32'^ REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Fisli Propagating Company, was incorporated for this purpose, with Mr. 

 John Adair, jr., as president, Joseph Gr. Megler, secretary, and Henry 

 , treasurer. Tlie capital stock was phiced at $30,000 in 000 shares. 



At the request of the officers of this company, warmly indorsed by 

 Senator Mitchell, of Oregon, I instructed Mr. Li\angston Stone to an- 

 ticipate the time of his usual \-isit to the McCloud Eiver, and to ju'oceed 

 to the Columbia for the ]uirpose of starting the enterprise. Accord- 

 ingly, he reached Poi'tland on the 11th of June, and had a consultation 

 vrith the directors of the company. A visit by Mr. Stone, the year 

 before, for a similar iiurpose, resulted in his choice of the Clackamas as 

 the most suitable spot ; but as this was not at the time satisfactory to 

 the company, five weeks were spent in carefully examining all the local- 

 ities along the river. It was found, however, that some objection applied 

 to every other possible station. Thus the waters of the des Chutes, 

 though abounding in salmon, could not be i)repared for hatching pur- 

 poses. Others had no fish, and others still were too distant and inacces- 

 sible. The Indian troubles prevented any recourse to the nearer waters 

 of the Salmon Eiver, or to the tributaries of the Upper Columbia. 



One objection to the Clackamas was that fish found there were not 

 believed to be the genuine Chenook salmon, but on finding that this 

 was a mistake, and that the desired variety was actually the fish occur- 

 ring there, it was finally concluded to fix upon the Clackamas, and Mr. 

 Stone was authorized, on the 5th of July, bj^ the treasurer to select it 

 as tlie location. He accordingly located the hatching-station on the 

 south bank of the Clackamas, just above the mouth of Clear Creek. The 

 plans havin'g been completed, their execution was placed in the hands of 

 ]Mr. Waldo Hubbard, an employe of the Fish Commission, who carried 

 them out with great promptness and efficiency, and, althougli encounter- 

 ing some unexpected ditficulties, the hatching-house was finished with a 

 cai)acity for a million eggs. 



Various obstacles preseiited themselves from time to time, but finally 

 200,000 eggs were secured and placed in temporary boxes. Unfortu- 

 nately, however, a sudden rise in the river carried away the rack across 

 tlie Clackamas, the Indian trap used for a corral to confine the fish, and 

 finally the eggs placed in the boxes. Vigorous eftbrts, however, suc- 

 ceeded in retrieving this disaster in part, but it was not until the 25th 

 day of Sejitember that everything was completed and in woikiug order. 



Other preparations, however, had to he made for the purpose of pro- 

 tecting the buildings and a]>paratus from the sudden rise of the river ; 

 and Ibr this a large boom was built which it is hoped will answer the 

 purpose. 



Q'he total number of young salmon liatched out during the season was 

 about one miUion, a portion of the eggs having been transferred from 

 the McCloud Eiver. 



]Mr. Stone found that the number of nets stretched across the river 

 constituted a \Qvy great imx)eduuent to the ascent of the fish, making 



