289 



forty miles, embracing the celebrated Thousand Islands, is naturally one of 

 the most attractive regions in the country for the tourist and sportsman. Its ex- 

 quisite river scenery, its banks and islands and its delightful air, leave nothino> 

 to be desired — if the fishing is good. 



There were in 1889 about six hundred persons employed as oarsmen on the- 

 river; in 1883 there were perhaps a hundred. In 1886 there were about two. 

 hundred and fifty employed in connection with steam and other boats ; in 1883. 

 there may have been thirty. There were last summer thirty-six hotels capable 

 of accommodating four thousand people. Six years ago the hotels could accom- 

 modate scarcely a thousand people. Besides these there are now thirty board- 

 ing-houses, with a capacity of five hundred guests ; there are between six hun- 

 dred and seven hundred cottages used exclusively by summer residents. Froms 

 one million to one million two hundred and fifty thousand dollars was spent on 

 the river last summer by tourists, exclusive of railroad fares. A large and in- 

 creasing business has also grown up in building steam yachts and the celebrated. 

 St Lawrence skiSs. 



Here, then, is a veritable gold mine lying at the feet of Jefferson County, by 

 which every resident of the county is benefited either by a reduction in his. 

 taxes, by being given employment, or in his business. The population of Jeffer- 

 son County is 66,000, every one of whom is constantly being benefited by the- 

 Anglers' Association. That is one side of the question, the other is this : There 

 were during the netting season of 1888 about sixty or seventy persons engaged 

 in illegal net fishing within the limits of the county, and of this number more 

 than one-half were non-residents. When it is borne in mind that these net 

 fishers do not make nearly as much if allowed to carry on their netting as ordi- 

 nary farm workers, it will at once be apparent that Jefi^erson County could, as a. 

 business speculation, afford to hire and pay them a fair salary to remain perfectly 

 idle, and to pension them in their old age. 



The total tax assessed against the town of Alexandria (the central point on 

 the river) was $10,906.97, of which $2,351.28 was paid by summer property 

 holders. In other words, nearly 22 per cent, of the taxes of the town of Alexan- 

 dria was paid by summer property owners. The assessed value of summer hotels 

 and island property in the town of Alexandria in 1888 was $2.56,000, the basis, 

 of assessment being one-third of the actual value, while the total amount assessed 

 was $1,218,029. 



The organization of fish protection associations accomplishes three distinct, 

 things : it protects the fish, furnishes the people with cheap fish food, and last, but. 

 not least, is of enormous material benefit to the surrounding country. 



In regard to non-jurisdiction I may say that one of the first difficulties w^e 

 encountered, was when the question was raised in regard to the jurisdiction of 

 the State on the international waters of the St. Lawrence. We engaged counsel 

 to look up this question, who made an exhaustive search of the laws in regard 

 to it. He told us the law on the question was based on the old Engli.sh law, and 

 the question was decided to this effect : That the State had jurisdiction over 

 international waters, just as much as she had property or islands on which she 

 could collect taxes. 



Mr. Whitaker : To the boundary line ? 



Mr. Skinner : Yes, to the boundary line. You Canadians, I suppose, have- 

 the same law, and 1 do not see why you have not jurisdiction over the inland 

 waters, just the same as other waters. 



19 (c.) 



