4fi 



be governed, in deciding on a plan, by the results of the ex- 

 periments which will be tested in the coming Spring before 

 anything can be done towards the erection of Pv fish-way at 

 this point. We would suggest, that, as four States and t'iie 

 District of Columbia are interested in tlie results to be ob- 

 tained, and as the work will h;ivc to be done on land owned 

 bj the United States Government, and as the success of any 

 plan is very dependent on the erection and management of 

 the Governraent Water-Works at this point, that some action 

 be taken by your Excellency, or the General Assembly, to 

 secure at least co-operation on the part of the General Gov- 

 ernment. 



We find that it is entirely ieasible to construct fish-ways 

 over the dams throughout the State, and recommtmd that 

 some statutory provision be made to ensure the enjoyment of 

 the ancient and common laAv right which the people living- on 

 our rivers have to the free passage of the fish to thciir spavvu- 

 insx beds. Thev have l)eea entirelv cut off' from the Gun- 

 powder by the several dams on that stream. We are in- 

 formed by Mr. Henry Carroll, that before the dams were 

 erected, that the sliad and rock ascended in numbers as far 

 up as his estate and were taken by the people on horseback 

 by spearing them. Since they have been cut off from access 

 to their spawning beds in the upper river, tiiey have greatly 

 diminished and almost disappeared from '(he lower river. 



Hatchinc; iiousE. 



Section 3 of Act establishing the Commission oi Fisheries, 

 authorizes the Commissioners to ''obtain the necessary ova, 

 and construct and erect snitafelo houses and devices for hatch- 

 ing the same, and protecting the small tisb, until iit to 1)e 

 distrilnited."' T'ut after n careful investigation iiito tiie cost 

 of t]>e site, and tlie erection of a liatchiri'!- house, v,-e found 

 that w^e v;ould no* have the means to ]n'ocure c^r/j^t^', hatch 

 them, and distribute the young fish — if we made the necws- 

 sary outlay ibi- a hatching house. We, therefore, arranged 

 with Mr. Alexander Kent, to h;ive the eggs vs'liicli we might 

 receive from the U. S. (Commissioner, Iiatched in ids estali- 

 lishment at Green Spring. Accordingly we placed in Iris 

 charge the three hundred and seventy-five ti]oiispn<l eggs of 



