43 



The laws are slack in some respects. Many a night have I watched for 

 a tisheruian to lift iiis nets, so as to catrli him in the act. You may run 

 across a man witli a boat load of 5-inch mesii and 1,000 pounds of fish; 

 the nets may be wet, siiowing tliey liave just been in tlic waler, yet you 

 could not convict tliat man were you to arrest him, because you did not 

 take him in tlie act. What is needed, in my o])inion, is to make it un- 

 lawful to liave anv illegal net in possession, and the warden should have 

 the power to destroy such nets wherever founds as they arc owned to use 

 whenever opportunity is offered. 



I think the number of wardens should be reduced, a larger territory 

 given to each, and a sufficient salary so as to enable him to do his work 

 and do it well. All fines that now go to wardens should either go into a 

 fund towards the payment of such wardens or into the State treasury. 

 Wardens should not l)e compelled or allowed to obtain fees from convic- 

 tions only, as it fre(iuently gives rise to prejudices that operate against 

 the enforcement of the law. I have had it thrown up to me in court 

 that the reason I convicted the fishermen was simply to obtain one-half 

 the tine. Such portion of fines that I have received would not make me 

 near whole in my expenditures, saying nothing of risks run, enemies 

 made and fault found. 



I am satisfied from my experience that the law can be enforced, and if 

 it can be so amended to"^ cover a few faulty points, feel sure the increase 

 in the item of tish as a food supply will astonish anyone who has inter- 

 est enough in the matter to investigate the resources of our waters. 



Yours respectfully, 



Charles T. Bko^^sox. 



LaSalle, III., September 30, 1892. 

 S. P. Bartlett, Quincy, III.: 



Dear Sir— A part of my report I overlooked. On October 27, 1891, U. 

 S. Fish Car No. 1 arrived at LaSalle, in charge of .Mr. Pearce. who had 

 instructions to report to me. I had some parties who had made applica- 

 tion for tish for private ponds. I found the tish nearly all matured and 

 in the best of order and very lively. I disposed of them as follows: 



Two hundred were shipped to Seneca, to be placed in a large bayou near 

 that p ace. 



Three hundred were sent to Utica for ponds of Utica Hydraulic Cement 

 Co., and that of Mr. Sanmel Graves, near same place. 



The rest were planted in Illinois River, above the Illinois Central E. R. 

 bridge. The number planted there was 1,800. All of them will spawn in 

 the spring. 



Permission was given Mr. Parr, of Ottawa, 111., to take fish from the 

 Illinois and Michigan Canal, when water was drawn off last fall, to stock 

 his ponds. Also the Seneca Fish Association, for same purpose. 



Great interest is being taken in fish matters in this section of the State, 

 and the increase in supply is greatly in excess of former years. 



Yours respectfully, 



M. D. Green, State Fish Warden. 



Elgin, III., March 6, 1892. 

 S. P. Bartlett, Quinq/, Jll: 



Dear Sir— There were two boxes of fish, mostly perch, a few black bass 

 and about 100 pike, that were caught at Pistaciua I-^ake last week (through 

 the ice), and almost every one of the females had spawn coming from 

 them. Almost every one who passes the market makes the remark tliat 

 the law to prevent Ashing through tlie ice should be extended to April 1st. 



Yours truly, 



F. L. Buck, Stale Fi.-^h Warden. 



