1< jll+j > ^*- y •> California. Dept. of Fish and Game. Biennial Report 1888-1890. (bound volume) 1 "~ f pish and Game- Biennial K«y California Resources Agency Library 1416 9th Street, Room 117 Sacramento, California 95814 CALIFORNIA RESOURCES AGENCY LIBRARY Resources Building, Room 117 1416 -9ih Street Sacramento, California 95814 BIENNIAL REPORT OF 111 i. STATE BOAR \ i COMMISSIONERS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, FOR THE YEARS 1888-1890. COMMISSIONERS. JOSEPH ROUTIER, Sacramento, President. J. DOWNEY HARVEY, San Francisco, Secretary. CHARLES JOSSELYN, San Francisco. SACRAMENTO: state office, ::::::: j. d. young, supt. state printing. 1890. REP OUT. To Hon. 11. \Y. Waterman, Governor of the Stair of California: Siu: The undersigned have the honor hereby to present their Second Biennial Report relative to the fish industry of the State The fish interests of the State are in a comparatively satisfactory condition. The spring run of salmon for 1SS!) was fair, as was also that of 1890. The fall run of 1889 showed improvement over that of the previous years. The supply of shad continues to be large. Carp is found in large quantities in all the waters of the State; they are not a desirable food fish. Sturgeon continues to diminish every year, owing to the indis- criminate slaughter waged upon them by Chinese fishermen. Special efforts have been made to stock the rivers and lakes with the various species of trout. In these efforts we have been quite , successful, as evidenced by the astonishment of many at finding them abundant in streams to which they had for years been strangers. This will appear more pointedly in the report of the Superintendent of Hatcheries. Black bass have been distributed in different places throughout the State. The increase of this fish at Crystal Springs, San Mateo County, has been rapid, nnd is the source from which our supply has been obtained. Catfish have developed into popular favor, and are plentiful in most of the waters of the State. SEALS AND SEA LIONS. We respectfully repeat the recommendations of the last report of the Fish Commissioners, as follows: These aquatic animals are a serious detriment to the fish interests of the State. They sit at the entrance of Golden Gate as royal toll gatherers, and take the lion's share of the schools of the finny tribe as they pass from the broad Pacific into the bay of San Francisco, preparatory to an ascent of our rivers. In the opinion of the Commission, they are great destroyers of the salmon. They appear to be more numerous at Seal Rock and around the entrance of San Francisco Bay than in former years, owing, no doubt, to the fact that the fishermen have driven them Avith their nets from Suisun and San Pablo Bays. They not only guard the entrance of San Francisco Bay, but are found at the entrance of Monterey, Bolenas, Point Arena, Tomales, and Shoalwater Bays. This and former Commissions and the public press have repeatedly invoked legislative action to prevent the immense destruction of fish constantly going on and increasing by these Avorthless animals. It is highly important to our citizens to have the food of which they are so deprived, and in their behalf remedial legis- lation is again urgently demanded. STEAM LAUNCH. The steam launch "Governor Stoneman," constructed at a cost of over -$4,000, Avas found useless for the service for which it was intended. 4 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. In the interest of economy and an efficient service, and in response to an Act of the Legislature, we disposed of it for the sum of $1,100, which money is in the State Treasury for the purchase of other boats suited to economical use in quest of persons engaged in illegal fishing. HATCHERIES. The Shebley Hatchery has been abandoned, the supply of water being inadequate. The Hat Creek Hatchery has been abandoned, and it is the desire of the Commission that the Legislature provide for its removal to a more desirable location. The Sisson Hatchery has been a great success. A new hatchery has also been constructed at Lake Tahoe. The details relating to all these hatcheries, will be found in the report of the Superintendent of Hatcheries. The United States Fish Com- mission have furnished us with all the eyed salmon eggs it is pos- sible for us to handle, for which they are entitled to the thanks of every person in the State. FISH LADDERS. Fish ladders have been built in most places where necessary, but many are not properly built, are not kept in repair, and are to a considerable extent inefficient, owing to the fact that the Board has no appropriation from which to defray the expenses of construction. The last Legislature appropriated $500 for the removal of obstructions at Salmon Falls, in the American River. This has been successfully accomplished. LICENSES. The amount received from sales of licenses to fishermen for last year exceeds the sum received for sales of the previous year. The receipts were as follows: Licenses for the Year 1888. Received of Controller. Class. Value of Each. On Hand March 31, 1889. Sold during the Year. Total Value of Licenses Sold. Commissions Allowed for Collecting. Net Amount due the State. 700 100 100 100 5 A B C D E $5 00 7 50 10 00 12 50 15 00 208 93 83 77 4 492 7 17 23 1 $2,485 00 52 50 170 00 287 50 15 00 $300 01 7 87 25 50 43 12 2 25 $2,184 99 44 63 144 50 244 38 12 75 Total, 1,005 465 540 $3,010 00 $378 75 $2,631 25 Licenses for the Year 1889. Received of Controller. Class. Value of Each. On Hand March 31, 1890. . Sold during the Year. Total Value of Licenses Sold. Commissions Allowed for Collecting. Net Amount due the State. 775 50 50 52 1 A B C D E $5 00 7 50 10 00 12 50 15 00 19 . 35 28 26 756 15 22 26 1 $3,780 00 112 50 220 00 325 00 15 00 $356 25 16 87 31 50 48 75 2 25 $3,423 75 95 63 188 50 276 25 12 75 Total, 928 108 820 $4,452 50 $455 62 $3,996 88 RKPOHT OF STATE BOARD OF Fisil COMMISSIONERS. 0 APPROPRIATIONS. The last Legislature appropriated $20,000, one half of which was to In- used for support in each of the forty-firsl and forty-second fiscal years. The expenditures made will be found in the proper place herein. The sum of $2,000 was appropriated for the purchase and importation of cer- tain game birds into the State. The Board has so far been unable to obtain most of the species named in the Act, but hopes yet to secure I hem. Some quantities of Chinese quail and Oregon pheasants have been pur- chased and distributed in accessible localities. These quail have propa- gated already fairly well, and supplies can soon be had from them for other localities, as required. The $2,000 appropriated for the prosecu- tion of violators of the fish laws has been expended, and was insufficient to defray the costs of prosecutions. The Oregon pheasants can only be had by sending agents there to buy them in person, and they cannot be had at less than about $15 per pair. So far only forty pairs have been secured. The cost of the Chinese quail is about $20 per hundred. We have obtained about one thousand three hundred so far. These have been distributed pretty widely through- out the State. The amount so far drawn from the appropriations for game birds is $1,500, of which up to this time the sum of $1,020 has been expended. COUNTY GOVERNMENT BILL. Section 38 of the Act of March 16, 1889, amending the County Govern- ment Act, authorizing the Boards of Supervisors to fix the size of fish net meshes, should be repealed. If one county has one law, and another county another one, it renders it impossible for violators of the law to be punished, and the law thereby becomes inoperative. One county has already fixed the size of meshes for fishing at four inches, instead of the seven and one half inches prescribed by the statutes. If the Legislature should agree with the recommendations of the Superintendent of Hatcheries for the creation of more hatcheries, the appropriation he asks for, or more, may be necessary. We recommend an appropriation of $10,000 for patrol purposes. If illegal fishing is to be prohibited, men enough to patrol the rivers must be had; otherwise, illegal fishing will go on as usual with impunity. FOOD FISHES. In its proper place herein will be found an interesting and instructive paper on the food fishes of this State from the pen of Dr. C. H. Eigen- mann, who is regarded as authority upon that subject; also, a letter from Dr. H. W. Harkness, President of the California Academy of Sciences. WIRE SCREENS FOR IRRIGATION DITCHES. The millions upon millions of fish, large and small, that pass into the open heads of irrigating ditches, only to die when the water becomes exhausted, will decimate the fish supply faster than it can be restored from all the hatcheries in the State, in those localities where irrigation is largely in use. This has rendered necessary in some of the States the enactment of laws requiring the use of close-meshed wire screens at 6 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. the entrance to all irrigating ditches in the State. What is necessary elsewhere, is indispensable here, and we recommend the passage of a law here similar to the following law in the State of Wyoming upon this subject: Any person or persons, corporation or corporations owning in whole or in part, or leas- ing, operating, or having in charge any mill-race, irrigating ditch, or canal, taking or receiving its water from any river, creek, or stream in this territory in which fish has been placed or may exist, shall put or cause to be placed and maintained over the inlet of siich ditch, canal, or mill-race a wire screen of such construction, fineness, strength, or quality as shall prevent any such fish from entering such ditch, canal, or mill race, when requested to do so by the Fish Commissioner. Any person or persons, corporation or corporations violating the provisions of the pre- ceding section, or who shall neglect or refuse to provide, put up, and maintain such screen, in accordance with the provisions of the preceding section, shall be guilty of a misde- meanor, and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars, and not more than one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding thirty days for each offense ; provided, that the continuance by any person of such neglect or refusal from day to day after notification in writing shall constitute a separate and distinct offense for each and every day of the continuance of such neglect or refusal; provided further, that no offense shall be committed by reason of such screens not over the inlet of any ditch, canal, or mill-race when water is not entering the same. LAWS RECOMMENDED. We desire to renew the recommendations contained in our last bien- nial report, to wit: " The close season for salmon should be enlarged. It is now between the thirtieth day of August and the first day of October. It should be from the first day of August to the first day of October. The Commis- sion earnestly recommends legislative remedial action to prevent the destruction of fish by seals and sea lions. We further recommend that the License Act be amended so as to declare the penalty for its violation. We also recommend that a law be passed providing for the confiscation and destruction of all unlawful nets, seines, and traps of any description found in use. The possession of fish out of season, or fish of under size, should be made a misdemeanor. Some legislation should be had regard- ing the taking of immature fish, and defining ' immature fish,' at least so far as it concerns salmon, shad, sturgeon, and trout." DEER. We recommend that the killing of deer be prohibited absolutely for the next two years, and also the having in possession the skin of any deer for the same time. This is rendered necessary because of the great loss of these animals during the extremely severe weather of the last two winters, as well as their indiscriminate slaughter in some localities by hunters who defy the law with impunity. With these men, nothing save the heavy hand of the law can be made effective. JOSEPH ROUTIER, J. DOWNEY HARVEY, Fish Commissioners. REPORT OF STATK BOAKI) OF I'ISII COMMISSIONERS. KXPENDITURKS During the Fortieth Fiscal Year, ending .1 urn-. :n, t889, chargeable against the Appropriation fo\ the Restoration and Preservation of Fish in the waters of the State. Balance on hand .luly I, 1888 |804 98 Warrants issued during fortieth liseal year for services performed during the thirty-ninth liseal year: By Expenditures. Warrant No. 468— To 0. P. Egbert, supplies $13 56 No. 469— To W. E. Elliott salary 68 50 No. 470 — To John Howard, salary and expenses "><; 50 No. 471— To Goldberg, Bowen it Co., supplies 37 06 173 61 Balance on hand from thirty-ninth year . . $131 32 By appropriation (Statutes of California, page 215) 3,750 00 Bjl Expenditures. Warrant No. 2226— To J. P. Dalton, salary and expenses $240 71 No. 3085— To J. P. Dalton, salary and expenses 714 90 No. 3086— To O. P. Egbert, supplies 39 15 No. 3088— To Goldberg, Bowen & Co. , supplies 12 38 No. 3089— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses 173 70 No. 3090— To W. E. Elliott, salary 60 00 No. 3091— To John Howard, salary 50 00 No. 3092— To Charles Wenzinger, salary 50 00 No. 5519 — To John P. Dalton, salary and expenses 310 00 No. 5561— To O. P. Egbert, supplies 14 30 No. 5562 — To Goldberg, Bowen & Co., supplies 15 52 No. 6170 — To John P. Dalton, salary and expenses 177 50 No. 8271 — To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses ... 