Montana labor news., 1937-05-27
Cause Of Death Of
Trout al Georgetown
May Be investigated

up on its shore lines and beaches.
The sight of this massacre of game
was appalling. The true facts in
connection with the cause of this
terrible disaster has not yet been
definitely determined. According to
a report published in the Montana
Standard on May 22nd, 1897, DIR. C.
J.. D. Brown of the Montana State
College, Zoology Department, stated
that 1.-THE prime factor e~ffecting
stagnation was the low water, long
ice cover, and exceedingly abundant
decaying organic matter" DR.. Brown
further reported, "The lake was COW
cred with ice from November to
May, and during that period there
was no way for the water to get rid
of the gases resulting from the de-
composing debris, or to take on an
additional supply of oxygen which
had been mosly, if not entirely, re-
moved by the decomposing process.
Georgetown Lake is an artificial
body of water which has its source
to some extent from natural springs
within its boundaries and two small
creeks known as Mill creek and
Flint creek. 1t is situated approx
mately ten miles west of Anaconda
in a beautiful saucer or valley sur
rounded by magnificent mountains.
On the shores Of the lake are many
summer homes, the lake is consid-
cred of the finest fishing spots
in the Northwest. On the north side
the State of Montana has erected a
spawning station where millions of
eggs are taken annually.
John Scoffield, state superintend-
ent of fisheries said, according to the
same article, '"That the defamation of
the fish during last winter resulted
in widespread r~evisions in the de-
partment's planting plans this year.
SpOrtsmen Have Own Theory
While giving due credence to the
statement of DR.. Brown, many of
the amateur sportsmen and members
of the Sportsmen's Association feel
that there is something more funda-
mental that caused the death of
these fish; the mere ice coverage or
statements as to decaying vegetation
and low water is questionable. Some
of these men have advanced the
theory that in years gone by there
was low water in Georgetown Lake
and just as much decaying vegeta-
ton has passed its way, but thou
sands of holes had been cut in the
ice by fishermen and thousands of
automobiles had run over the ice
agitating the main body of water
and permitting sufficient oxygen to
enter the water thereby permitting
the fish to secure an ample quantity
of this life giving element. In this
connection it should be borne in mind
that Georgetown Lake was closed
to fishing last winter, and sealed
tight for the first time during the
early winter months against the
recommendation of neighboring
sportsmen who sent in petitions to
Helena protesting against the action
taken by our former Fish and Game
Commission.
Wasteful Stripping by Old Methods
Whether the opinions of the sports
men are true Of not or whether
later Investigations sustain either
them or DR.. Brown, the death of
the fish last winter at Georgetown
Lake is a calamity that will take
years to correct, and the opinion
prevails in many quarters that am
pie measures to prevent such a
catastrophe was not taken by for
mer members of the State Fish and
Game Department of the state. Wan
ton destruction of game life is con-
demned by every good citizen. The
sportsmen cite the incident of the
un~scientific manner in which fish
were stripped at the Flint Creek
spawning station in years gone by,
and especially in the year 1886 when
it is alleged that thousands of fish
were allowed to die on account of
the head waters of this creek being
shut off. Also in 1886, according to
a report from the Fish and Game
Department, twenty million eggs
were taken from the fish which
came out of Georgeown Lake, and
after every hatchery in the state had
been supplied with those eggs and
after exchange of eggs for other
species, there was still a surplus of
a million five hundred thousand
eggs which were sold to the state
of New Mexico. 1t is evident, if
this is true, that someone made a
serious blunder in not permitting
the traps to be pulled, the fish al
lowed to escape and to spawn in
the natural way in the lake and
creeks, after these had been replen-
ished with water coming through
its natural channels.
u. s. Bureau Should Investigate
In view of what has been said
here, the United States Bureau of
Fisheries should make an investi-
cation of the supervision of the fish
ing facilities of the state of Montana.