Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-08

WILLIS e PARSONS
Commissioner of Inland Fisheries
and Game
and where not feasible fish screens
erected to prevent fish from going to
the sea from which they could not
return. owing to high falls or other
distractions. Within the last six
years the expensive screens at Seba-
go Lake, Grand Lake Stream and at
Eagle Lake, the outlet OF Fish River
chain of lakes have been built as
we'll as many smaller ones. Many
fishways have also been erected the
majority Of them being built of GEM
ent. including the Bangor fishway
which cost over $4,000.
More than a generation ago sum-
mer visitors not only tished our lakes
and streams, but later in the fall
when the fishing season was over
sportsmen hunteA> our big game, the
moose, the caribou AMI deer. Prom
inent men came from every section
of the country. 1t was no unusual
thing within the memory Of those
now living to meet IN Names big
woods United States Senator, Judge
of the Supreme Court, Governor, or
even President Cleveland and Joe
Jefferson. as well as lesser lights and
princes of industry. Guides We're
employed freely in the cid days the
same as now. Zeiglec, the explorer
and huntsman of many lands had his
favorite camp site on beautiful Eagle
Lake on the Allagash which is point
ed out today as the place where he
employed in one season 30 guides for
) his party and like number employed
by Mr.. Pillsbury of Piilsbury -four
fame, on what is now known as Pills
bury's Island in this same Eagle
Lake. President Roosevelt in his
young days built up his constitution
and laid the foundation for his Won
derful career in the Maine woods as
we'll as at Harvard for what would
an education have availed without
that restored health which he found
in roughing it three falls and one
, winter in the wilds of Maine. He
appreciated 1t and like the true
sportsman never forgot his guide.
The business Of guiding became so
important that 1t was thought best
for the State to have some oversight
in the matter and in 1897 the Guide
Law, so-called. requiring all guides
to be registered was recommended
by the energetic Game Commissioners,
Leroy Il. Carleton, and passed by the
Legislature. Considerable opposition
to the bill developed before the Com
mittee on Fish and Game of which
the writer was then member and
the same session had the pleasure
of advocating the measure on the
floor Of the Senate Within brief
time, however, the law became popu-
lar and has ever since been regarded
as wise legislation.
With limited warden service much
depends upon our Maine guides for
the preservation Of all kinds of wild
life. Twenty-Five years ago it was
regarded as quite a feat for the sport
to penetrate the big woods as TAR as
he may now go in an automobile
and beside automobile roads in many
directions, telephones extend through
tut the numbering sections, and the
movements of every warden are as
closely watched and announced from
camp to camp as would be the pro-
gress Of Prince or Potentate but for
quite a different purpose.
Public sentiment is continually i'm
proving and although the STATE can
maintain on an average only sixty
five full paid wardens, good citizens
are ready to assist them, and many
are rendering valuable aid in the
preservation Of game. Many guides
are learning that 1t is not legal, and
does not pay in the long run, to
shoot game so-called sports. NO
real sport will allow 1t and knows
and the loss of his license for so do
ing.
The writer, when County Attorney
Of Piscataquis, had 10 wardens to
assist him but endeavored to enforce
the game laws the same as all other
laws and while the county gained
some notoriety it called attention to
the fact that we wanted to preserve
the game and sportsmen seemed TO
like us the better and mammouth
hotels and sporting camps sprang up
everywhere. Sportsmen do not like
to hunt where poachers have secured
the forest. There Is not county IN
the State but has learned that fact
and all good citizens are ready to
cooperate in the conservation of fish
and game, and it is only through
the combined efforts OF such that 1t
can be accomplished. We have 250O
miles of seacoast to guard, 25O0 lakes
and ponds to protect and more than
5000 rivers and streams and fifteen
million acres of wilderness to patrol;
a monumental task even Tor a resi-
ment, but public sentiment and Will
ling service of good citizens can &C
complish wonders, and the Commits
sioner is exceedingly grateful for the
interest shown in recent years IN this
Department which has developed
from it's small beginning to an In
dustry Of gigantic proportions. Fish
and Game is now one of the most
important departments CT state and
worthy the consideration OF all. The
earnings Of the department through
licenses sold and fines collected has
increased in the last six years from
an average of 40 to so thousand an
nually to ia to 121 thousand dollars
turned over by the department an
nually to the state treasury. If the
department had the benefit OF that,
and Maine would follow the example
of other states and charge resident
hunters and fishermen small license
fee Of even s1.25 for both hunting
and fishing, with those under 1G years