156 96 No. 12294— To John P. Dalton, salary and expenses 216 70 No. 12295 — To John P. Dalton, salary and expenses 159 85 No. 12296— To John A. Richardson, salary 75 00 No. 12297— To E. W. Hunt, salary 45 00 No. 12298— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and' expenses 241 83 No. 12299— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses 270 38 No. 12300— To Osborn & Alexander, supplies 20 90 No. 12301— To O. P. Egbert, supplies 7 15 No. 12302— To W. H. Schnittger, salary 10 00 No. 15455— To John P. Dalton, salary and expenses 208 00 No. 15456 — To John P. Dalton, salary and expenses 221 10 No. 15777— To Osborn & Alexander, supplies 24 10 No. 15778— To J. F. Curley, salary 25 00 No. 16000— To Osborn & Alexander, supplies 21 45 No. 16797 — To R. Lauritzen, supplies ... 5 51 No. 16798 — To Osborn & Alexander, supplies 14 45 No. 16799— To O. P. Egbert, supplies.. 25 15 No. 16800— To Goldberg, Bowen & Co., supplies 32 15 No. 17054: — To James McKenna, salary 5 00 No. 18249— To R. Lauritzen, supplies 1 11 30 No. 18267— To Osborn & Alexander, supplies 14 10 No. 18268— To Goldberg, Bowen & Co., supplies 24 60 No. 18269— To O. P. Egbert, supplies 37 40 No. 18270 — To John P. Dalton, salary and expenses 126 55 No. 1286— To O. P. Egbert, supplies (paid in 41st fiscal year). 23 53 Totals $3,881 32 $3,881 32 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OP FISH COMMISSIONERS. EXPENDITURES During the Fortieth Fiscal Year, ending June 30, 1889, chargeable against the Appropriation for the Support and Maintenance of State Hatcheries. Unexpended balance on hand July 1, 1888 $851 93 Warrants issued during the fortieth fiscal year, for services performed during the thirty-ninth fiscal year: "Warrant No. 208 — To J. Shebley, salary and expenses $69 20 No. 472 — To W. H. Schnittger, salary and expenses 60 00 No. 473— To Stevens & McKinny, supplies 200 00 No. 1628— To J. C. Prazier, labor 93 34 422 54 Balance on hand from thirty-ninth year $429 39 To appropriation (Statutes of California, 1887, page 215) 3,750 00 Warrant No. 1195 — To Henry Woodson, supplies $101 30 No. 1197— To J. C. Frazier, salary 100 00 No. 1196— To Stevens & McKinney, supplies / 400 00 No. 1629— To W. H. Shebley. expenses —4 63 35 No. 1630— To J. Shebley, salary-.,. - 93 00 No. 3087— To W. H . Shebley, salary >. - 81 30 No. 3093— To John Hurl ev, rent..- 20 00 No. 3094— To J. C. Frazier, salary 118,82 No. 3095— To W. H. Schnittger, salary 60,00 No. 5267— To J. G. Woodbury, salarv"and expenses 298 18 No. 5533— To J. F. Wvman, supplies 8 12 No. 5535— To J. C. Frazier, supplies 48 66 No. 5534— To R. M. Watson, supplies 8 00 No. 5558 — To Sisson Lumber Company, supplies 364 71 No. 5559 — To Sisson, Crocker & Co., supplies 97 32 No. 5560— To J. M. Bowles, Jr., supplies 42 50 No. 6163— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and supplies 57 70 No. 6164— To W. C. Gifford, labor.-.! 50 00 No. 6165— To Whittier, Fuller & Co., supplies 13 00 No. 6166— To J. H. Sisson, supplies 58 65 No. 6167— To W. H. Schnittger, salarv 5 00 No. 6168— To Holbrook, Merrill & Stetson, supplies 17 51 No. 6169 — To Sisson Lumber Company, supplies 17 47 No. 8895— To L. Stone, labor 375 00 No. 8896— To Sisson, Crocker & Co., supplies 48 00 No. 8897— To Fred. C. Boyce, labor 50 00 No. 8898— To E. W. Hunt, salary 55 65 No. 8899— To Mount Shasta Manufacturing Co., supplies 71 40 No. 8900— To W. C. Gifford, labor 37 50 No. 8901— To F. C. Boyce, labor 45 00 No. 8902— To Robert Radcliff, freight 20 00 No. 8903 — To J. A. Richardson, traveling expenses 85 65 No. 8904— To J. H. Sisson, supplies 41 30 No. 8905— To J. C. Frazier, supplies • 112 66 No. 8906— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and supplies „ 169 41 No. 12292— To Edson & Co., supplies 10 65 No. 12293— To F. C. Boyce, labor 25 00 No. 16783— To E. W. Hunt, labor 41 65 No. 16784— To W. H. Schnittger, labor 10 00 No. 17015— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and supplies.. 269 *11 No. 17053 — To J. A. Richardson, salary and supplies* 78 15 No. 18250— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and supplies.-: 465-«33 No. 18251— To W. H. Schnittger, salary and supplies, 10 00 Balance on hand July 1, 1S89 36 04 Totals $4,179 39 $4,179 39 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. •> EXPENDITURES During the Fortieth Fiscal fear, ending June SO, 1889, chargeable against the Fish C mission Fund. By balance on hand, July 1. 1888 - - Receipts into the fund, fortieth fiscal year 8,444 '-■'■ By Expenditures. Warrant No. 206— To T. W. O'Neil, supplies ---- .f-'10.90 No. 207— To L. L. Lewis, supplies 3 10 No. 474— To Carquinez Packing Company, supplies 12 50 No. 475 — To John Ferrin, expenses -- •-' 30 No. 476— To W. H. Ewing, labor. 86 86 No. 477— To Stevens A: Co., supplies 59 22 No. 478— To J. L. Sutton, salary inn no No. 479— To Bauer* Steffan, supplies i 85 No. 480— To E. J. Upham & Co., supplies 6 83 No. 481— To G. A. Hastings, supplies -•' •'" No. 482— To John S. Benn, traveling expenses 10 50 No. 483— To John F. Taggart, salary 50 00 No. 484— To Charles Josselvn, money advanced 38 62 • No. 485— To J. J. Smith, labor 50 00 No. 486— To John P. Dalton, salary and expenses 30; > 75 No. 487— To James V. Gearv, salary 110 66 No. 488— To J. L. Sutton, labor. 50 00 No. 489— To John Ferrin, salary 20!» 79 No. 597— To T. J. Sherwood, expenses 98 70 No. 1032— To James Clvne, repairs 5 50 No. 1033— To C. D. Dagnol, rent of sloop 152 66 No. 1187— To J. Routier, traveling expenses 30 10 No. 2997— To L. L. Lewis, supplies 3 10 No. 2999— To Goldberg, Bowen & Co., supplies 9 80 No. 2998— To Mohr & Yoerk, supplies 4 95 No. 3000— To O. P. Egbert, supplies 1175 No. 3001— To John P. Dalton. expenses 100 50 No. 3002 — To Cooper's book store, supplies 8 50 No. 4590— To W. A. Buncombe, rent of sloop 41 57 No. 6162--To J . G. Woodbury, traveling expenses • 208/91 No. 6550— To T. J. Sherwood, traveling expenses 251 15 No. 8891— To John P. Dalton, traveling expenses 151 95 No. 8892— To John P. Dalton, supplies 15 00 No. 8893— To Matt. Coffey, salary 35 00 No. 8894— To Joseph Routier, expenses 91 40 No. 11747— To Lauritzen & Frates, supplies T* 34 04 No. 15459— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses'. 239 39 No. 15460— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses .. 320 04 No. 15728— To E. W. Hunt, salary...' 45 00 No. 15729— To E. W. Hunt, salary 45 00 No. 15775— To J. A. Richardson, salary. 75 00 No. 15776— To J. A. Richardson, salary 75 00 No. 16650— To Edward Reillv, salary ; 91 90 No. 16771— To T. W. O'Neil, paintingi 196 00 No. 16791— To C. Folger, salary 50 00 No. 16792— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary 3 1 50 No. 16793— To John P. Dalton, salary and expenses « 368 10 No. 16794— To C. Elliott, salary* - 44 85 No. 16795— To G. J. Scullev, salary 41 50 No. 16796— To W. E. Elliot, salary* — - 72 00 No. 17017— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary 60 00 No. 17055— To W. T. Robinson, expenses 37 00 No. 17056— To San Francisco " Daily Report," advertising 40 00 No. 18252— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary.. 30 00 No. 18253— To J. C. Frazier, salary 107 20 No. 18254— To John F. Moody, supplies 69 10 No. 18255— To C. C. Folger, salary 33 20 No. 18256— To G. J. Scullev, salary 50 00 No. 18257— To Truckee Lumber Company, supplies 113 16 No. 18258— To Carson and Taboe Lumber Company, supplies. 185 16 No. 18259— To J. G. Woodbury. 110 00 No. 18260— To E. W. Hunt, salary, etc 49 50 No. 18261— To C. Elliot, salary, etc 50 00 No. 18262— To J. P. Dalton, salary, etc 100 00 Amounts carried forward |5.393 16 10 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. Amounts brought forward $5,393 16 $5,698 05 No. 18263— To Thomas H. Powers, salary, etc 40 00 No. 18264— To Westgate. Dozier & Co., supplies 27 34 No. 18265— To W. E. Elliot, salary 68 00 No. 18266— To Edward Reilly, salary 150 50 Balance on hand July 1, 1889 19 05 Totals $5,698 05 $5,698 05 EXPENDITURES During the Forty-first Fiscal Year, ending June 30, 1890, chargeable against the Appropriation for the Restoration and Preservation of Fish in the waters of the State. To appropriation (Statutes of California, 1889, page 438) $5,000 00 By Expenditures. Warrant No. 1280— To John P. Dal ton, salary and supplies $62 50 No. 1284 — To Frank Anaya, salary and expenses 77 50 No. 1285— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary 2 00 No. 1287— To Henry Mathey, expenses 122 10 No. 2219— To Edward Reilly, salary and expenses 193 85 No. 2478— To T. W. O' Neil, painting 70 00 No. 2486— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary 30 00 No. 2487— To R. Lauritzen, supplies 20 33 No. 2488 — To Osborn & Alexander, supplies 14 45 No. 2489— To Goldberg, Bowen & Co., supplies 12 38 No. 2490— To O. P. Egbert, supplies 1. 37 05 No. 2491— To John P. Dalton, supplies 67 34 No. 2492— To John P. Dalton, salary 100 00 No. 2493— To John P. Dalton, rent 10 00 No. 2494— To G. J. Sculley, salary 50 00 No. 2495— To W. Lamonte, salary 28 00 No. 2496— To John Howard, salary 36 65 No. 2497— To W. E. Elliott, salary 60 00 No. 2498— To C. B. Elliott, salary 50 00 No. 2499— To C. Higgins, salary 26 00 No. 3375— To J. M. Sullivan, salary and expenses 172 44 No. 3376— To J. M. Sullivan, salary and expenses 193 20 No. 3377— To Edward Reilly, salary and expenses 203 20 No. 3378— To J. W. Hughes, professional services 75 00 No. 3379— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary 30 00 No. 3380— To M. J. O'Reilly, expenses. 5 75 No. 3765— To John P. Dalton, salary 100 00 No. 3766— To John P. Dalton, expenses 10 00 No. 3767— To John P. Dalton, expenses 124 77 No. 3874— To Frank Anaya, expenses 27115 No. 3875 — To J. Downey Harvey, expenses ' 14 00 No. 3876 — To Joseph Routier, traveling expenses 108 65 No. 3877— To O. P. Egbert, supplies 37 60 No. 3878— To R. Lauritzen, supplies 17 80 No. 3879 — To Osborn & Alexander, supplies 14 45 No. 3880— To W. Lamont, salary 40 00 No. 3881— To W. Markham, salary 50 00 No. 3882— To G. J. Sculley, salary - 50 00 No. 3883— To W. E. EHiot, salary 60 00 No. 4997— To Jno. T. Curley, expenses 77 10 No. 5048— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary and expenses 33 10 No. 5138— To John P. Dalton, expenses 119 25 No. 5139— To O. P. Egbert, supplies -.- 24 25 No. 5140 — To Osborn & Alexander, supplies , 14 45 No. 5141 — To J. Downey Harvey, expenses - 5 00 No. 5142— To W. Lamont, salary 40 00 No. 5143— To H. H. Briggs, salary 100 00 No. 5144— To G. J. Sculley, salarv 50 00 No. 5145— To A. Cassidy, 'supplies 46 66 No. 5146— To W. Markham, salary 50 00 No. 5147— To W. E. Elliott, salary 60 00 No. 5148— To John P. Dalton, salary 100 00 No. 5149-To J. F. Curley, salary 66 30 Amounts carried forward $3,434 27 $5,000 00 RKPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. 11 Amounts broughl forward !R':;i 27 16.000 00 No. 51 50-- To Joseph Koiiticr. expenses... 31 oo No. 5151— To F. P. Callundan, salary and expenses 11 I 05 No. 5126— To M. J. O'Reilly, expenses " '•"' No. 6473— To J. M. Sullivan, expenses. L08 06 No. 0474— To E. Reilly, salary loo 00 No. 0475— To 10. Reillv, salary 162 06 No. 6505— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary and expenses 82 20 No. 6749— To J. Downey Harvey, expenses - 6 00 No. 6750— To Joseph Routier, expenses 147 35 No. 6751— To C. H. Bogart, expenses I(; 70 No. 6752— To C. E. Grunsky, salary 1110 No. 6753— To F. Anava, salary.— - 02 80 No. 6754— To F. P. Callundan, salary 100 00 No. 6755— To H. F. Williams, salary 50 00 No. 6756— To John F. Curley, expenses. 