Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-12-15
HATCHERY
At GIANT SPRING
SEEMS REALITY
State Will Not Oppose
Furnishing Free Pow
er to Lift Water.
Matter Now Depends on
City Providing Some
Of Money to Build.
Special to The Tribune

Helena, Dec. 14.-Deciaion by the
Montana public service commission to
interpose no objections 10 the furnish
ing of free electric power for the op-
Grating of the proposed state fish
hatchery at Great Falls has removed
one of the chief obstacles TO the con-
struction of the long contemplated
hatchery at the Giant Spring.
Matters of finance long have held
up the consummation of the hopes Of
the people of Great Falls for the pro-
viding of state fish hatchery at that
place. but it is now the belief that
the proposed hatchery may become a
reality within the next few months.
Expense attendant upon the eleva-
ton of water from the spring into the
Matching troughs has proved deter
rent to the plans of the state fish and
game commission to the scheme for
the placing Of hatchery at Great
Falls. and even the offer of the Mon
tana Power company of free power did
not serve to dispose of this obstacle
until the matter had been taken up
with the public service commission and
it's decision obtained.
Will Be Decided Saturday.
This decision was obtained by G. Al
Wednesday, and he will take up the
matter with the fish and game com
mission at meeting to be held in
Missoufa next Saturday, when it is
hoped to obtain authority for the con-
struction of the hatchery
Several years ago a site for hatch
cry was furnished by the Great Falls
Power company, at the Giant Spring,
a short distance below Great Falls.
Designs for hatchery building were
prepared by Frank Scotten, superin-
tendent of construction for the com
pany, together with an offer of money
to be devoted TO the construction of
the buildings. No definite action was
taken by the state.
Recently the proposition has been
taken up by the Great Falls CONNER
ciaI club, which placed before the state
commission the offer of the Montana
Power company to furnish the site,
the water and $500 to be utilized in
the construction and equipping of the
proposed hatchery.
Rearing Ponds and Aquarium
The matter was taken ap at re-
cent meeting of the commission at
Malta, when the proposition was ac-
cepted with the understanding that
SutilCitul Htuu oI water ctulu De Ge-
ivered at the Matching troughs.
Warden Jakways at first considered
the installing of hydraulic rams, which
would do away with the expense of
electrical power for pumping and was
corresponding with concerns manufac-
turing such rams, when Manager Frank
M. Kerr of the Montana Power com
pany made an offer to furnish the
power without cost, providing the pub
lie service commission would permit
The matter was referred to the
commission with the result that it has
decided to interpose no objections.
Plans of Warden ,Jakways contem-
plate not only hatchery, but rearing
ponds and an aquarium. as well. Orig
inal estimates upon the plans drawn
by Engineer Scotch made the cost
of the plant about $11 900, but it is
believed it can be provided now at
lesser figure. The idea is that the
game commission will appropriate
sum equal to that given by the power
will have to be raised in Great Falls.
Would Supply North Tier
Warden Jakways has in mind the
operating of the Great Falls hatchery
from the time the eggs are taken in
the spring. in April or May, until No
vember, and then, if it should be de-
cided to handle the fall spawn, to con-
tinue operations during the winter.
The plans contemplate 12-trough
hatchery with a capacity of probably
The capacity of the hatchery. how
ever, will be regulated by the demand
that can be conveniently supplied from
Great Falls.
Such a hatchery would be used to
supply the streams of the Sun river
valley, Dearborn river. Highwood
creek, Belt creek and Smith river. and
all the mountain streams in
the country between Great Falls and
Helena. as well as the northern tier
Of counties lying east of Great Falls.
States's Series of Hatcheries
At the present time the state is
operating a hatchery at Somers. on
Flathead lake, with three subsidiary
in that vicinity; hatchery
nt Anaconda with subsidiary hatch
cry on Georgetown lake; hatcheries at
Emigrant and Red Lodge, small
hatchery at Salmon lake. an eyeing
station at McAllister and is just COM
pleting a hatchery at Lewistown.
Besides these state-owned plants,
the state has taken over, for a period
Of one year, the big Marcus DAILY
hatchery at Hamilton, which has
greater capacity than all the other
hatcheries combined.
J. Fl. Brunson, superintendent of
hatcheries. is now on his way from
the Pacific coast with 100000 Chi.
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