22 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIONERS. 



debt, and that the poor fellows had not made their salt during the 

 summer; that he -would not open the cannery for salmon until the last 

 week in August, unless the run of fish was strong. 



[Under date of August 26, 1891.] 



It is needless for me to add that the license-collecting trip on the 

 Sacramento River should be made early in April, during the spring run, 

 and pressed to a finish. The fall run is too short and uncertain. 



[Under date of October 9, 1891.] 



I went to Santa Cruz. Left the train at Rincon and went down to the 

 California Powderworks, on the San Lorenzo River, and in company 

 with Mr. W. C. Payton, Superintendent, went over the company's dams, 

 flumes, and tunnel. They take all the water from the river and carry 

 it for a mile or more in flumes before it is again returned to the river, 

 leaving the bed of the stream dry at this season of the year for at least 

 a mile and a half. During the winter there is plenty of water in the 

 bed of the stream. The company has agreed to put in three ladders at 

 points in their flumes that I selected. With the aid of these ladders, I 

 believe that every ambitious fish can go around the break. I am pleased 

 to find the matter so simple of solution. 



[Under date of October 10, 1891.] 



I went to Branceforte Creek and saw the Hihn Company dam. It 

 is about twelve feet high and has plenty of water running over it, even 

 at this time of the year, to support a ladder. I interviewed the man- 

 ager of the company, and he agreed to put in a Commissioner's ladder. 



[Under date of November 15, 1891.] 



I visited the new hatchery at Bear Valley, and found the hatchery 

 admirably located, a good, strong, and suitable building for its important 

 purpose. Bear Valley Creek is an ideal stream, its waters being abun- 

 dant, cool, and clear. It flows for its entire length over rocks and gravel, 

 through a deep, closely wooded canon. All persons familiar with its 

 history say that it is always clear, subject to no floods, and in mid-win- 

 ter rises but a foot or so. I gave the plans and drawings to Andrew, the 



carpenter, for the tanks and the troughs. 



******** 



I had a long talk with George Hall, of the McCloud River, during 

 the week, and he says that the fishing on the McCloud River has never 

 ])een so fine as this season; that he has not seen nor heard of any carp 

 ])eing in the upper Avaters of that most beautiful stream. He says that 

 there has been no deer killed in his vicinity that he knows of, and that 

 the laws have been well observed, and that there are no complaints from 

 any one there; that he never saw the upper Sacramento so clear and 

 fish so plentiful. There is no sawdust dumped in the Sacramento River. 



[Under date of January 18, 1892.] 



I overhauled the Chinese shrimp-fishing station at San Pedro Point. 

 The fishermen are mostly idle at this season, as they cannot dry shrimp 

 during the wet weather. 