100 60 No. 6757— To James H. Carothers, expenses - 10 00 No. 6758— To John P. Dalton, expenses 24 41 No. 7437— To C. W. Thorrold, salary 50 00 No. 7438— To F. P. Callundan, salary and expenses 132 25 No. 7439— To F. Anaya, salary and expenses 78 45 No. 7930— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary and expenses 32 55 No. 8354— To E. Reilly, salary 100 00 No. 8407— To F. Anaya, salary and expenses 12 70 No. 8408— To J. Downey Harvey, expenses 5 00 No. 8409— To Joseph Routier, expenses 30 00 No. 11314— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary 30 00 No. 13169— Wells, Fargo & Co., expressage 6 15 Balance on hand June 30, 1890 2 27 Totals $5,000 00 $5,000 00 EXPENDITURES During the Forty-first Fiscal Year, ending June 30, 1890, chargeable against the Appropriation for the Support and Maintenance of State Hatcheries. Unexpended balance on hand July 1, 1889 $36 04 Warrants issued during the forty-first fiscal year for services per- formed during the fortieth fiscal year: Warrant No. 1296— To W. H. Schnittger, labor $5 00 No. 1297— To Jones & Givens, supplies 30 75 35 75 Unexpended balance fortieth fiscal year $0 29 By appropriation (Statutes of California, 1889, page 438) 5,000 00 By Expenditures. Warrant No. 2500— To W. H. Schnittger, salary $5 00 No. 2501— To J. A. Richardson, salary and expenses 78 50 No. 2502— To J. C. Frazier, salary and expenses 100 50 No. 2503— To E. W. Hunt, salary and expenses 61 50 No. 2504— To Truckee Lumber Co., supplies 33 00 No. 2505— To Fireman's Fund Insurance Co., insurance 15 00 No. 3884— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses 357 12 No. 3885— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses 141 50 No. 3886— To W. H. Schnittger, salary 5 00 No. 3887— To J. C. Frazier, salary and expenses . 50 50 No. 3888— To E. W. Hunt, salary and expenses 63 50 No. 3889— To J. A. Todman, labor 15 00 No. 3890— To John Hurley, rent 20 00 No. 5131— To Carson and Tahoe Lumber Co., supplies 73 51 No. 5132— To Whittier, Fuller & Co., supplies 10 00 No. 5133— To E. W. Hunt, salary and expenses 37 75 No. 5134— To. J. C. Frazier, salary 50 00 No. 5135— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses 205 35 No. 5136— To A. J. Baylev, labor 21 50 No. 5137— To Truckee Lumber Co., supplies 46 40 No. 6759— To Wm. Bovle, labor 135 00 No. 6760— To L. C. Nelson, supplies 15 00 No. 6761— To E. W. Hunt, salary and expenses 79 15 Amounts carried forward $1,619 78 15,000 29 12 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. Amounts brought forward $1,619 78 $5,000 29 No. 6762— To Andrews & Barr, supplies 15 00 No. 6763— To J. H. Sisson, supplies 31 10 No. 6764 — To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses.. . 200 40 No. 6765— To W. H. Schnittger, salary 10 00 No. 6766— To Truckee Lumber Co., supplies 45 25 No. 6767 — To J. A. Richardson, salary and expenses 297 50 No. 7931 — To Liebenbaum Bros., supplies 38 95 No. 7932— To J. M. Short, supplies 48 91 No. 8405— To Sisson, Crocker & Co., supplies 43 61 No. 8406— To W. H. Schnittger, salary 5 00 No. 8410— To John F. Moody, supplies 46 66 No. 9021 — To Fireman's Fund Insurance Co., insurance 3180 No. 9022 — To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses 152 25 No. 9023— To Truckee Lumber Co., supplies 23 58 No. 9024— To John F. Moody, supplies 88 42 No. 9025 — To J. A. Richardson, salary and expenses 163 90 No. 9026— To J. C. Frazier, salary and expenses 66 33 No. 9027— To E. W. Hunt, salary 75 00 No. 9558 — To Justinian Caire, supplies -.. 49 01 No. 9559— To W. F. Bowers & Co., supplies 10 00 No. 9560— To W. H. Himes, supplies 6 00 No. 9561— To L. C. Nelson, supplies 16 00 No. 9562— To J. A. Richardson, salary 75 00 No. 9563— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses 144 60 No. 9564— To E. W. Hunt, salary and expenses 78 00 No. 10507— To J. A. Richardson, salary... 75 00 No. 10508— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses 133 35 No. 10509— To W. H. Schnittger, salary 5 00 No. 10510 — To L. Stone, salary and expenses 204 50 No. 10659— To E. W. Hunt, salary 75 00 No. 11575— To J. A. Richardson, salary 75 00 No. 11576— To W. H. Schnittger, salary 5 00 No. 11577— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses ... 135 80 No. 11578— To E. W. Hunt, salary 75 00 No. 11579— To Sisson, Crocker & Co., supplies 95 91 No. 11580— To The Bancroft Co., supplies 5 75 No. 11581— To Southern Pacific Co., freight 22 85 No. 11582— To Neville & Co., supplies 41 06 No. 11583— To F. E. Drew, labor 25 00 No. 12556— To E. W. Hunt, salary and expenses 92 90 No. 12589— To J. G. Woodbury, salary and expenses 180 85 No. 12590— To J. A. Richardson, salary and expenses 77 90 No. 12591— To W. T. Bowers, expenses 5 50 No. 12592— To Edson Brothers, supplies 61 50 No. 12593— To W. H. Himes, labor - 5 00 No. 12594 — To Leibenbaum Brothers, supplies 92 61 No. 12595— To W. H. Schnittger, salary 10 00 Balance on hand July 1, 1890 117 76 Totals $5,000 29 $5,000 29 EXPENDITURES During the Forty-first Fiscal Year, ending June 30, 1890, chargeable against the Fish Com- mission Fund. By balance on hand July 1, 1889 $19 05 Receipts into the fund, forty-first fiscal year 5,309 17 By Expenditures. Warrant No. 1272— To W. E. Elliott, salary $60 00 No. 1273— To John Howard, salary 50 00 No. 1274— To G. J. Scullev, salary 50 00 No. 1275— To Thomas H. 'Powers, salary. 40 00 No. 1276— To John P. Dalton, salary 100 00 No. 1277— To John P. Dalton, expenses 7191 No. 1278— To Charles Elliott, salary 50 00 No. 1279— To John F. Moody, salarv 20 00 No. 1283— To Frank Anaya, salary 23 10 Amounts carried forward $465 01 $5,328 22 REPORT OP STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. 13 Amounts brought forward. - $466 01 $5,828 22 No. 1288— To 10. \V. Hunt, supplies and salary 78 26 No. 1289— To J. A. Richardson, salary 16 70 No. 1290— ToK. Reilly, salary 168 00 No. 1291— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary 30 00 No. 12! )2— To R. Laurity.cn, supplies 18 66 No. 1293 — To Osborn & Alexander, supplies -... 14 45 No. 1294— To Goldberg, Bowen & Co., supplies 14 00 No. 1295 — To J. C. Frazier, salary and supplies.. I'M 50 No. 2716— To J. (J. Woodbury, salary ami supplies 609 72 No. 2065 — To J. Downey Harvey, traveling expenses i!»2 00 No. 4452— To C. Higgin's, labor'. 96 00 No. 6S26 — To. I. Downey Harvey, traveling expenses 113 00 No. 6768— To H. (i. Miller, balance due on contract. 16 40 No. 6769— To "Sacramento Bee," advertising 21 00 No. 7208— To Jolin P. Dalton, supplies 5 25 No. 7209— To John F. Moody, expenses 42 45 No. 7210— To R. Radclin", expenses . 100 00 No. 8369— To H. Dutard, rent of tug,... 49 50 No. 8370— To F. P. Callundan, salary and expenses 207 25 No. 9154— To E. Reillv, salary 100 00 No. 9158— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary and expenses 31 40 No. 9520 — To Joseph Routier, traveling expenses 5 ("> No. 9521 — To J. Downey Harvey, traveling expenses 5 00 No. 9522— To F. P. Callundan, salary and expenses... 199 50 No. 9523— To Thomas Tumstead, salary 100 00 No. 9524— To W. J. McDowell, expenses... 16 80 No. 9525— To J. F. Curlev, expenses 7 25 No. 9526— To J. F. Curley, expenses 28 50 No. 10501— To F. P. Callundan, salary and expenses 109 00 No. 10502— To J. D. Ennis, salary 100 00 No. 10503— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary and expenses 33 85 No. 11617— To Joseph Routier, traveling expenses 34 00 No. 11618 — To Joseph Routier, traveling expenses 30 00 No. 11619 — To J. D. Harvey, traveling expenses 5 00 No. 11620 — To J. D. Harvey, traveling expenses- 5 00 No. 11621— To F. P. Callundan, salary and expenses 130 50 No. 11622— To Whittier, Fuller & Co., supplies 8 00 No. 11623— To John D. Ennis, salary 100 00 No. 12553 — To Joseph Routier, traveling expenses 30 00 No. 12554— To F. P. Callundan, salarv and expenses 201 70 No. 12555— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary and expenses .._ 31 90 No. 12599— To J. D. Harvev, traveling expenses 5 00 No. 12600— To John M. Bailhache, expenses 6 00 No. 12601— To John D. Ennis, salarv 100 00 No. 13184— To T. E. Sullivan, labor 22 50 No. 13185— To W. H. Shehley, salary 52 25 No. 13400— To M. J. O'Reilly, salary 30 00 No. 13401— To E. D. Stewart, labor'. 68 55 No. 13402— To S. F. Earl, labor 97 50 No. 13403— To John 1). Ennis, salary 130 50 No.'13404— To John F. Curley, boat'hire 30 00 No. 13405 — To J. Downey Harvey, traveling expenses 5 00 No. 13406— To F. P. Callundan, salary and'expenses 121 40 No. 13407 — To Joseph Routier, traveling expenses 30 00 No. 13869— To T. W. O'Neil, labor '. 177 80 No. 13885— To M. J. O'Reillv, salarv 30 00 No. 13886— To E. W. Hunt, 'salary and expenses 107 35 No. 14045— To Joseph Routier, traveling expenses 30 00 No. 14092— To John D. Ennis, salary and expenses 121 50 No. 14093— To F. P. Callundan, salary and expenses 137 45 Balance on hand July 1, 1890 44 89 Totals $5,328 22 $5,328 22 14 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. EXPENDITURES During the Forty -first Fiscal Year, ending June 30, 1890, Chargeable Against the Appropria- tion for the Importation and Propagation of Game Birds. To appropriation (Statutes of California, 1889, page 304) $2,000 00 By Expenditures. Warrant No. 8404 — To "American Field" Publishing Company, advertising $3 84 No. 11313— To State Board of Pish Commissioners 500 00 Balance on hand July 1, 1890 1,496 16 Total $2,000 00 $2,000 00 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. tfi REPORT OF J. G. WOODBURY, Superintendent of Hatcheries and the Restoration <>f Fishes, embracing the Operations carried out during the period between August 1, 1888, and October 1, 1890. San Francisco, October 1, 1890. To the honorable the Board of Fish Commissioners of the State of California: Gentlemen: After being appointed Superintendent by your honorable Board on the first day of August, 1888, 1 visited Lake Tahoe, where Mr. Frazier was in charge of hatching the six hundred thousand eyed trout eggs, which had been contracted for by your honorable Board. These eggs were being hatched in a rented building, small and win- dowless, and consequently giving insufficient light to distinctly observe the condition of the fish in the troughs, which is a very essential mat- ter, for cleanliness is a cardinal virtue in the successful hatching and rearing of trout, and an abundance of light is necessary to perceive what one is doing. The supply of water to the hatchery on a hot day was very precarious, diminishing in quantity in the middle of the day, and with cattle tramp- ing up the ground around the springs, and the rotten condition of the wooden pipes which conveyed the water a long way to the hatchery, made it a very uncertain business in hatching trout, and kept the attendant in constant apprehension of some mishap. It seemed a reproach to the California Fish Commission to be com- pelled to do its work of stocking Lakes Tahoe, Donner, Independence, Webber, and the mountain streams in the vicinity with fish under such adverse conditions as these. And if it is thought of sufficient impor- tance that these waters be stocked with trout, it should be done from year to year, continuously, for intermittent work of this kind — stocking these waters for a year or two and then skipping a year — is work almost thrown away. It occurred to me that the State should select some favorable point for shipping, and build its own hatchery, commodious and well appointed, with a certainty of plenty of cold spring water, and make Lake Tahoe a trout-hatching station as a distributing point for all these mountain waters. Mr. Frazier reported that he shipped the trout, resulting from these six hundred thousand eggs, in 1888, to the localities and in the numbers given in the tables which accompany my report to your honorable Board. THE SISSOX SALMOX HATCHERY, 1888. The Board of Fish Commissioners had received word from Mr. Living- ston Stone, who was in charge of the United States salmon hatchery on the McCloud River, that he would deliver at the McCloud River Station, free of charge to the California Fish Commission, four million eyed salmon eggs for stocking streams in this State. 