n ■ 



of the main shore thereof any jijill. pond or tike nets; no dip nets shall 

 be nsed exce^jt for catching uiinnows for bait, said dip nets not to 

 exceed twenty inches in diameter."" Prior to the ]jassage of this law, 

 there were no less than 2. MOO of these dip nets in close proximity from 

 Hyde Park to Twelfth street, on the Ohiccigo hike front, operated, as 

 a general thing, by chisses who had no respect for the law, catching 

 and disposing of innnature Hsh. depriving people who were disposed 

 to fish with hook and line according to law. We are indebted to Chief 

 O'Neil of Chicago for giving us willing assistance to abate this nuis- 

 ance that Inis been a menace to that locality for so many years. Our 

 wardens did their utmost, but were unable to overcome the constant 

 resistance of overwhelming numbers of these law-breakers. Orders 

 were given by Chief O'Neil to the different superintendents to give 

 Avhatever assistance our wardens required, and in a short time the en- 

 tire lake front was freed from these unlawful devices, and has so con- 

 tinued, through the untiring efforts of our wardens, who patrol that 

 portion of the h)ke front daily. People have an opportunity now to 

 get a few hours of excellent fishiiig certain seasons of the year, afford- 

 ing them good sport and excellent food supply without leaving the 

 city. 



Uniform laws governing states bordering the great lakes are very 

 essential, and if properly enforced, would be the means of protecting 

 and perpetuating the valuable species indigenous to these magnifi- 

 cent inland seas. Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana should unite 

 with us in framing laws to arrest the indiscriminate destruction of 

 this indispensable food sujiply. We are in communication with the 

 commissioners of each of these states, urging them to use their efforts 

 to secure legislation that will prevent fishermen from any of these 

 states operating in one of the others during the closed or prohibitory 

 season. A rigid enforcement of a law of this kind would be the 

 means of the restoration of the larger species of white fish and trout 

 that were so abundant in former years and are scarcely seen in our 

 markets now, except a limited supply from Lake Superior, that body 

 of water being inaccessible to commercial fishermen the greater por- 

 tion of the year. The time has arrived when the lawmakers of states 

 bordering the great lakes should agree and adopt uniform laws, giving 

 their commissioners power to act jointly to prevent the total annihil- 

 ation of a great industry and great food supply of generations to 

 follow. 



A noticeable change in the condition of lower Lake Michigan has 

 taken place since the drainage commissioners have reversed the course 

 of the Chicago river. For several years white fish and trout were 

 conspicuous by their absence from this portion of the lake. The 

 paramount cause may be attributed to the constant flow of sewage 

 emitted through the Chicago river into the lake, precipitating 

 poisonous refuse upon the spawning beds that were occupied in 

 former years by these valuable species. We are reliably informed 

 that since the course of the river has changed, these species are re- 

 inhabiting their old haunts, and are becoming quite abundant in that 

 locality. This demonstrates that pollution is a prime factor in the 



