90 



float an old time tlatboat. Miu-h of this is due to tlie tilling in of the 

 channel with the products of the denuded tields above. 



Records show that Sugar Creek has furnished a motive power for at 

 least nineteen mills situated along its course in Montgomery County. At 

 the pi'esent time the number does not exceed four and these are ol)liged 

 to use steam during most of the summer season. As is well known, a 

 constant water supply furnishes a most economical and reliable motive 

 power which would tend to lessen the co.st of any manufactured products. 

 The owner of the Siierry iNIill, at CraAvfordsville, asserts that the cost of 

 running the mill one day by steam power, including coal, fireman and all 

 expenses, is $5; while the total cost of water power for one year, including 

 repairs to the dam and wheel, is .$40. In other words, the amount required 

 to run the mill one day by steam would pay the cost of running the same 

 mill by water for nearly forty days. 



The amount of power exerted by the stream in its course would, if 

 utilized, be sufficient to turn every wheel in every factory within the 

 county. This would be of especial importance in fui-nishing an econom- 

 ical motive power for concerns luider nuuiicipal ownership, thereby 

 greatly reducing the expense of operating. But while the volume of water 

 carried by Sugar Creek in a year has probaljly remained constant since 

 the county was discovered, yet the fiow is so irregular and uncertain that 

 it is no longer of great economical importance. 



Deforestation has also had a very disastrous effect upon the fish 

 supply of our streams. In the e.irly settlement of the country Sugar 

 Creek was full of edible fish. It is related by an old settler that during 

 one night in 1S24. 'JUO fisli. consisting of pike, salmon, bass and perch, 

 were caught in a large fish ti'ap. The settler often carried them l)y skiff 

 loads from the fish trap and placed them in a pond to be retaken later 

 and sold or used for food. Now this condition has entirely changed and 

 Init few food lishes remain in oni- stre.-uns. It is true that stream pollution 

 and illegal fishing are responsil)le for much of this, but the decrease in 

 the volume of water, rendering it .stagnant during the siunmer months, 

 is almost directly the result of deforestation of the headwaters. The un- 

 usiudly high water at the season of spawning seriously interferes with 

 the reproduction of the species. This sudden rise of the stream is pre- 

 vented by the forest. The litter receives the I'ain. ;in<l. owing to its loos- 

 ness and lack of capillarity, prevents rapid evaporation. The relatively 

 low temperature of the forest is also a factor in lessening the rate of 