16 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. To take advantage of this generous offer on the part of the United States Fish Commission, I immediately, on my return from Lake Tahoe, started to look up a place on the headwaters of the Sacramento River for the erection of an extensive hatchery to accommodate this large num- ber of eggs when hatched out. The necessary conditions for hatching out so many eggs, and the large trough space for nurseries to keep in good condition the young fish until they are old enough to ship, are a good sized stream of pure, cold spring water with no possibility of floods washing out the ditches or flumes that take the water to the hatchery, and with a right at all times to control a sufficient quantity of water for all purposes. It was also essential that the hatchery should be at a convenient distance from the railroad station and a telegraph office for convenience of shipping the fish to distant points; also, a point on the river, whence it was, owing to its accessibility, the cheapest to reach by wagon road the greatest number of the branches of the head- waters of the Sacramento River. For the shipping of even one million of young fish to distant points and properly distributing them over the nursery grounds is a costly and tedious operation. After examining the Sacramento River for the best place in my opin- ion, I selected, with the consent of Mr. J. H. Sisson, a site in the field back of his barn about three quarters of a mile from the railroad station in the town of Sisson. The spot selected is well drained, sunny, and sheltered from the prevailing winds, and with an open view of old Mount Shasta. The water for the hatchery comes from a large spring, about one and a half miles distant, which forms the extreme head of one of the branches of the Sacramento River. Its volume is sufficient to run a sawmill, and its temperature is 46 degrees Fahrenheit at all seasons. The main ditch from this spring runs near by the hatchery. It seemed to be an ideal place for a hatchery, and also most conveniently situated for distributing the fish to the proper nursing grounds. In the two years of experience since the hatcher was built, in hatching the millions of trout and salmon eggs, the expectations have been more than fulfilled. The waters seem to have a marvelous virtue in maintaining the health of the young fish as well as having a sparkling taste to the palate. The hatchery was built in expeditious haste to prepare it in one month for the reception of the expected salmon eggs from the September run of fish at the McCloud River Hatchery. The hatchery is a plain building forty feet by sixty feet, strongly built, with a half pitch roof which has resisted the tremendous snows of the past winter. It has a capacity for forty-four hatching troughs sixteen feet long and sixteen inches wide. The troughs are made of one and one half-inch dressed pine, and are painted with three coats of asphalt varnish to prevent the wood from growing a fungus, which would destroy the young fish. A head trough sixteen inches square, prepared in the same way, runs the entire length of the building, sixty feet, which furnishes water through gates to the hatching troughs. A large filter- ing tank outside, and a flume about one hundred yards long, connect the hatchery with the main ditch. The hatchery has a system of troughs beneath the floor to carry off the water from all the hatching troughs to a waste ditch outside. A room fourteen by sixteen feet, for the men to live in, was finished in the upper part of the hatchery. I REPORT OF STATE HOARD OP FISH COMMISSIONERS. 17 Each trough 1ms screens and covers t<> protect the egge from the Light. One hundred and fifty wire hatching bankets were made and painted with asphalt varnish. It seemed to be an endless task to get thie Large hatchery finished. We worked every day in the week, and most of the nights until ten and eleven o'clock, painting the troughs, making the haskets, covers, etc., and fixing up the Living-room. Tbis work con- tinued long after the first lot of eggs were received. This hatchery is well equipped and is also one of the largest in the country. It has a third larger capacity than the United States Salmon Hatchery on the McCloud River, where fourteen million salmon eggs have been eyed at one time. Before shipping the eggs, Mr. George B. Williams, Superintendent of the station at Baird, where the United States Salmon Hatchery is located, sent word notifying us of the date of shipment. The salmon eggs are hauled to Smithson, on the Sacramento River, where one of our men meets them with ice to be put in the packages to keep them cool. The State Fish Commission pays all expenses incurred on the shipment of eggs from the McCloud River to Sisson. The United States Fish Commission generously donates the eggs, eyed and packed, ready for shipment, from the Government Hatchery on the McCloud River. We received at the Sisson Hatchery, from the September run, 1888, about eight hundred thousand salmon eggs, instead of the three or four million which were expected to be taken during that month. This caused a great surprise and disappointment, for ten years ago during the same month twelve million eggs were easily taken. This shows what havoc the fishermen with their nets are making in the lower Sacramento River. This year, 1888, the United States Fish Commission renewed their operations on the McCloud River, that station having been abandoned during the previous five years. The eight hundred thousand eggs received from them were hatched out at Sisson, and kept till old enough to be planted, and during the month of December were distributed in branches of the Sacramento River, the West Fork, Salloway Creek, Big Spring Creek, Cold Creek, and in the main Sacramento below the eighteenth crossing. The Government Station on the McCloud River did so poorly in the August and September run that they continued their efforts for the taking of more spawn during October and November. This had been unusual in former years, because they got all they required in the first run. Usu- ally the McCloud River rises in volume during the fall rains, which makes it very difficult for the men to keep their traps in the river (as, for instance, during last year, 1889, when everything was swept away). We received at the Sisson Hatchery from the October and Novem- ber run, 1888, about two million two hundred thousand salmon eggs. The eggs arrived during the last of December and part of January, 1889. These were hatched out in fine condition, and kept till oid enough to ship, and were distributed, in March and. April, in the same streams as those of the September run; and, also, down the Sacramento River as far as Big Castle Creek. In shipping these fish down the river the Southern Pacific Railroad Company very generously loaned us the use of a hand car, and gave the right of way on their road. Without this accommodation it would have been almost impossible to have dis- tributed the fish properly. With the good water at the Sisson Hatchery, 28 18 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OP1 FISH COMMISSIONERS. and the care they received from the attendants, Mr. James A. Richard- son and Mr. E. W. Hunt, I venture to say that no fish were ever hatched out with a less percentage of loss. In the fall of 1888 a contract was made with Mr. Livingston Stone, at the United States Hatchery on the McCloud River, to hatch out from the eyed eggs which the United States Fish Commission donated to the California Fish Commission, five hundred thousand young salmon at 75 cents per thousand, and distribute them in the McCloud River. The United States Fish Commission also very generously hatched out and planted in the McCloud River the same season one million young salmon at its own expense; and, also, in 1889 the United States Com- mission planted eighty-four thousand young salmon in the McCloud River. More would have been planted there that year by the United States Commission, if the floods had not washed out the traps and thus prevented the taking of any more breeding salmon. Mr. J. H. Sisson generously gave two lots in the addition to the town of Sisson, each thirty feet by one hundred and forty feet, for the use of the hatchery, for $1 a year with the free use of the water; and, also, he signed a bond to give the Fish Commission permission to remove the buildings, or else buy the land at the market price, with a perpetual free use of all the water from Big Springs Creek which the hatchery should need. These lots should belong to the Fish Commission, with one or two more of the adjoining lots on the south included. Mr. Dunn, the Controller, claims that under the present law the Fish Commission has no right to purchase land for its hatcheries. I would suggest that your honorable Board petition the next Legislature for a law to be passed granting the Fish Commission the right to purchase land for its hatcheries when a desirable locality has been fixed upon. If the hatcheries do any good in maintaining the normal supply of food fish by restocking the streams, and if it is advisable to operate the hatcheries for a few years, it is equally important to maintain them for all time. The State consequently should own and operate its own hatcheries as a permanent institution. As soon as the young salmon were all distributed (April, 1889), the hatchery was closed at Sisson for the season of 1888-9. LAKE TAHOE. Operations were now immediately begun at Lake Tahoe. The fisher- men said that the month of May was too late a date on which to take spawn at Taylor Creek, which was considered the best place for getting the most spawn. But we managed by careful seining to get about one hundred and fifty thousand trout eggs here, which were put into the old private hatchery at Tahoe City. Taylor Creek is at the upper end of the lake, about twenty miles from the hatchery. Work was then begun on traps to be put in the creeks near their mouths. We had to wait for the lumber to be sawed out at Truckee and hauled over what was, at that time, a bad road. This dela}^ed us somewhat, but as soon as possi- ble we had traps in Meek's, Phipps', Blackwood, and Ward Creeks. Trout run up these creeks later than they do in Taylor Creek, for the reason that these streams are fed by melting snow water which is cold and often roily, while Taylor Creek has its source in Fallen Leaf Lake, which modifies the temperature of the small streams running into it. REPORT OF STATE HOARD OF KIHII COMMISSIONERS. It) In Meck's Creek the trout had been running some time before we pu1 in our traps, and Chinamen had been catching them by torchlight, bo the fishermen said. The run dwindled down very fast and we caught but few trout, but the traps were full of suckers. In Phipps' ('reek, which is later than Mick's, tin; trout had not begun to run when the traps were set; the water was very low. We caught here but very few fish during the season. Trout used to run up this stream in large numbers, but a trap had been kept here for years pasl to catch the fish, principally for the market, and I could not learn if any young trout had been planted in the stream to restock it in place of those which had been prevented from going up to spawn. The next creek, Blackwood, is a larger and later stream for trout; in this creek we caught the greater bulk of our eggs. We had to continue trapping in this creek a long time — into August, in fact — when the water became very low. In Ward Creek but very few trout were caught. We also seined at the Incline in Nevada, by permission of Fish Commissioner Mills. Here formerly trout used to be caught in great numbers by the same fishermen who worked this season for us. This year, however, but few fish could be seined, while cart loads of sawdust were drawn in by the seine. The two streams which empty into the lake at this place were very low. We took this season, 1889, about one million two hundred thousand eggs. It was expensive to keep the traps in for so long a time with men to attend them. Spawn taking had been continued through three months, while in an ordinary season, and to get two million five hun- dred thousand eggs, it was expected that the work of spawning would be done in six weeks. The cause given why so few fish could be caught was that it had been an open winter around the lake, scarcely any snow had fallen, and the water consequently in all the streams was very low. It is the melting of the deep snows in the mountains that cause the streams around Lake Tahoe to rise in April, May, and June. All the traps and seining grounds wTere at distant points from the hatchery. The eggs had to be brought around the lake on the steamer or in rowboats. In the first part of this report mention is made of the old private hatchery, where the Commission wTas having trout hatched, of its inade- quate qualities, of the insufficiency of water for hatching purposes, and the insecurity of supplying pipes. It seemed necessary that the Fish Commission of this State should have a hatchery of its own, sufficiently large to take care of fifteen hundred thousand trout, with a good supply of cold spring water. A State hatchery at Lake Tahoe would be the most central, as a point of distribution, for the great Tahoe, Donner, Independence, and Webber Lakes, as well as the Truckee River and its branches, and also the head- waters of the different forks of the American River, and rivers farther south, rising at the summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains — these latter being stocked with Eastern trout alone, while all the former could be stocked with Lake Tahoe trout, Eastern trout, and the land-locked salmon. Lake Tahoe is of considerable importance as a resort for health and pleasure by tourists from the East, as well as large numbers of our own people. Boating and fishing are among its pastimes. Travel here