16 THE EEPOKT UPON No. 14 



Overseer J. M. Temple, of Dorchester, reports that game fish are scarce in his 

 district, as none come up the river. All there are, are bred in the river east of 

 London on account of the fish slides not being in proper order. All other fish 

 are scarce. 



Game is quite scarce. There are a few ruffed grouse or native partridge; 

 Quail is almost a bird of the past and ducks are verj scarce. There are very few 

 woodcock. Wood hares are plentiful, but there are no black squirrels. There are 

 a few muskrats, while mink are very scarce. There are no beaver or otter. 



The Overseer recommends that every person who wishes to carry a gun be 

 obliged to take out a license. 



Overseer W. H. 8. Gordon, of Port Arthur, reports a dropping off in the fish- 

 ing in his district; the catches in portions of Lake Superior have been particularly 

 light during the summer. In the fall, however, fishing picked up again and many 

 of the men succeeded in bringing their catch up to the mark of the previous years. 

 This was more particularly noticed in the Thunder Bay District. At Eossport? 

 the catch was lighter, which was largely accounted for by the weather. 



Herring fishing out of Port Arthur last fall was particularly good. There' 

 were practically no facilities for the fishermen to handle these fish, as a large 

 amount of space is required for salting. He was, however, instrumental in 

 securing, for a very small amount, the use of a dock and shed from the Canadian 

 Northern Eailway, ^which made it possible for the fishermen to get their fish to 

 the market. Last fall a number of fishermen brought their outfits from Eossport, 

 and with the accommodation that he was able to procure for them, they were able 

 to fish for herring out of Port Arthur. It was the most successful season for 

 herring ever experienced on Thunder Bay. During the early stages there was 

 practically no market for the fish, and almost all had to be salted. Howevei;^ 

 latterly orders have been received from all parts of the east and the fish were frozen 

 and shipped out in car loads. 



The fishermen have shown an excellent spirit of liberality during these hard 

 times. The Dominion Fish Co. and Messrs. Nicol, Bowman and Craigie have all 

 contributed largely to relief, over 400 bags of the fish being handed over to the 

 city authorities for distribution. 



During the season he visited the eastern part of the district twice, going as 

 far as Jackfish. He also went up the line of the Duluth Extension Eailway on 

 two occasions, going as far as Arrow Lake. A large number of communications 

 had been received from farmers in that section requesting permission to fish in 

 lakes for their own use. Whitefish Lake is one of the finest breeding grounds for 

 fish in the district, and this spring Mr. McNabb, representing the Dominion 

 Government, spent some time there procuring spawn for the Port Arthur hatchery, 

 and was very successful. In the other inland lakes under^ his jurisdiction the 

 reports show that the fishing was up to the average. 



There have been no saw mills in operation along the water front or on rivers 

 adjacent to Thunder Bay, there was therefore no need for scrutiny regarding the 

 dumping of the sawdust. 



He would recommend that more inland lakes be opened for commercial' 

 fishing. There are hundreds of these lakes adjacent to Port Arthur and Fort 

 William, and almost all are in the vicinity of railways. If these were leased to 

 fishermen, and were fished in the same manner as Whitefish and Arrow Lake, 

 which come particularly under" his attention, it would mean a great deal to the 

 district. There is a large market for the fish in the eastern and western portions 



