Fearnow. — Fish Distribution. 161 



handled more expeditiously and economically in car load 

 lots than in messenger shipments, and it was decided to con- 

 struct a car especially adapted for carrying live fish, ar- 

 ranged so that an even circulation of aerated water could be 

 maintained in the vessels containing the fish, and provided 

 with living accommodations for the crew. 



In the winter of 1881 car No. 1, a baggage car known as 

 Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington car No. 4, was 

 purchased and fish-carrying apparatus installed thereon. 

 This car was eventually rebuilt and lengthened to 60 feet. 



Experiments with car No.l were very satisfactory and 

 Congress was asked to appropriate funds for another car 

 which was delivered on May 23, 1882. This was called 

 Baltimore and Ohio Passenger Car No. 450 but in a few 

 years the name was changed to United States Fish Com- 

 mission Car No. 2. 



On July 7, 1884, an act of Congress authorized the con- 

 struction of car No. 3, the first specially designed fish dis- 

 tribution car in the United States. The refrigerator com- 

 partments of this car were placed below the floor with doors 

 opening from above through the floor. The compartments 

 could also be reached by doors opening from the outside, 

 which permitted a clear floor space. 



It was found, however, that this arrangement prevented 

 the car from passing over short curves, and the compart- 

 ments were, therefore, eventually placed above the floor. 



Old car No. 4, later changed to No. 5, was a combination 

 baggage and mail car built for a railroad in Mexico. It was 

 purchased by the United States Fish Commission to transport 

 salt water fishes to the World's Fair at Chicago, Illinois. It 

 had no refrigerator compartments, being merely a baggage 

 car equipped with berths. 



An act of Congress approved March 3, 1899, appro- 

 priated $8,000 for building a new car to replace Car No. 4. 

 The new car was designated No. 4 and the older one No. 5. 

 Car No. 6 was constructed for use in connection with the 

 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904 and at the close of 

 the exposition it was turned over to the Bureau of Fisheries. 

 The Bureau now operates five cars, Nos. 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9. 

 The three last named are of steel construction and were 

 built within recent years. These cars are so equipped that 

 they can be carried in any of the standard passenger trains. 

 On completion of the three steel cars, four of the old wooden 

 cars (Nos. 1, 2, 5 and 6) were disposed of. 