must increase as our State becomes more thickly populated. All these waters 20 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OP FISH COMMISSIONERS. were well stocked with trout in former years, when the Truckee River was open to the passage of trout from Tahoe to Pyramid and Echo Lakes. The magnificent spawning grounds of the whole length of the Truckee River were then used by the trout to deposit their eggs. In almost countless numbers the trout made their way from Pyramid and Echo Lakes to Lake Tahoe. But since the dams have been built on this river no trout can get up to Lake Tahoe, and of late years trout have been diminishing above the lower dam very fast. Taking all these things into consideration, I thought it best to build at Lake Tahoe a new State hatchery. THE NEW STATE HATCHERY AT LAKE TAHOE. Soon after arriving at the lake, and while the other work of seining and trapping was in operation, I began to look up a place to build, with the necessary conveniences for hatching and shipping. A spot near Tahoe City was selected, where there were some fine springs near the shore of the lake and quite close to the steamer landing. No one could tell me where the owner could be found, or even what his name was. But in the hurry for a safe place to hatch the spawn which was being taken (the first few lots were placed to the old private hatchery, which was hired for the purpose), I had determined to build a temporary hatchery on the place selected, and trust to luck in finding its owner and buying it of him. So I ordered lumber from the mill at Glenbrook for the building, and had the hatching troughs made at the factory in Truckee. Wire for the hatching baskets was ordered from San Francisco. A man was put to work getting out sills for the founda- tion of the permanent hatchery. Other men were set to digging ditches to bring in water from the springs to a new reservoir to be made near the lake shore. As soon as the lumber and troughs arrived, a temporary roof was put up. Some of the troughs were painted and prepared for the eggs. After the troughs were in place, and the flume to the head trough finished, and the water was running in the hatching troughs, we brought the eggs from the old hatchery to our temporary new one. We felt much relieved now, for we could take care of the eggs as fast as they came in, and had the eggs which were in the old hatchery in a safe place — the old rotten pipe had already burst several times, and we had been harassed with fear of losing the eggs. At this point of our work I started for San Francisco to find the owner of the place on which I wished to build the new hatchery. After con- siderable trouble and delay, I found the owner of the springs, and after making a bargain at a fair price for the land, and a guarantee to give me a month to search the title, I returned to Tahoe. We at once began work on the new hatchery, laying a strong foundation with heavy sills to bear up the weight of water and heavy winter snows. The building is twenty-four feet by forty-two feet, strongly built, with a half pitch roof. It has seventeen windows, which give abundance of light. The plan of the hatching troughs is like those at the Sisson Hatchery, with twenty-four troughs twelve feet long, and sixteen inches wide — with head trough and a large settling tank outside connecting with a flume, which brings the water down for about two hundred yards from the springs. As soon as the building was ready and part of the troughs had been REPORT OF STATK BOARD OF I'ISII COMMISSIONERS. 21 placed in position, we transferred the baskets of eggs and young fish from the temporary hatchery to the mw Imilding; the remaining troughs were then put in place. The troughs are well made, of sugar pine, and painted with two coal of asphalt varnish. A good supply of new hatching baskets, painted with varnish, and covers made for all the troughs. The hatchery is well appointed, strongly built, and r ly. It was necessary to do all this work as quickly as possible, and, in doing it, there were many vexatious delays. No supplies for the work could be obtained at Tahoe, except lumber in the tree. The shakes for the roof had to be made, the sills had to be hewn from the tree, and, as no teams get in there until the loggers arrive, we were much delayed in hauling the sills and shakes. The lumber had to be sawed and brought over on scows from Glenbrook, then rafted and got inshore as close as possible, then thrown into the water, pushed ashore, dragged out and packed up to the building. Lake Tahoe is a very difficult place to collect spawn. The traps are all at distant points. In going to one on the steamer it takes all the next day to get back, as the steamer has to go round the lake to get home. To go to the traps off the regular route of the steamer rowboats must be used, which takes half a day to go the round trip. On many days the lake is so rough that it is not possible to go in a boat. We had a very busy summer's work; all hands were employed every Sunday, as well as through the week days. Of the thirteen acres which were bought for the hatchery, the greater part consisted of wet land through which the springs flowed. This naturally produced the best feeding ground for cows. As soon as the grass began to spring up, about two hundred head of cattle were driven into the neighborhood of Tahoe City, and they made our springs their headquarters. They would wade in all through that soft ground among the alders, tramping it up, and the water in the hatchery would be black with mud, covering the eggs and thickly settling on the bottom of the troughs. We had to endure this annoyance for weeks, leaving our work in the day time to drive them off, and watching the place till ten o'clock at night, till the wire for fencing ordered from Sacramento arrived, the posts split, the holes dug, and fence put up to protect ourselves from their raids. Later in the season, when most of the fish were shipped and more leisure obtained, a line ditch was dug from the reservoir to the main spring, and a strong flume of two-inch planks was laid and covered up. This was to keep the water from getting heated upon a hot day. Also, a new house for quarters for the men was built, sixteen feet by twenty- four feet, wTith three rooms, boarded and battened outside and close boarded inside, making a strong, w^ell built, and warm house. A new stove and housekeeping articles were bought. Our men did their own cooking after the first of August, the Commission furnishing the supplies, thus saving large board bills at the hotel. After I had made a bargain for the land, your honorable Board sent me word that Mr. Dunn, the Controller, said that he had no authority to issue a warrant to pay for land for the Fish Commission. As the buildings were already begun, and as there was no other course to pursue but go ahead, I wrote your honorable Board that I would buy the land myself and rent it to the Commission at a nominal sum. 22 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OP FISH COMMISSIONERS. After the spawn was all taken, about the first of August, I sent Mr. Richardson to the city to begin shipping Black bass from the Spring Valley Water Company's lakes. Mr. Hunt stopped at the hatchery till most of the young trout were shipped in the latter part of September. He then went to the Sisson Hatchery to receive the first lot of salmon eggs from the United States Hatchery on the McCloud River. I had already been up there (August), and painted the troughs with asphalt varnish, and turned on the water to soak them in readiness for the September run of salmon eggs. I stopped at the Tahoe Hatchery, working on the house and flume most of the time until both were finished. The fish being all shipped, the house and flume finished, several cords of wood got into the house for the next spring work, the hatchery was closed up on the last of October, 1889. The distribution of this season's trout (1889) at Lake Tahoe will be seen on reference to the tables. BLACK BASS. Seth Green brought the first Black bass to California. These were brought out at the expense of a sportsmen's club, and placed in Temes- cal Lake, near Oakland. A few waters have been stocked from the young of these bass. The second lot of Black bass was brought out by B. B. Redding, for the California Fish Commission, and planted in the Crystal Springs reservoir, near San Mateo, with the permission of the Spring Valley Water Company, for breeding purposes, with the privilege of shipping the progeny of these fish to stock the waters of this State. The Black bass is a splendid game fish, fighting bravely and fiercely for its liberty, many anglers claiming that there is more sport fishing for them than for trout. They are also a delicious fish to eat. They will do well in almost any of our fresh waters, either rivers or lakes; they multiply very rapidly, and require no aid from artificial .propagation. When waters are once stocked with them, they are to stay, if fair play is shown them. They should be protected for several years till the origi- nal stock has had a chance to breed two or three times, and afterwards no fishing should be allowed for several months during the spawning season. Like any other live stock, if breeders enough are not reserved, the stock will become diminished. The Black bass, like Striped bass are ravenous feeders; they will devour the Sticklebacks, which almost all fish avoid on account of their spines. Not many of our public waters have been as yet stocked with these fish. They should be, for when once they become stocked with Black bass it is done for all time. Clear Lake, in Lake County, will make, when it has been well stocked with Black bass, a splendid and extensive resort for anglers. There is an inferior fish there which breeds in myriads, which will give grand feasting for Black bass. It was thought to be high time that some systematic work should begin to stock all the waters of our State that are proper to plant with bass: Clear Lake, the Blue Lakes, Tulare Lake, Goose Lake, and many smaller lakes in our State, and perhaps the great Klamath Lakes. Probably it REPORT ,)K BTATE BOARD OF FIBH COMMISSIONERS. 28 would aot be well to plant Black bass in Tahoe, Donner, Independence, or Webber Lakes. The rivers Kern, King, and so forth, are admirably adapter! tor the home of this fish. I am not over confident thai It would be safe for the young salmon to have the Black bass planted in either the Sacramento or San Joaquin Rivers. The young salmon make the Sacramento River their highway from the nursery grounds in the McCloud and upper Sacramento Rivers to the ocean, and they would have to run the gauntlel of the Black bass if the latter were planted there. But the perch and the Sacramento River pike, which have always been there, would also be salmon caters, if they could catch them. The question remains: Would the Black bass be any more destructive than their first cousin, the perch? At anyrate, in time these fish will find their way into these rivers, clandestinely by private parties, if not done so openly by the Fish Commission. Russian River is, I understand, at present well stocked with Black bass. Many applications have been made for Black bass to stock waters in different parts of the State. They have to be caught for shipment with hook and line. If they swallow the hook it is liable to injure them, and cause them to die while kept in confinement waiting for shipment, or on the journey to be planted. When fish are shipped to private waters, the expenses of the journey, transportation, railroad fares, hotel bills, etc., are expected to be paid by those who make application for them. Fifty fish, such as would breed for the first time during the following spring, are sufficient to stock any reservoir or small lake. The number did not exceed twenty which were originally placed in Crystal Springs reservoir. Mr. James A. Richardson, after leaving the Tahoe Hatchery, in August, 1889, began shipping the Black bass, making one trip to the waters near Oroville, for Senator Jones, one to Sweetwater reservoir, San Diego, and two shipments to Clear Lake. More shipments would have been made that year, but Mr. Richardson became seriously ill, and had to postpone the work. SISSON HATCHERY, 1889-90. The salmon hatching season opens about the latter part of Septem- ber. Mr. E. W. Hunt, after leaving the Tahoe Hatchery, in September, 1889, went up to the Sisson Hatchery to receive the first consignment of salmon eggs from the United States Hatchery on the McCloud River. There were shipped of the August and September run nine hundred and seventy-four thousand salmon eggs, and of the later run in October and November, three hundred and fifty-five thousand salmon eggs. In all, for 1889 