38 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
PUT-IN Bay STATION, OHIO (J. J. STRANAHAN, SUPERINTENDENT). 
The sundry civil bill approved March 2, 1889, provided $20,000 “ for 
the purpose of establishing and equipping a station at some convenient 
point on Lake Erie, to be designated by the Commissioner of Fish and 
Fisheries, for taking spawn and the propagation of whitefish.” An ex- 
“amination and consideration of the facilities offered by the different 
places contiguous to the spawning-grounds of the whitefish demon- 
strated the advisability of establishing the station at Put-in Bay, Ohio. 
Through the efforts of Mr. Valentine Doller, of Put-in Bay, the citizens 
of that place donated to the United States a site on the south shore of 
Peach Point, and containing about three-fourths of an acre. On An- 
gust 31, 1889, the Attorney-General certified to the sufficiency of the 
deeds given to vest a valid title to the property in the United States. 
Cession of jurisdiction over the property having been given by an act 
of the legislature of Ohio, passed April 10, 1889, and the plans and 
specifications for the required hatchery having been prepared pending 
the examination of the title, advertisement calling for proposals to con- 
struct the same was made September 6. The lowest bid received in 
response thereto was that of Mr. George EK. Gascoyne, of Put-in Bay, 
with whom a contract was entered into on October 12. For the erec- 
tion of the necessary steam and water plant, a contract was made with 
Messrs. Shaw, Kendall & Co., of Toledo, Ohio, on March 11,1890. The 
erection of the hatchery was completed on August 11, 1890, and on 
September 16 the machinery was ready for use. 
The act approved September 50, 1890, provided an appropriation of 
$10,000 for the completion of the equipment of the station, including 
the purchase of a steam launch for use in the collection of the eggs of 
the whitefish. Plans and specifications for this vessel were prepared 
by the chief engineer of the Commission, Mr. W. B. Bayley, U.S. N., and 
after due advertisement for proposals for her construction, a contract 
was made with the Craig Ship Building Company, of Toledo, Ohio. 
1890-91. 
On July 1, 1890, Mr. J. J. Stranahan was appointed superintendent 
of the station. On November 5 active measures in the propagation of 
whitefish were begun; 157,500,000 eges were obtained from local fish- 
ermen; 200,000 were received from the Conunission’s station at Alpena. 
Of the eggs collected, 47,500,000 were transferred to the Ohio State 
hatchery, Sandusky, Ohio; 10,000,000 to the Wisconsin commissioners ; 
14,000,000 to the Erie station of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission; 
and 125,000 to Mi. Carl G. Thompson, at Warren, Ind. From the eggs 
retained, 10,000,000 fry were produced and placed in Lake Erie. The 
hatching occurred in March, 1891, and the fry were liberated toward 
the end of that month. 
About 150,000 whitefish eggs were fertilized with the product of male 
lake herring, the result being a fair percentage of hybrids. Late in the 
