ders sthat have been erected over a
dam of the Pacific Power & Light Co.
or lower Hood river. and way that
enables fish to mount dam erected by
the Oregon Lumber Go. at Dee. He
left declaring that his course of study
would assist him in helping his home
state.
The members Of the Hood River
Game Protective Association have not
ended their labors with promotion of
game preservation and the restocking
of streams They believe in opening
the wilds OF the county's forested area
to the transient motorists. From pio-
neer times it has been strenuous task
to penetrate the Upper West Fork of
Hood river and to reach the shores Of
Lost Lake over mountain trail, wind
ing at times around the edges of dan
gerous precipices. Such journeys were
mainly limited to rugged hunters and
fishers who, when the organization
was formed. became members of the
game association. Thus it fell about
that this sportsmen's society began an
agitation for the construction of a
highway to Lost Lake. As result Of
years of hope and appeal the United
States Forestry Department was inter
ested to such an extent last winter
that $40, 600 was appropriated to cut a
highway through the national forest.
HOOD River county appropriated S2. $50
approximately $1,000 additional was
raised by public subscription conducted
by the game association. The county
crews connected up existing county
highways with the end of the national
forest road. The work of building the
long dreamed of highway to Lost Lake
and thus opening up the virgin trout
streams of the Upper West Fork is al
most complete. BY next summer the
tired business man Of Hood River. OF
the visitor from Portland, New Orleans
or New York may travel in a few
hours to the mountain fastness, there
to let the charm of mountain grandeur
fill his soul or to enjoy that harmless
intoxication, the concurrent kick OF
which has lasting good 1t is kick
that he ism t ashamed of, but of which
| he likes to muse and relate to friends.
Indeed, through the agitation of the
Hood River County Game Protective
Association Lost Lake has been found.
The forestry service hopes that it will
be rebound every day during coming
summer seasons. Warren M. Cooper,
in charge of Hood River county rang
ers. has supervised the construction of
numerous permanent wickiups at forest
road turnouts. At least dozen of
these little woodland shelters for the
motoring tourists will front on Lost
Lake.
1t is the aim of the Hood River
County Game Protective Association
that Hood River in time be known as
well for its fishing, its scenery and
the hospitality of its sportsmen as it is
today for its apples.