only one million three hundred and twenty-nine thousand eggs. The reason why this small number of eggs (three hundred and fifty- five thousand) was received in the second run from the United States Hatchery, was because of the heavy early fall rains, which raised so great a flood in the McCloud River that it swept out all their traps, and put an end to all fishing for that season. This shows how important it is that the close season for salmon should be so definitely fixed that sufficient numbers of breeding salmon should reach the United States Hatchery in the month of September, so that a sufficient supply of eggs for artificial hatching could be caught at that time to supply the young for stocking the rivers of our State, and not depend upon the late fall 24 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. run, which is so uncertain on account of the liability to floods, which makes it impossible to secure the salmon. The young fish from the first run of salmon eggs were compelled to be kept, on account of the furious snowstorms of the past winter, till in February and March, of 1890, and then distributed, the boys using snow- shoes and hauling them out on handsleds. The second run was kept till March and April, and was distributed, same as the first lot, in the Sacramento River and its branches. Many difficulties had to be encoun- tered this year, owing to the great snowstorm. For weeks there was almost continuous shoveling of snow, to keep it away from the windows of the hatchery, to obtain some light to enable the attendants to see to do their work. The young fish had to be put on short rations during the great snow blockade, on account of the scarcity of meat. EASTERN BROOK TROUT. The Eastern Brook trout, with its brilliant scarlet spots, mottled green back and lower fins red and fringed with white, is one of the most beautiful fish in the world. It is gamey and has a delicate flavor. Our first Board of Fish Commissioners thought they would be a valu- able acquisition to our trout streams. They introduced the eggs of these fish from New Hampshire in 1876; these were hatched out and dis- tributed from their first hatchery on the University grounds at Berkeley. They continued the introduction and hatching of these fish for several years. The fish were distributed in many hundreds of thousands into the streams of Alameda, Marin, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and Monterey Counties; also, in the high Sierra Mountains, above the falls of the Yosemite Valley, on the headwaters of the Yuba and North Fork of the American River, Prosser Creek, a branch of the Truckee River; also, in Cold Creek, at Sisson, a small branch of the headwaters of the Sacramento River. In all these short coast streams, which become warmer and diminished in volume as the summer advances, they have not reproduced themselves — at least, I cannot learn that any have been caught for a number of years past; but in all the high Sierra streams where these trout were planted, they can now be caught quite plentifully. The integrity 6f their characteristics in all their virgin beauty is main- tained. A number of these fish were caught during the past summer in Blackwood Creek, Lake Tahoe. About four years ago a few of these fish were planted in a small lake on the mountain side back of McKinney's place, Lake Tahoe. Last year Mr. McKinney told me that a number of Eastern trout had been caught in that little lake, one of which weighed three pounds. He said they were fierce fighters, and had a delicious flavor. Some of these Eastern trout have been caught thirty miles down the river from the place where they were first planted in the North Fork of the American River. It seems to me very probable that the Eastern Brook trout, as they become older and larger, will drop farther and farther down the main stream and ascend other branches to spawn, and, thus becoming acclimated, will gradually stock all the streams in the State accessible from the first stream in which they were planted. From the Tahoe Hatchery, Lake Tahoe: Fallen Leaf Lake and the streams which empty into these lakes, the numerous small lakes on the mountain sides, the REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF PISH COMMISSIONERS. 25 Middle and South Forks of the American River, ae well as the bead- waters of other rivers farther south; also, the North Yuha and Feather Rivers could be stocked with these Kastern Brook trout. From the Sisson Hatchery, these trout could be planted in the head- waters and branches of the Upper Sacramento and McCloud Rivers, and also in the headwaters of the Trinity and Klamath Rivers. It seemed to me to be such a public good that these troirl should be systematically planted in all these 'mountain streams, so that anglers could catch these speckled beauties during their vacation- for health and pleasure, that I asked of your honorable Board permission to buy one hundred thousand Eastern Brook trout eggs. They were shipped from Mr. Livingston Stone's trout hatchery, Charleston, N. H. These eggs were hatched out during the past winter at the Sisson Hatchery. From these eggs, which came about four thousand miles, we got about eighty thousand of fine, healthy trout; these were kept in the hatchery for several months waiting for the snow to melt so that the roads could be opened to the McCloud River and other places. As soon as these fish could be shipped, about thirty thousand were planted in spring brooks which feed the upper McCloud River, near the Horseshoe Bend at the eastern side of Mount Shasta. Twelve thousand were planted on the application of Senator Stanford in Deer Creek, a fine stream which rises in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and empties into the Sacramento River, near Vina. The balance of the trout were planted in the West Fork of the Sacramento River, and also in School House Spring and Kaiser's Creek, branches of the upper Sacramento River; also, in the headwaters of the Shasta River, Griffin's Springs, Wadsworth Springs, Big Springs, and in Shovel Creek, branches of the Klamath River. The Eastern Brook trout cannot but do well in all of these places, as there is plenty of food and the water is cold. I consider that it is worth all the expense and trouble many times over to have the famous McCloud River stocked with these fine fish. In order to get these waters well and permanentely stocked with these fish, several years of continuous stocking should be done. TROUT HATCHING AT SHOVEL CREEK, 1890. There had been complaints because no trout had been planted in the vicinity of the bay of San Francisco during 1889, but as a food fish was of the first consideration, a hatchery large enough to accommodate the donation of salmon eggs from the United States Government had to be erected. The Tahoe Hatchery was built during the next spring and summer, and the season's work carried on there. This work was all done in hot haste, and, with shipping the Black bass, we had no time to spare. Our help was all engaged and the money getting short. To ship trout from Tahoe to streams around the bay would take at least four days' time, and the trip is very expensive, nearly $100 a trip. These two large hatcheries, with appointments and quarters for the men. with the large number of salmon and trout distributed, were paid for solely from the regular appropriation. To meet the wants of the anglers in having the streams stocked with trout, I began to prospect early in the winter of 1889 for a station where the Rainbow trout could be caught in sufficient numbers to make it an object to build a small hatchery, eye their eggs and then ship these eggs 26 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OP FISH COMMISSIONERS. to the Sisson Hatchery, hatch them out and from there ship the young fish to stock the streams of the State as well as possible. The Shasta River, in Siskiyou County, had been famous for its great numbers of trout. I looked at that and made close inquiries, and found that but few trout run up that stream now in comparison to the great numbers that formerly did so. And no wonder, for the water has been taken out of that river for years, and from the famous springs which help to supply its volume of water, through open irrigating ditches, with no screens to keep the trout from being drawn in and distributed through the grass to die. A gentleman, who formerly owned a farm near Edge- wood, told me that he had found fully thirty thousand dead young trout, which he discovered in holes after the water in his ditch had been turned off. This number is one instance. Now, taking the same ditch through the whole season and adding this to the other ditches in Shasta River Valley, and the numbers of trout destroyed in this way would amount up into the millions. I also heard of the Shovel Creek, at the Klamath Hot Springs, as a wonderful trout stream. I visited that place, and received the generous permission of the Edson Brothers to trap that stream for trout spawn and establish a small hatchery on their grounds. I was told, however, that but few salmon and trout had made their appearance there during the preceding fall, on account of the dam which had been put in at Klamath City. It had been complained of, and a small fish ladder had been put in, large enough for a small stream, but a wee thing for such a roaring river as the Klamath, with its immense volume of water pouring through the sluiceways with such force that a trout could not stem the current. The fish ladder, with its minute quantity of water, was away at the end of the dam, next the bank, where -only a straggling trout or salmon would find its entrance. I felt discouraged at the prospect of finding a good place for a trout hatchery. The heavy storms drove me home, but as soon as the snow blockade was broken I went up to that region again, and found that the elements, although fierce, had been propitious to trout, which by instinct were compelled to seek the upper Klamath for spawning beds, for the great volume of water, higher than ever known before, had ripped out the dam at Klamath City, and the trout had an unobstructed highway. I immediately began, early in March, 1890, fitting up a small build- ing, which Mr. Edson loaned me, with hatching troughs flumed in the water, and began building traps for Shovel Creek. The hatching baskets for trout eggs had been built at the Sisson Hatchery during the winter in anticipation of using them there. Shovel Creek is quite a large stream which empties into Klamath River, within the grounds of the Klamath Hot Springs Hotel. Many of the trout which were spawned would weigh two and one half pounds. After getting the hatchery in working order and a few thousand trout spawn taken, leaving Mr. Richardson in charge, I went to the Sisson Hatchery and left Mr. Stewart in charge to distribute what salmon were left, to look after the Eastern trout which were being kept until the roads would be open to ship part of them to the McCloud River, and also to receive the trout eggs which were to be sent from the Shovel Creek Hatchery. REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. 