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poses is, unfortunately an obvious fact. We recall a number of the 

 smaller rivers which were once clear, clean streams, but which are 

 now only the outlets for the refuse of manufacturing establishments 

 or for sewerage of towns along their banks. Personal observation 

 has shown a deposit in them that is not only a menace to the fish life 

 of the stream, but the breeding place of diseases that destroy human life 

 as well. 



On Calumet Lake the refuse from one of the large paint works so 

 discolors the water as to be noticeable a mile distant in Calumet river, 

 and resulting from such pollution the killing of fish on both lake and 

 river is marked. A great many complaints reach us in regard to the 

 matter, but we can only reply that it is a matter that must be dealt 

 with by the officials of the county or city, as a nuisance, as it does not 

 come under any of the provisions of our laws. As we have stated in 

 former reports, if there were no other method of taking care of the 

 refuse and sewage except by turning them into these streams, there 

 might be room for argument against an interference with the neces- 

 sities of the manufacturing interests, but with the appliances now in 

 practical and successful use, it can easily be destroyed without turning 

 it into the streams to endanger the health of the public, for pollution 

 of the waters to the extent of killing fish must surely present such a 

 menace to the health of citizens, and vigorous efforts should be put 

 forth to arrest and prevent further danger from such causes. The or- 

 dinary sewage from towns emptied into the rivers is enough in itself 

 to -n-la'iger life and health, but when to it is added acids and other 

 poisonous matter it would seem that the conditions call for legislative 

 interference. 



Collection and Distribution. 



The distribution of fish to public waters and private applicants has 

 been carried on as usual, though unfavorable conditions have prevented 

 as extended work as we had intended to do. As has been stated, the 

 success of our work depends largely on the conditions along the rivers, 

 the stas^e of water and time and continuance of overflow, our supply 

 of fish being taken from those left in the shallow waters after the 

 overflow has subsided. Along the Illinois river the shallow ponds and 

 lakes contain a very much larger ratio of the coarse or softer rayed 

 fishes than do those farther north, where the water is colder, the gome 

 fishes in the former being only about 15 per cent of the whole. Great 

 care has to be taken in the handling of the fish in the process of collect- 

 ing to prevent injury. The great mass of fish taken in the seine renders 

 the separation of game fishes. both difficult and slow, and as most of 

 tin's work is done during very hot weather much care is necessary in 

 getting them to the river or live boxes : gars and adult fishes often do 

 great injury to the small fish in their efforts to escape from the seine. 

 Even afer they are all extricated from the seine the danger is not 

 over, as the difference in temperature between the water from which 

 they are taken and that o\ the river or holding ponds is so great that 

 a sudden introduction of the small fish into the colder water would 

 quickly kill them. So they have to be gradually accustomed to the 



