FISH-CULTURE IN MICHIGAN. 205 



practical man as he proved to be to give it a new impulse. It is no disparagement of 

 anyone else to say that Mr. Bissell is entitled to as large a degree of credit as any- 

 one for such success as the Michigan Fish Commission has attained. 



The appropriation for 1881 was $8,000 and for 1882, $7,500. In the tail of 1883 

 the work of obtaining accurate statistical information as to the amount and value of 

 the commercial fisheries of the State was commenced in a small May. The whitetish 

 plant of 1883 was 23,735,000 and that of 1884 was 37,750,000. The brook-trout plant 

 of 1883 was 209,000 and that of 1884 was 353,000. 



In the sixth report it is again urged that there ought to be hatching-house room 

 sufficient for at least 1,000,000 brook trout. In 1883 a new site was chosen at the 

 corner of Joseph Campau avenue and Lafayette (now Ckamplain) street for the Detroit 

 whitetish station. This Site is 100 feet square. The lots were rented and a hatchery 

 40 by 80 feet built, with a shop and barn 30 by 4G feet in the rear along the alley. This 

 building cost about $5,000, and was equipped entirely with Chase jars. It held 312 

 jars with a hatching capacity of about 42,000,000 whitetish eggs. About this time more 

 land was purchased, near the trout station at Paris, and the ponds increased and 

 grounds much improved. 



In August, 1883, a whitetish hatching station was established at Petoskey upon 

 leased grounds; but for various reasous, principally connected with the condition and 

 quality of the water supply, this proved another mistake and a somewhat costly one, 

 too. Without going into detail, suffice it to say that this hatchery, after being used 

 two or three years, had to be abandoned. As early as 1883 a movement was inaugu- 

 rated toward the establishment of a whitetish and trout hatching station upon Lake 

 Superior, but it did not result in anything tangible until several years later. 



In October, 1883, a meeting was held at Detroit of the fishery commissioners of 

 the States bordering the Great Lakes, upon invitation of the Michigan Commission. 

 Commissioners attended from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Michigan, and a rep- 

 resentative of the U. S. Fish Commissioner was present. A movement to secure 

 uniformity of legislation led to the consideration of the subject of Federal supervision 

 of the fisheries of the Great Lakes. At the request of the Michigan Fish Commis- 

 sion, Mr. Otto Kirchner, then attorney-general of the State, examined the authorities 

 and presented an able brief to the effect that the Federal Government had no juris- 

 diction of the subject, and that such protection as was had must come from the 

 authorities of the several States. This conference was productive of much good 

 feeling and undoubtedly helped on the work of uniform legislation of the several 

 States bordering the Great Lakes for the protection of the fishing interests. 



In February, 1883, a secretary of the board was appointed for the first time. 

 Herschel Whitaker was designated, and served until June 1, 1884, when he resigned, 

 and Andrew J. Kellogg succeeded him. Mr. Kellogg served until March 20, 1888, 

 when he was succeeded by George D. Mussey, who has served ever since. On the 

 resignation of Mr. Kellogg as commissioner to take the appointment as secretary, 

 Mr. Whitaker was appointed commissioner in his place and has continued in office to 

 the present time. The combination of Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Bissell, and Dr. Parker 

 made a strong board, and from this time on a new impetus was given to the work. 

 The business was organized and the work classified and systematized as it never had 

 been before. Through their influence larger appropriations were obtained and the 

 work extended in every department. 