27 TAHOE BATCHBBY, L800. I now proceeded, accompanied by Mr. Hunt, to Lake Tahoe to open the spring campaign there. The road not being open from Truckee, we had to go up by way of Carson. On arriving at the hatchery, our house we found buried in snow — it had been twelve feet deep on a level, but in places the wind had drifted it to a great height. After putting new wings to the bag of the old seine, we hired the steamer Tod Goodwin to take our traps, seines, boats, bedding, and provisions up to the mouth of Taylor Creek, twenty miles at the uppermost end of the lake. The steamer also towed up the scow Lillie Van, which was already fitted up with rooms, stove, and cook- ing outfit. This scow we hauled into the stream: it was to be our home while seining in the lake at the mouth of the creek. The seine was hauled three times a night: once just after dark, again about midnight, and once again before daylight. Some of the nights were so cold that the seine would freeze stiff five minutes after it was hauled out of the water. A bonfire burned while hauling the seine, casting its light over the water; the boatmen could thus see what ground to go over in pay- ing out the seine and rowing in. They would catch at one haul from five to ten, fifteen, or twenty trout, a few times more and sometimes not any; and many nights the seine could not be hauled on account of the rough sea. A great many Suckers were caught, sometimes as many as three hundred pounds weight at a haul. Some Whitefish were also drawn in. The Suckers were so plump that it was thought they must be full of trout spawn; twelve were opened and not an egg was in their stomachs; but the Whitefish, although small, were full of trout eggs. The seining continued here some time, till no more trout could be caught. Mr. Burton and I went up the creek to the dam, but we did not see half a dozen trout. The trout we caught were nearly all ripe; only about seven hundred thousand trout eggs were got at this place. Mr. Burton and Mr. Sam Nichols, who had fished in the lake many years, had prophesied that we would get here all the spawn we wanted. The seine was drawn through the spring and summer at Meek's Bay, Blackwood Creek, and at the Incline, in Nevada. Traps were put in at Meek's, Phipps', and Blackwood Creeks. The creeks were so high, especially on a hot day when the sun would melt the tremendous snows of the past winter which fell on the headwaters in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The streams would rise in a tumultuous volume of icy, roily water, which made it very difficult to put in the traps; and after a trap had been put in Blackwood Creek, the water rose two feet over all, tearing the trap out. The trap was put in again, but it was a trying work for the boys: Hunt, Will and Joe Shebley, who, after working in that icy water all day, slept on the banks of the creek in their wet clothes. Fishing was continued up to about the last of July, when the traps were all taken out. There is usually a large run of trout up Blackwood Creek in March. Some time after we got up there a gill net was set in the current outside the mouth of Blackwood Creek, and nineteen fish were caught, weighing over two hundred pounds — one weighing a little over sixteen pounds. These were towed behind a rowboat, tandem fashion, for about five 28 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. miles, by putting a line through the sides of their mouths and fastening it to a toggle of wood; these fish pulled back with the strength of a donkey; they were not ripe, and were put in the settling tank. On the following day, when Will was away on the steamer to Taylor Creek for spawn, six of these large fish were stolen. The gill net was set every night afterwards for awhile, but the run was over and only a few more were caught. Some of the fish were spawned, and turned out about five thousand of fine looking eggs each. The past winter was the hardest ever known here, and the snows the deepest. Those who lived at Tahoe said that it snowed almost continu- ously all the winter. The streams have been booming with icy water all the summer. For some cause but very few fish run up the streams. The fishermen said that the season was a month late, and that the fish would run up by and by; but it was not to be. They all said that the fish must have spawned in the lake. Lake Tahoe was as low as ever was known last fall, and since then it has risen about six feet, being about as high as ever was known; it has also been unusually rough this summer. A new wharf has been built near the hatchery; a second-hand boat has been bought, and also a scow for seining and for shipping cans of fish. A great many tourists have visited the hatchery, and expressed their admiration of what they see outside of the hatchery as well as inside. BLACK BASS, 1890. About August first Will Shebley left the Tahoe Hatchery to go to San Francisco to begin shipping Black bass, leaving Mr. Hunt, who has had charge of the Tahoe Hatchery, with Joe Shebley to distribute the trout now on hand there. After the Tahoe Hatchery is closed for the season, Mr. Hunt will go below and help distribute the Black bass and trout from the Sisson Hatchery. Mr. Richardson will ship trout till the salmon hatching season opens, in the last of September, when he will be stationed at the Sisson Hatchery. The Black bass which we are catching now from San Andres reservoir are from six to nine inches long; these will probably spawn next spring. Seventy-five to one hun- dred of this size is all one man can conveniently and safely handle on a long journey. This year, 1890, shipments have been made as follows: One to the Del Monte reservoirs, at Monterey, for the railroad company; one to the Blue Lakes, in Lake County; one to Clear Lake (two shipments were made to this large lake last year); one to the Pajaro River, near Sar- gent's Station; and one to a lake near San Luis Obispo. Black bass distribution will continue this fall till as late as possible. RAINBOW TROUT AT SHOVEL CREEK HATCHERY, 1890. Trapping in Shovel Creek continued till about the first of July. The water was unusually high, on account of the deep snows on the mount- ains. About one million six hundred thousand eggs of the Rainbow trout were taken and eyed there; of these, one hundred and thirty thousand were hatched out and distributed in Shovel Creek — this was to give back the seed for the future from the harvest of eggs which we had gathered there. One hundred thousand eggs were shipped to the North Pacific Game RKPORT OF STATE BOARD <>K FISH COMMISSIONERS. 29 and Fish Clul>, and were hatched ou1 by Mr. A. V. La Motte, at his hatchery in Glen Ellon; and which, ho writes me, were distributed in Sonoma and Robinson Creeks, in Sonoma County and Mendocino County, respectively. This club, by permission of your honorahle Board, trapped Sonoma Creek last winter for spawning trout, and Mr. La Motte reports that fifteen thousand native trout were restored to that stream. One hundred and fifty thousand eggs were shipped to Mr. Alex. Badlam and hatched out in his trout hatchery at Arcadia, near Mount St. Helena. These were — part of them — for his ponds, and the rest, Mr. Badlam writes me, were distributed in streams, as follows: In Sulphur Creek, near the Geysers, in Sonoma County; in Lokonoma Creek, Ander- son's Creek, Grizzly Creek, and Bradford's Creek, in Lake County; in Bear Creek, near Arcadia, and Troutdale Creek, Napa County. Mr. Badlam trapped Bear Creek last winter for spawning trout (with per- mission of your honorable Board), and reports that he restored to that stream fifteen thousand native trout as the result. Fifty thousand eggs were shipped to Mr. Knowles, who has a hatchery near Alma; these were hatched out all right, but by some mishap they did not do well. I shipped a second fifty thousand to him, with which he had good success. These were distributed: about twenty thousand in Bear Creek and Deer Creek, branches of the San Lorenzo Creek, in Santa Cruz County; the balance was divided between his own ponds and a branch of the Los Gatos Creek. Fifty thousand eggs were shipped to the hatchery at the Hotel Del Monte; this lot did not do well through want of experience and the high temperature of the water, owing to its being so low in the reservoir from the main pipe having washed out last winter. I shipped a second fifty thousand eggs there; they hatched out, and, with more experience on the part of the attendants, did well. These have been distributed in their reservoir and in the Carmelo River. The hatching out of these eggs sent to private hatcheries, their expressage from Shovel Creek, and the distribution of the young trout, has been done free of expense to the Commission. This saved to the Commission the cost of distribution of the young fish from the Sisson Hatchery, which would have been a large item, and was also the means of stocking many streams which would otherwise have been impossible this year. I visited the Del Monte Hatchery several times, Mr. Knowles' hatchery twice, and Mr. Alex. Badlam's hatchery once, to give instruc- tions. Hon. A. R. Williams, Ramen Wilson, and a number of other gentle- men have made arrangements to build a trout hatchery at Webber Lake for the purpose of maintaining the supply of trout in that and Inde- pendence Lakes and in the streams in their vicinity. The thanks of the Commission and of the people of the State are due these gentlemen for their unselfish interest and laudable efforts in behalf of the fishery interests of the State. I am satisfied that the efforts of these gentlemen will meet with every success, and that they will at all times receive the encouragement and support of the Commission. Fifty thousand of these Rainbow trout eggs were shipped to the State Hatchery, at Tahoe, on application of Commodore Todman; these were 30 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. hatched out and planted in the Truckee River below the dam at the outlet of Lake Tahoe. The balance of the eggs, about one million, was shipped to the Sisson Hatchery; these eggs and the young fish did finely in the cold water at Sisson. They have been fed in the troughs for several months awaiting shipment. After the eggs were all taken at Shovel Creek, Mr. Richardson began shipping these fish from Sisson for distribution, taking ten cans at a trip, and about three thousand fish in a can, or thirty thousand to each trip, which are as many as it is safe to handle on a trip in hot midsum- mer, the round journey averaging about eight hundred miles, and taking about three days' time. A trip with this number has been made to Lagunitas Lake, Marin County, and to about five miles down the Lagunitas Creek, below the dam; also, to the following places: to Crystal Springs Reservoir, San Mateo County; to Alminitos Creek, near the New Almaden Mines; the Guadaloupe Creek, Saratoga Creek, and to Smith Creek, near Mount Hamilton, a branch of the Calaveras Creek; to the Arroyo Mocho, twelve miles south of Livermore, and the Calaveras and the Alameda Creeks, near Sunol; to Monterey County, for branches of the Salinas River, near Salinas and Soledad; to Bowlder Creek and other branches of the San Lorenzo Creek, in Santa Cruz County; to Almao for the Los Gatos Creek, in Santa Clara County; to the San Gregorio Creek, over the mountains from Redwood City; to Gilroy, for the Uvas Creek; to the Lagunitas or Paper Mill Creek; to Napa City, for branches of the Napa Creek; and to a small creek, near Santa Rosa, a branch of the Russian River. Arrangements have been made to ship these trout to Dr. Smith, of Placerville, for the American River; also, to Judge McD. R. Venable, in San Luis Obispo County, for streams there; to the Sonoma Creek, Cache Creek, in Yolo County, and other places. We shall continue to ship these trout until their trough room will be needed for the salmon at Sisson, or until we are admonished to quit shipping to save funds for our winter and spring work. These which are not shipped to the central and southern parts of the State, will be planted in the Sacramento River. There have been already planted during August, 1890, in branches of the Sacramento, one hundred and fifteen thousand, distrib- uted thus: West Fork, Sulloway's Creek, Cold Creek, School House Spring Creek, and near Peter Klink's place. The balance for the Sacra- mento will be distributed 'below the eighteenth crossing. During both seasons of our work at Lake Tahoe, in 1889 and 1890, Commodore Todman has been exceedingly generous in his aid to advance the work of the Fish Commission by giving at all times free transporta- tion on the steamer Tod Goodwin to all parts of the lake, shipping our racks for traps, fish cars, seines, towing the boats to the different streams, shipping our supplies, and also giving almost daily passage for the men in their traveling to the creeks where the traps were, for eggs, and in shipping the trout for distribution. Captain Wherman and his men on the Tod Goodwin have also been very kind and willing in helping us, by doing many errands at distant points of the lake. Mr. Lawrence, of the Tallac House, and Captain Holt, also generously gave us free passage on the steamer Tallac. The citizens around the lake gave us many accommodations. REPORT OF STATE BOARD OP FISH commissioners. 