San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-28
FIRST GROUND
IS BROKEN FOR
FISH HATCHERY
Sportsmen Instrumental in
Success Of Project
Attend.
RE lady IN IS DAYS
Thousands of Young Fish
to Be Turned in Lake
Annually.

Ground was broken Saturday after
noon for the Medina lake fish hatch
cry near the dam. 4 large crowd of
local sportsmen attended the ceremon-
les. Among the speakers were Con-
gresham Harry Wurzbach. FRANZ
Groos, Bill Furlong of the San An
tonic Chamber of Commerce, JSdse
Augustus McCloskey, Uncle Marx
Riley, who is likely TO superintend
the hatchery when completed. and
others.
The event marked the close of i've
years of effort 10 begin what is deS-
! tined 20 become one of the most i'm
portant fish hatchcries in the United
States.
The hatchery will be constructei
within the next 81 days. it was an
nounccd on 4.22 acres of land just
at the foot Of the big Medina dam.
1t will cost $500 and most OF this
amount has already been raised
among public-spirited citizens of San
| Antonio.
When completed. approximately
100000 black bass and rainbow trout
will be propagated each year. Tbs
hatchery will supply fish for Medina
! lake only. and las far rs it is knOwa.
it will be the only fish hatchery III
! the United States. under government
supervision that will be supplying sish
to but one body of water.
Witnessed by a crowd of people, all
of whom were more or less directly
connected with the financing or con-
struction of the hatchery, the first
shovel full of dirt for the hatchery
site was turned over by Franz Groos.
| following a short speech Of introduce
| ton. Congressman Wurzbach was an
other to help break ground for the
structure. Judge McCloskey. an ar
dent fisherman and Medina lake en-
thusiast, also manipulated flag-dec-
GRATED shovel.
10000 Next Spring.
According to Mark Riley, who is
in charge Of the government hatchery
at San Marcos, and who will also
superintend the Medina lake fish
hatchery, in all probability the hatch
cry will place at least $4,000 or d.
600 fish in Medina lake durir the
spring of 1924. BY the second "a.
he said he expected that at cast
100000 would be placed in the .aSe
and by the third year at least 20 OOJ
or 100000 fish would be turned loose
to furnish sport for fishermen. Mr..
Riley said Medina is the home of the
| bass and in these waters they are
most easily raised.
Efforts will be made to raise ram
bow trout in the hatchery and. ac-
coriinc 10 Mr.. Furlong. a large num-
Der of them will be shipped here on
the completion of the new hatchery
for stocking the Matching pools.
At the ground breaking" Saturday
the general plan of the hatchery was
briefly outlined to the crowd by Mr..
Groos. the first speaker. 1t will oe
located at the foot of the Medina
dam. he said. and there will be five
ponds. 4 spring nearby, which flows
"A continuous stream of water ut &
Temperatures of 30 degrees. will supply
water for the rainbow trout ponds.
According 10 fish hatchery experts
this water is ideal for raising trout.
1t was in 1918 when a group Of
local sportSmen. headed by Bill
Furlong of the San Antonio Chamber
OF Commerce, endeavured TO purchase
or least certain tract of land from
the Medina Valley Irrigation Cora
pany through the company'S receiver,
Floyd McGown, who died two "
three years ago. At this time all Ell
forts 10 purchase or lease land for
the purpose of establishing fish
hatchery near the lake were futile.
Other attempts were made and finai-
ly II. II. Robertson. who succeeded
Mr.. McGown as receiver for the Me-
dina company, consented 10 leasing
II s,,-Nra1 nF 'nnd
The next thing To do was to secure
government aid and supervision for
the proposed hatchery. Through tds
efforts Of Mr.. Furlong, again, and
Congressman Wurzbach and others.
the aid of the government was Sc
cured. Henry O'Malley and elena
Leach. officials of the United States
bureau of fisheries, came 20 San An
tonic and were taken 10 Medina lake.
where the plans for the hatchery were
explained 10 them. Ii was at this
time that Mr.. O'Malley decided tho
cold water spring just below the -
was ideal for raising rainbow trout.
Trout Placed in Lake.
Plans of the proposed hatchery were
drawn and sent to Washington for
inspection. One year ago, fourteen
cans of rainbow trout. 400 OF the
fish. were sent 10 the Medina IaSe
by the government.
All but S1TOO of the $500 needed
to construct the hatchery has been
raised by Mr.. Furlong. Local bus
ness men and firms contributed the
money already collected.
Among those present Saturday ct
the ground breaking" were Mai. A.
Y. WALTON. who. it is said. derived
the idea of constructing Medina dam
several years ago; Frank Snyder. af
the New York Giants, who is fisher
man as well as a baseball player %
note: Porter Loring. owner Of a
beautiful Medina lake lodge. who has
contributed literally to the fish hatch
cry fund; Charles Gutzeit. who also
has contributed largely and who has
aided in promoting the project. Alsl
included in the crowd were W. z.
Milligan. Il. o. Sherrane, DIR. Padl
Peck and wife, Jack W. Neal and
wife. 2. W. Church. IL. II. Robert.
son. Ed Seng, Misses Z. Groos snd