Report of the commissioner for 1875-1876.

  • United States Fish Commission
Date:
[1878]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the commissioner for 1875-1876. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    37/1102 page 23
    and apparatus enlarging each year. So far, it lias proved capable of furnishing a very large number of eggs of the salmon ; and, indeed, it is possible that as many as 20,000,000 of eggs could be obtained annually, by the expenditure of sufficient funds. The total production, however, is circumscribed by the appropriation for the purpose, and has usually been kept within a limit of from eight to ten millions. For a time the station was occupied during the summer only, being abandoned in the winter; to be resumed again the following year. Finding it in danger of being “jumped”, or squatted upon, arrange- ments were made for continued occupation, and the establishment is throughout the year in charge of Mr. Myron Green, an assistant of Mr. {Stone in his labors. Although the land covered by the fishery was not opened for mar- ker, the possibility that this might take place at an early date, suggested the idea of having the fishing station proclaimed a government reserva- tion, and the Commissioner of the General Land Office, advising the Secretary of the Interior that there was no impediment in the way, the President made the reservation by proclamation on the 9th of De- cember, 1875. A claim had, however, been made by Mr. Lezchinsky, of prior rights in the way of having established a salmon fishery in the grounds in 1872, a few months before its occupation by Mr. Stone. His claim, which was duly filed, was considered by the Attorney-General and declared to be unfounded, the United States having the right to entire control. The correspondence connected with the establishment of this reservation, and with the claims of Mr. Lezchinsky, will be found iu the appendix. The operations connected with the taking of salmon on the McCloud in 1875 were commenced by Mr. Stone on the 16th of June, and closed on the 20th of October. The first eggs were obtained on the 2d of Sep- tember, and between that time and the 27th, 8,629,000 were secured, making a bulk of over one hundred bushels, and weighing when packed over ten tons. As usual, a circular was sent to the various State commissioners, ask- ing how many eggs they desired to secure, with the understanding that they were to pay the expense of transportation to their hatching estab- lishments and of planting the young fish in public waters. The officers of sixteen States responded, calling in many cases for more eggs than a fair pro rata would permit, the number supplied to each, however, vary- ing from 10,000 to 500,000. One million of these eggs were sent to the hatching establishment of Mr. N. W. Clark, at Northville, Mich., to be hatched out on account of the United States Fish Commission, for distribution to such States as were not provided with commissioners. Several private establishments were supplied with small lots for experimental purposes, and a small stock was also sent to I7ew Zealand and to the fishery department of Canada. The greater part of the eggs reached their respective destiua-
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