612 report of commissioner of fish and fisheries. 



12. — brackett's fish-way. 



Invented and patented by E. A. Brackett,* (Plate XXI, fig. 6, plan ; 

 Plate XXII, fig. 5, illustration for patent; Plate XXIII, fig. 1, plan of 

 fish-way at South Hadley Falls, Mass. ; fig. 2, elevation of same; Plate 

 XXV, plan of fish- way at Brownville, Me. ; Plate XXVIII, perspective 

 view,) of the board of commissioners on inland-fisheries of Massachusetts. 

 The distinctive features of this fish-way are tbe form and arrangement of 

 the partitions and arms, in the device of which the moderation of the 

 velocity of the current has been the main thing aimed at. The most 

 complete success has been attained. The water flows very gently, with- 

 out breaking or forming strong eddies; and alewives and other fishes 

 ascend it with the utmost ease, passing almost without hesitation through 

 its whole length. Pish-ways of this pattern have been introduced very 

 extensively in Massachusetts and several other New England States. 

 When salmon are the only fish to use it, a very steep grade, say 1 in 6 

 or 7, could probably be adopted to advantage; but as ordinarily built ^ 

 in alewife-rivers, the grade adopted is about 1 in 10. The style of 

 arrangement will be readily understood from the illustrations. 



*BracJ:etfs improvement in fish-ways. — United States Patent-Ogice. — Edward A. Braclcett, of 



JVinckester, Mass. 



(Specificatiou forming part of letters-pateut No. 13'2349, dated October 22, 1672.) 



To all whom it may concern : 



Bo it kuown that I, Edward A. Brackett, of Winchester, iu the couDty of Middlesex, 

 and couimoiiwealtli of Massachusetts, have invented certain improvemeuta iu fish- 

 ways, of which the following is a specification : • 



The nature and purposes of a fish-way, so called, are, as is well known, to enable 

 fish to overcome tlie obstacles of a dam and to ascend streams which would otherwise 

 be inaccessible; and the primary object of this invention is to provide a means whereby 

 the otherwise rapid current of the fish- way may be reduced to a sluggish stream of 

 uniform orpractically uniform speed throughout, whereby fish may ascend or descend, 

 or rest at their leisure. My improvements consist, first, in extending a fish-way up 

 stream through a dam, and so as to extend some distance above the latter, and in pro- 

 vidiniT said fish-way above the dam with a series of water-inlet ports of various heights 

 in order to accommodate the various stages of water and avoid the great pressure 

 which would otherwise result from high water or a flood ; and, secondly, the nature of 

 these improvements consists in the construction of the trough or chute of a fish-way by 

 means of an oppositely-arranged series of abutments or bulk-heads, or their equiva- 

 lents, whereby the original current is diverted into a circuitous or sinuous course, and 

 a series of eddies produced, which retard the speed of said current to any desired 

 extent, substantially as hereinafter stated. 



In the drawing [Plate XXII, fig. 5] accompanying this specification, I have repre- 

 sented, in Fig. 1, a vertical section ; in Fig. 2, a side-elevation ; and, in Fig. 3, a plan 

 of my improved " fish-way." 



Iu these drawings, A is supposed to rei">resent the location of the dam of a river or 

 stream into which a fish-w^ay is to be introduced. 



In carrying out the purpose of my invention, I xirovide a rectangular oblong trough, 

 or box, B, closed at the sides and ends, with the exception of one or more water-dis- 

 pharfe ports, a, at its lower or down-stream end, and several water-inlet or supply 



