The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-03-30
PLANTING SALMON HERE
TRIED HALF CENTURY AGO
Large Number in YOughiOgheny
And Savage Rivers

ago, according to some fishing notes
of Peter c. Chambliss, writing in the
Sunday Sun. Mr.. Chambliss writes:
"While the pros and cons are fly
ing thick and fast following the an
nouncement recently that the United
States Bureau of Fisheries and the
State Conservation Department are
| going to try out the experiment of
planting Chinook salmon in out wat
ers, it is interesting to know that
more than half century ago efforts
were made to stock various Maryland
waters with two species of salmon
following some little success with that
line in Delaware.
"The House and Senate Documents
of 1878 contains among other things
a most voluminous report of the State
Commissioner of Fisheries in Mary
land which, according to notation, was
read in the House of Delegates on
January 10, 1878 and ordered printed.
|
"The report addressed to his Excel
lency, John Lee Carroll, Governor of
Maryland, was made by T. B. Fergu-
son, commissioner, and occupied 125
pages in the book of documents, be-
ing in itself a volume of goodly pro-
| portions. There were many prints
and tables showing the propagation
and distribution of fish.
"Both the Salmo salar of the nor
thern Atlantic coast and the Salmo
quinnant of the Pacific were tried in
Maryland waters, but though it is not
recorded in this report of the success
of either in this State, it is interesting
to read the notes on Delaware:
" But to US in Maryland of more
Importance is the temperance in the
Delaware of salmon of both varieties:
the Salmo salar of the northern At
lantic and the Salmo quinnant of the
Pacific. l have received authenticated
accounts Of the capture of one weigh
ing 81a pounds at Riverton and one
weighing 9 pounds, taken between
Bordentown and Trenton, and have
myself seen large female Penobscot
salmon with mature eggs running
! from her which was taken near Eas-
ton in the act of spawning. These
| indications of the successful introduce
ton of the salmon into the Delaware
strengthens our hopes and con-
fidence in the results of our efforts as
the Delaware is not so unlike our own
rivers :.
subsequently the report tells of re-
ceiving thousands of salmon eggs
which were Matched Eat the Matching
House" and continues:
The total number of California
salmon planted Tin Maryland) during
the two years cts and '77) is
1,644,3O4.
"'We have made the effort to stock
Maryland waters with this variety of
salmon on the very large scale shown
as we are inclined to believe their in
! PRODUCTION will prove successful.
" That the eastern salmon can be
acclimated at least in the Susquehan-
ma and the Potomac seems now to be
possible. We have from time to time
placed a few thousand of the Pen
obscot salmon in the tributaries of
these rivers
"The table showing the distribution
of the California salmon in Maryland
waters during the years 1876 and 1877
brings out that they were planted in
the Gunpowder, the Little Gunpowder,
the Potomac, Wintres run, the Yough-
iogheny, the Savage river and the
PatuXent.
"But coming back to the Chinook
salmon proposition. 1t seems like to
US that is fine little example of a
tempest in a teapot teapot in
this instance being Deep Creek Lake.
"The facts, as given out by Com
missioner Earle, are these: The State
Conservation Department, through
the cooperation of the United States
Bureau of Fisheries, has decided to
try an experiment in the planting of
fish in Maryland waters. The species
in the Chinook salmon; otherwise
known as the Columbia river salmon.
The Conservation Department has
been furnished 1000 fve-inch fish, of
which it plans to plant 1000 in Deep
Creek Lake, wonderful body of cold
water in Garrett county, and the bal
ance, perhaps in the upper waters of
the Potomac and the Susquehanna,
both splendid streams.
=
"The announcement of the expert
ment has brought forth rounds of
applause (?) that sound like razzing
to our ears. Some have rushed into
print to get their prophecies of fail
ure before the public even before the
experiment has been tried out.
at is well-established fact that the
young of the salmon remain in the