36 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPORT [W. VA. 



May 10, 1910. 

 MR. J. A. VIQUESNEY, 



Forest, Game and Fish Warden, 

 Belington, W. Fa. 



SIR: Your letter of the 22nd ultimo, and the samples of water shipped 

 from Elkins, W. Va., on April 15, for the purpose of determining whether or 

 not these samples are fatal to fishes, have been duly received. 



The sample marked ' ' Randolph No. 1 ' ' was tried with the fingerlings. of 

 steelhead trout. Diluted with 19 parts of water, so that 20 parts of the test 

 dilution contained 1 part, or 5 per cent, of the original sample, the fish were 

 killed in about 3 hours. Diluted to 1 part in 30, or 3 1-3 per cent, the fish 

 fish were killed in 2 days. Weaker dilutions had no effect though kept under 

 observation for 3 days. 



The sample marked "Randolph No. 2," is not very highly poisonous. This 

 sample undiluted kill steelhead trout within about 3 hours. "When diluted with 

 1 part of water to 3 parts of the sample, 75 per cent of the test thus con- 

 sisting of the sample, the trout are still alive after 3 days. 



The Bureau would like to learn the source of these samples, or what manu- 

 facturing processes they emanate from. 



The express labels attached to the two samples, with your designation as 

 "Randolph No. 1" and "Randolph No. 2" are enclosed herewith, as pos- 

 sibly of use to you. 



The trials made .were carefully controlled by placing the same number of 

 fingerling steelhead trout in similar containers and volumes of clean water, 

 and these trout were not injured, so that the results given above are due to the 

 poisonous action of the samples. 



Respectfully, 



GEO. M. BOWERS, 

 Enclosures. Commissioner. 



May 14th, 1910. 

 HON. GEO. M. BOWERS, 



Commissioner of Fisheries, 

 Washington, D. C. 



DEAR SIR: I have your report of the 10th inst., giving results of two sam- 

 ples of water sent you sometime ago from Elkins, and beg to thank you very 

 much for your report in this matter. 



This pollution comes from the Elkins tannery, and has killed practically all 

 of the fish in the Tygarts Valley river, for many miles below Elkins. I will 

 immediately take steps to stop this pollution. 



I have just returned from a tour of several counties of the State, making 

 investigations as to the different streams of water, and as to the kind of 

 fish suitable for these streams. People are now taking a great deal of inter- 

 est in helping to stop the pollution of our streams, and are very anxious to 

 have them re-stocked with fish. I informed them of your kind offer to furnish 

 some bass for this purpose this coming fall, and I can assure you that it will 

 be very much appreciated by all sections of the State. If you can furnish us a 

 good supply of bass for this re-stocking, I believe that we will now be able 

 to protect them both from pollution and unlawful fishing. 



