Evening star., 1925-10-06

| A conservative estimate of the
number of fishermen and fisherwomen
| in Washington is 10000. Ii 30 per
| cent Of this number had contributed
| only 25 cents each, the $1,000 asked
would have been subscribed long ago.
i As il is today there is balance Of
| s476.25 yet 10 be raised by public
| subscription. The total cost of the
racks, including the installation.
| amounts to $4,000, of which sum the
| Joint Welfare Service has contrib
uted $1,000
What is the matter with the an
Slers of Washington? Surely there
must be enough of them interested in
| this project to contribute the neces-
sary money. l have talked with
many anglers who have signified their
| intention to contribute to this fund.
and if they had sent in their checks
this amount would be almost sub
scribed.
Basin Ideal for Plan.
When the matter was first taken
up with Commissioner OMalley of
the Bureau of Fisheries and with
Col. Clarence o. Sheriff. director Of
public buildings and parks of the
National Capital, who had direct
supervision over the Tidal Basin.
every phase of the proposition was
|
| cided that such a project would be
"a wonderful thing for Washington.
, Commissioner O'Malley was and is
| most enthusiastic over it and Mr.
Leach said only recently that he had
| been all over the country and did
not know of a better place for the
| breeding of game fish than the Tidal
| Basin.
AS stated last Sunday in this col
1 ht, 1ra 6r1t H..
| ity The cry for some years past has
| been that there was no good fishing
| in the vicinity of Washington and
| that to get any kind of real fishing
| one had TO go some miles from the
city. This cry soon will be heard no
more. ana the angler will have fish
ing de luxe practically in his own
yard. for every Government park is a
playground for the people of Wash
ington.
Anglers Are Backward.
One day last week the writer was
in conference with Col. Sheriff.. and
when asked by him how the fishing
fund was getting along replied with
much embarrassment that 1t was only.
little more than half subscribed.
At the outset of this project, after
talking 1t over with many anglers,
/ felt perfectly sure in assuring Col.
Sheriff. that the amount would be sub
scribed IN reasonable time, but
after six or seven months there re-
mains an unpaid balance of $476.25.
Last Spring Commissioner O'Mal-
ley personally saw to it that some
500 adult plymouth bass, crappie
and sunfish We're placed in the basin
to take advantage of their spawning.
Next Spring. after the Basin has been
seined and all undesirable fish taken
from its waters, Commissioner O'Mal-
ley intends placing 5000 adult fish
In it's water, and from these fish after
their spawning season there should
be conservatively 100000 or more
little fish, which in two years, pro-
ridinG they get the proper nourish-
ment. should be about right for the
anglers.
And not only will the basin be full
of game fish, but the Potomac River
as well will be restocked from the
, fish planted and raised in the Tidal
Basin. At intervals it is the inten-
ton of the Bureau Of Fisheries to
allow a certain number of them to
escape into the Potomac, thereby as
surings good angling for those who
prefer rocks and logs and eddies to
the quiet wa of the Basin