San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-12

|. A 7 MEDINA IS
NOW AVAILABLE
Location Below Dam En-
braces Large Cold
Water Spring.
TO RAISE $1,000
Hate Will Have Ca
paci.y Of 1000 Bass
Annually.
TO RAISE $1,000

men nave long uttu lisutllS' Win
capacity of 100000 to 100000 bass a
year. in addition to a number of rain
bow trout.
1t was announced Monday that
Hugh r. Robertson. receiver for the
MEDINA Valley Irrigation Company,
has made arrangements whereby the
land necessary for the location of a
hatchery. just below the dam and en-
bracing the site Of large cold water
spring and secondary spring, be-
comes available. The securing OF this
site is what has delayed the final
plans for a hatchery for several
years.
1T is now up to the sportsmen Of
San Antonio TO raise about $1,000, "
according to William ii. Furlong, Sec
rotary of the Medina Lake Toll Road
Association. through whose efforts the
hatchery idea has been kept alive
after many discouragements. This
will be used to establish the hatchery.
After it is built, the United States
government will take it over, scpply
it with fish and maintain it, for the
tANluNlNt CupHif VI nttlld
Some Money Subscribed.
Part of the sum necessary has been
raised. the toll road association having
given $500. DIR. Frank Kent, another
prime mover in the hatchery idea.
500, and Joe Granieri. Fred Chris
TILES and Captain Tallmadge, who
have wharves at the lakp. $50 each.
There have been promises of large
subscriptions from sportsmen who
have lodges in the hills about the lake.
The big spring which will supply
the hatchery pools gushes water Of a
temperature of - degrees. which is
favorable TO the propagation of the
beautiful and gamy rainbow trout. The
other spring has n temperature of IS
degrees.
Plans for the pools, prepared in
Washington by the L. S. Bureau OF
| Fisheries. which has taken an interest
in the Medina Lake project, are now
in the hands of Mark Riley. superin-
tendent of the government hatcheries
at San Marcos. Texas. who will super
wise construction at Medina Lake.
poses, the proposed Medina Lake
hatchery will be made a show place.
San Antonio Park Commissioner Ray
Lambert. who has lodge at the lake,
will advise in the laying QUO Of the
plant. A sunken garden motif will be
followed out.
Securing hatchery for Medina
Lake has been n eng and tedious task:
Because of the enormous catches Of
bass at the lake in 1914, 1915, 1910
and 1917, it was realized by those
familiar with general conditions that
steps should be taken in the direction
of replenishment.
From time to time. small assign
ments Of bass and crappie. were for
warded from the San Marcos hatch
cry but this source was uncertain and
at best inadequate.
Plan Advanced In 1915.
A hatchery for Medina Lake ex-
clusively was suggested. In the sum
mer of 1918, as representative of
the Medina Lake Toll Road Associn-
ton. William III. Furlong called upon
the late Floyd McGOwn. then receiver
of the Medina Valley Irrigation Com
pany. for the purpose of ascertaining
the possibility of securing certain
water front acreage on the east bank
Of the Medina river just below the
dam. Judge McGown gave consent
for a survey of this particular stretch
of land and Mark Riley. superintend-
ent of the San Marcos hatcheries,
called into consultation. investigate!
and reported that the site measured
up to necessary requirements. both
from the standpoint Of terrain and
water supply.
h. of Clinton VI
Kearney. exhaustive engineering data
was assembled and Mr.. Furlong was
sent to Washington for a conference
with DIR. Hugh Smith. then commits
sioner of the L. s. Bureau of Fisher.
les. DR., Smiths interest was aroused
and he asked Mark Riley for de-
tailed report. which proved highly fav-
orable and carried with it the recon-
mendation that hatchery be esta6-
lished at Medina Lake.
Plan Once Abandoned.
Then the plans suddenly were halt
ed and the government abandoned
the idea when, at a second confer
ence. it was learned from Judge Me
Gown that. because Of the standing |
receivershp Of the irrigation com
pany, it would be impossible to &C
quire title TO the piece Of land de- !
sired. The government declined to be
identified with any project involving
expenditure of moneys where full own |
ership and possession were unobtain-
able.
In the last three years, several at
tempts have been made 10 locate a |
hatchery above the dam on the lake |
nroner but have fniled because of the |
fluctuating level of the lake.
On the appointment Of Hugh X.
Robertson as receiver of the irriga-
ton company after the death of Mr.. |
McGown, Mr.. Furlong called on him |
and presented a detailed resume of the |
hatchery situation, calling attention |
TO the fact that in the event a hatch !
cry was established the value Of the |
company's holdings would be en-
HANGED Mr.. Robertson said that If
the consent Of the owners Of the prop !
erty could be obtained. he believed the
courts could pronerly authorize him 10
convey the necessary land. He also
promised his cooperation in secur- |
ing the necessary consent OF the Brit |
ish bond-holders, task which took
much time. as the gentlemen were
scattered all over the world.
Praise for Robertson.
Mark Riley was again called into
conference and another survey was
undertaken. To the CONSERVATION of
all interested. il was found that the
flood waters of 1920 had almost de-
stroyed the identity Of the desired
land and had left virtually nothing on