﻿188 
  REPORT 
  OF 
  COMMISSIONER 
  OF 
  FISH 
  AND 
  FISHERIES. 
  

  

  Mate 
  I.. 
  M. 
  Melclier, 
  U. 
  S. 
  N., 
  joined 
  the 
  vessel 
  November 
  15, 
  1895, 
  

   aud 
  althougb 
  lieAvas 
  inexperienced 
  in 
  the 
  work 
  at 
  first, 
  he 
  soon 
  became, 
  

   by 
  zealous 
  attention, 
  a 
  very 
  fair 
  observer. 
  

  

  Some 
  time 
  was 
  occupied 
  in 
  training- 
  members 
  of 
  the 
  crew 
  to 
  become 
  

   observers, 
  recorders, 
  and 
  polemen, 
  but 
  by 
  constant 
  effort 
  we 
  were 
  able, 
  

   at 
  an 
  early 
  date, 
  to 
  work 
  two 
  different 
  parties. 
  Quartermasters 
  Charles 
  

   Winters 
  and 
  J. 
  W. 
  Savage 
  showed 
  especial 
  ability 
  and 
  zeal. 
  

  

  Up 
  to 
  December 
  27 
  I 
  was 
  obliged 
  to 
  do 
  all 
  the 
  plotting 
  myself, 
  and 
  

   in 
  order 
  to 
  keep 
  the 
  work 
  up 
  to 
  date 
  was 
  compelled 
  to 
  neglect 
  other 
  

   duties. 
  The 
  services 
  of 
  Mr. 
  Eugene 
  Yeith 
  were 
  therefore 
  secured, 
  aud 
  

   his 
  long 
  experience 
  as 
  draftsman, 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  observer 
  and 
  recorder 
  in 
  

   the 
  Coast 
  Survey, 
  especially 
  fitted 
  him 
  for 
  the 
  work. 
  After 
  having 
  

   plotted 
  the 
  results 
  of 
  the 
  survey 
  on 
  tlie 
  projections 
  sent 
  by 
  the 
  Fish 
  

   Commission 
  it 
  was 
  found 
  necessary 
  to 
  construct 
  a 
  complete 
  new 
  sheet, 
  

   embracing 
  all 
  the 
  work 
  presented 
  in 
  proper 
  form 
  for 
  publication. 
  

   Every 
  detail 
  of 
  the 
  work, 
  including 
  the 
  plotting 
  of 
  the 
  characteristic 
  

   soundings 
  out 
  of 
  80,000 
  soundings, 
  was 
  performed 
  by 
  Mr. 
  Yeith 
  in 
  the 
  

   most 
  excellent 
  manner. 
  

  

  Tidal 
  observations 
  were 
  taken 
  during 
  the 
  season 
  at 
  the 
  main 
  tide 
  

   gauge 
  by 
  Mr. 
  Hugh 
  Brown, 
  who 
  was 
  employed 
  by 
  the 
  Commission 
  for 
  

   the 
  purpose. 
  He 
  was 
  a 
  faithful 
  and 
  intelligent 
  observer 
  and 
  gave 
  

   complete 
  satisfaction. 
  Auxiliary 
  tide 
  gauges 
  were 
  tended 
  by 
  members 
  

   of 
  the 
  crew. 
  

  

  Due 
  time 
  and 
  attention 
  were 
  given 
  to 
  the 
  collection 
  of 
  information 
  

   from 
  the 
  oystermen 
  of 
  Apalachicola, 
  and 
  for 
  this 
  purpose 
  a 
  regular 
  

   form 
  of 
  interrogatories 
  was 
  prepared. 
  Without 
  exception 
  these 
  excel- 
  

   lent 
  and 
  intelligent 
  men 
  did 
  all 
  in 
  their 
  power 
  to 
  assist 
  us, 
  and 
  gave 
  

   us 
  much 
  useful 
  information. 
  

  

  I 
  am 
  especially 
  indebted 
  to 
  Mr. 
  J. 
  C 
  Ruge, 
  of 
  the 
  firm 
  of 
  Ruge 
  Bros., 
  

   engaged 
  in 
  oyster-canning 
  at 
  Apalachicola, 
  for 
  much 
  valuable 
  informa- 
  

   tion. 
  This 
  gentleman 
  has 
  been 
  in 
  the 
  oyster 
  business 
  for 
  years, 
  and 
  

   has 
  made 
  a 
  special 
  study 
  of 
  the 
  oysters 
  of 
  the 
  vicinity. 
  The 
  facts 
  con 
  

   cerning 
  the 
  history 
  of 
  oyster 
  beds, 
  the 
  oyster 
  business 
  of 
  Apalachicola, 
  

   the 
  spawning 
  habits, 
  etc., 
  that 
  appear 
  in 
  the 
  report 
  after 
  the 
  description 
  

   of 
  the 
  beds, 
  were 
  obtained 
  mostly 
  from 
  Mr. 
  Euge. 
  The 
  facts 
  and 
  fig- 
  

   ures, 
  however, 
  were 
  compiled 
  from 
  all 
  sources, 
  and 
  were 
  the 
  average 
  of 
  

   all 
  information 
  obtained, 
  giving 
  due 
  weight 
  to 
  each 
  iiarticular 
  source. 
  

  

  ■ 
  Thanks 
  are 
  due 
  to 
  Mr. 
  C. 
  II. 
  Lind 
  and 
  Mr. 
  Domingo 
  Segree, 
  oyster- 
  

   dealers 
  of 
  Apalachicola, 
  for 
  their 
  kindness 
  in 
  furnishing 
  information. 
  

   Both 
  of 
  these 
  gentlemen 
  took 
  much 
  trouble 
  and 
  spent 
  nuich 
  time 
  in 
  our 
  

   behalf 
  without 
  renumeration. 
  

  

  A 
  good 
  deal 
  of 
  bad 
  weather 
  was 
  experienced 
  during 
  the 
  season, 
  and 
  

   during 
  the 
  days 
  that 
  the 
  rain 
  or 
  rough 
  sea 
  prevented 
  the 
  boats 
  from 
  

   working, 
  the 
  time 
  was 
  utilized 
  in 
  building 
  signals, 
  when 
  possible, 
  or 
  in 
  

   ofiice 
  work 
  on 
  board 
  ship. 
  Tlie 
  boats 
  used 
  were 
  the 
  ship's 
  flatboats 
  

   and 
  steam 
  launch, 
  until 
  near 
  the 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  season, 
  when 
  the 
  launch 
  was 
  

  

  