[3] 



OPERATIONS AT NORTIIVILLE AND ALPENA. 



153 



iisnal. neretofore clie distribution of wbitefisli lias begun about Feb- 

 ruary 15 to 25 ; this year tlie first lot was sent out A])ril ] . 



The penning of whitefish (confining them in crates until ripe) was 

 successfully carried on in the Raisin River, near Monroe, Mich., a place 

 well adapted to the purpose. This stream empties into Lake Erie about 

 2 miles below Monroe, and is navigable for large vessels for about 1^ 

 miles from its mouth. Numerous pound-nets .are set along the coast 

 of the lake above and below the mouth of the river. Hundreds of 

 acres of marsh flank the river on either side nearly to the head of nav- 

 igation. Several years ago, before the decay of vessel interests at this 

 point, the Government dredged the river to the present head of naviga- 

 tion, and constructed rows o*f piles or i)iers on either side a good portion 

 of this distance, to pre v^ent the channel from filling up. The crates offish 

 were placed alongside of one of these piers, about 80 rods from the lake, 

 in 6 to 8 feet of water. The men in charge were quartered on board a 

 scow, which was fitted \ip for the i)urpose and tied to the pier, near the 

 crates. The latter were 6^ by 16 feet in size, and 4J feet deep, each capa- 

 ble of holdingfrom 400 to 500 fish. The fish were conveyed from the nets 

 to the crates in a " live car," IG feet long by 3^ feet wide at the bow, 8 feet 

 at the stern, and 4 feet deep. This car was towed by a tugboat some- 

 times at the rate of miles an hour, and always with perfect safety to 

 its finny passengers. To test the ability of the fish to stand a little 

 crowding, 599 were on one occasion counted into the car from the nets, 

 and then towed in at the usual rate of speed — about 5 miles an hour. On 

 arriving at the pier they were all in excellent condition. 



In all, 1,629 fish were placed in the crates, as follows : 



October29 37 



October 31 80 



N ovember 2 253 



No vember 3 185 



November 318 



November 8 599 



November 11 119 



November 12 21 



November W 17 



The penned fish were handled with no loss worthy of mention, al- 

 though it was found necessary to turn over to their owners, Messrs. 

 Dewey & Co., all that were on hand November 25, in order to prevent 

 very serious losses. On November 22 a heavy storm set in from the 

 westward, lasting three days, which blew the water of the lake away 

 from the west shore until the river became so shallow that the men in 

 charge of the crates had to push them into the middle of the channel, 

 and even there they occasionally touched bottom. The river water 

 soon became very muddy and foul, and it was seen that the fish could not 

 stand it long. An attempt was then made to tow the crates out into 

 the lake, where the fish could be kept in good condition until the lake 

 had set back in the channel ; but the water was so low that even the 

 tugboats could not get in or out. The fish were then taken in row- 

 boats and delivered at Dewey's fish-house. Such an occurrence has no 