31 It would have been impossible for the Department of Hatcheries and the Restoration of Fishes to have clone with its small funds the amount of work it lias accomplished without the generous help which the Southern Pacific Railroad Company has extended in giving an annual free pass to the Superintendent to all parts of our State in his frequent trips to the hatcheries from San Francisco; also, in giving free passage in the haggage car for the salmon and trout eggs and all the cans of trout in the many shipments for distribution from the Sisson Hatchery, in the shipments of Black bass, and free passage for the attendants with the fish. The railroad people were very kind also in giving us the use of a handcar and right of way on their road in shipping the young salmon down the Sacramento for distribution. I would like to give an instance in which the railroad people have shown their kindness to the Fish Commission, and at the same time show why but few salmon have been up the Sacramento to spawn during the fall run for a long while past. I was told by different parties that at a point on the Sacramento River, near the railroad tunnel No. 3, there was a horseshoe bend in the river; through the neck of this bend a mining company, years ago, had made a tunnel to drain the river in the dry season, so that they could mine the bed of the river around that bend. In August and Sep- tember, when the salmon make their great migrations to their spawn- ing beds, it was noticed that for years past but very few salmon made their appearance in the Sacramento River above the bend, while in early times the salmon went up in thousands. In August and September the river is very low, and most of the water went through this tunnel, leaving so little water in Horseshoe Bend that it was almost impossible for the salmon to make their way up, while they Congregated in thousands at the lower end of this tunnel, where the volume of water came through with such force, and made such a jump off into the river below, that the fish could not get up. Here the Indians, and also white men, would assemble, and while the salmon were using up their strength in continually making ineffectual efforts to leap up into the tunnel, they would destroy them with grab hooks and nets. This point is but a little way above where the Pitt River joins the Little Sacramento. I determined to stop, if I could, this destruction of salmon and give them a chance to get up on their spawning grounds and deposit their eggs. I went down to this tunnel and made an examination, and saw at a glance that the railroad people — with their ties and old bridge tim- bers, with their handcars to carry them to the tunnel, and the crews of road repairers to do the work of putting in the timbers to face the tunnel, and blasting down the overhanging bank to fill up the open cut — could do the work much cheaper than I could. So I called at Fourth and Townsend Streets and told my story to the railroad people, showing the importance of this tunnel being closed up, that the salmon now being stopped there might not be hindered in making their way up the river to their spawning grounds; and asked them if they would not, as a great favor, have this job done by their men and send in their bill of expenses to the Fish Commission. They readily assented to have the work done, and, at the same time, said that if it did not cost too much, no charges would be made. In a short time they had the tunnel closed (1889), but, owing to the great pressure of the waters in the floods of the present year, 1890, the dam at the tunnel was torn out. 32 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. During the past summer it has been closed again, and the salmon will now have an unobstructed highway up the river. The Fish Commission is also under obligations to the San Francisco and North Pacific Railway for free transportation, and also to the North Pacific Coast Railroad, both giving the use of their baggage cars and free passes for the attendants over their lines in shipping trout and Black bass for distribution. I wish here also to acknowledge the many courtesies and aid extended to the Fish Commission by the many applicants for trout and Black bass, who have furnished teams to transport the fish and attendants from the railway station to the streams for planting; also, to Mr. J. H. Sisson for the use of the ground and the water for the Sisson Hatchery, and to the Edson Brothers for the use of the ground for the Shovel Creek Hatchery on their hotel grounds, and the privilege of trapping Shovel Creek for trout. HAT CREEK. I visited Hat Creek to see what advantages the State Hatchery there offered for hatching salmon. The hatchery at Hat Creek is a large building one hundred feet by forty-six feet, with sixty-four troughs six- teen feet long and twelve inches wide. The building has settled at its upper end owing to poor underpinning; the troughs have the grade the wrong way. The dependence for water is from a ditch owned by pri- vate parties, who use it for running machinery. The water comes through the ditch from up Hat Creek, and the ditch is dug through a formation of infusorial earth which is disintegrated by frost, making it very loose and friable; it crumbled into the water in the ditch, and was held in suspension in such quantities that it covered up the eggs in the hatching troughs. The proper way is for the Commission to have entire control of the water for the hatchery. Copartnership in a ditch causes trouble, and the water is liable to be turned off entirely from the hatchery, which would cause, if it lasted for a few hours, the entire loss of all the fish and eggs. The water could be brought into the hatchery by an under- current wheel built in Hat Creek, near the upper end of the hatchery, which would give a large quantity of clear, cold water, and would, if built strongly, give a certainty to the continuousness of the supply; for Hat Creek never rises, as I have been informed, over eight inches above low-water mark. Hat Creek has a large volume of water at all seasons. I think the more suitable place for the hatchery would be at the con- fluence of Hat Creek with Pitt River, on a point of land about two miles below the present site of the hatchery, where a large spring flows of clear, cold water; and as it is at the lower end of a fall or riffle in Hat Creek, a ditch of short length could be cheaply made to bring water for ponds. Opposite, and close at hand, is a seining place in Pitt River, and at this point, also, in Hat Creek, a trap could be built, as well as in Pitt River, to trap salmon and trout for spawners. The hatchery and spawning traps would be close together, which is of great importance for accom- modation and security. (Fourteen years ago, when the old Board of Fish Commissioners gave me instructions to survey the Pitt River Falls, I selected this place as the most suitable for a salmon hatchery, if one ever should be built on Pitt River.) There are not many salmon running up Pitt River, it is said, but if these REPORT OP STATE BOARD OP FISH COMMISSIONERS. 83 were caught and spawned, and the numbers supplemented by eyed eg sent from the United Slates Hatchery on the McCloud River, a plant of two millions could thus easily be deposited in I'ilt Riverand Hat ('nek, which would he good nursery grounds for thesefine fish to increase their numbers on the fishing grounds of the lower Sacramento River. THE CLOSE SEASON FOR SALMON'. To prevent any depletion of our rivers, while the present great draft upon their fish supply is going on, to meet the demands of the eanneries and the local markets, it is necessary that a sufficiently large number of young salmon should be hatched out naturally as well as artificially. It will be impossible to keep up the supply of salmon from artificial hatching alone for this reason, that the nursery grounds, which are accessible to distribution of the young salmon that are hatched arti- ficially, are not extensive enough to meet and fully supply this great demand. We must have the aid of the salmon of the spring run to sup- plement our efforts, by stocking the highest mountain streams. The young salmon should be placed upon a great extent of nursery grounds for food and protection, to keep up the supply of mature salmon to return from their stall feeding in the ocean. In order that this may be successfully accomplished, it is essential that the close season for salmon should be sufficiently long to give a free highway to enough breeders to ascend to the extreme headwaters of the salmon-breeding rivers to deposit their spawn over a large extent of nursery grounds beyond where teams can go to distribute cheaply the young fish from artificial hatching. There are two great runs of salmon up the Sacramento River: one in March, April, and May, and another in August and September; but- salmon are caught in considerable numbers during every month in the year. RUN OF MARCH, APRIL, AND MAY. It is very essential that a close season of two or three weeks in the month of April be enforced, in order to give a clear road for the passage of a part of the cream of the great run of the salmon in March, April, and May. It is the salmon from this run which reach the upper waters of our rivers, where they are almost inaccessible to man. Especially is this the case on the McCloud River. Above the United States Salmon Hatchery, which is about two miles from the confluence of the McCloud with the Pitt River, there are only four white men and but few Indians; and above the last white man on the river, eight miles beyond the United States Hatchery, for some sixty miles, till you reach " Horseshoe Bend," there is scarcely a soul to be found, when the spring run of sal- mon go up, to " molest or make them afraid" when passing through this long reach of the best salmon-breeding river in the world. It is a fact well known to fish culturists that the winter and spring run of salmon, during the high, cold waters, go to the extreme head- waters of the rivers if no obstructions prevent, into the highest mount- ains. They are in the very best condition when they start on their long journeys. Nature has implanted in them the instinct to begin their journey while the spawn is yet small, that it may not become full grown 38 34 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. and ripe for depositing until they reach their far-distant spawning grounds. As they eat nothing while on their journey up the rivers, and with their fighting and exertions to overcome this distance, a great deal of the way being through a swift, racing current, and also with a constant draft upon their own vitality to mature their spawn, they become much exhausted and emaciated. These fish cannot be used for spawning artificially, for at this season the waters are too high to catch them, and they are too unripe when they pass the United States Hatchery on the McCloud River to catch and impound them; in the attempt to keep them till they become ripe they would all die before they were ready to spawn. They will kill them- selves if kept long in confinement, in their frantic efforts to get free to ascend to their spawning grounds. THE CLOSE SEASON FOR THE AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER RUN. The spawning time at the Government Hatchery on the McCloud River for the great run of salmon in the late summer and fall is prin- cipally during the month of September; it usually opens about the twent}T-eighth of August and continues until the latter part of September. The vital points of the question in considering the time for the close season are: At what time should the close season begin at the fishing grounds on the lower Sacramento River, and how long should it last in order that enough breeding salmon from the great run during the months of August and September may reach the United States Hatchery on the McCloud River, during the month of September, to furnish sufficient eggs for the artificial hatching of young fish for distribution on the nursery grounds to maintain the supply of mature salmon for food, which the rivers for nursery grounds and the ocean for feed till the salmon are matured, are capable of producing? Ten years ago, during the administration of B. B. Redding, S. R. Throckmorton, and J. D. Farwell as Fish Commissioners, as many as fourteen millions of salmon eggs were taken during the month of Sep- tember from the fall run of salmon. The close season at that time was during the month of August. The close season is now, and has been for some years since, during the month of September. The Government Hatchery, on the McCloud River, renewed its oper- ations in 1888. The number of eggs taken in September, 1888, was only about one million five hundred thousand; and in 1889, only about one million one hundred thousand eggs : or, averaging for the two years, less than one tenth as many eggs as were taken ten years ago, when the close season was during the month of August. This is a loss of 90 per cent. For what cause, or by whose agency the close season was changed from the month of August to the month of September, I do not know. It was certainly a very disastrous change, if the interests of the salmon were considered. During the last Legislature, in 1888, a bill was introduced by some one — from Solano County, I believe — to change the present close season for salmon from the month of SejDtember to the month of October. If this bill had become a law, the close season would have been REPORT OF STATE HOARD OF FI8H COMMISSIONERS. 35 pushed entirely beyond the season of the great ran of Balmon. "Give them an inch and they will take an ell," if they can get it. It is of the utmost importance that the close season should be placed back again to the month of August. If more salmon do not reach tie- McCloud River during the month of September than have .in-iv