13 



that weighs less than one-half pound, and the amount of one person's catch 

 is limited to a cetain number. By these safe guards, after our lake has been 

 stocked, we will always have fair fishing. Considerable enthusiasm has been 

 aroused in this community in regard to the fishing, and we would respect 

 fully ask you to reply to this communication stating if you can furnisli us 

 with a few crappy and a consignment of both large and small bass. 



Recognizing the success you have had as State Fish Commissioner, we will 

 ask you to offer recommendations as to the best method of protecting the 

 fish and to obtain the best possible results from these you may send us. 



Thanking you in advance in behalf of the Weldon Springs, and the citizens 

 of Clinton for anything you can do for us in this matter, we beg to remain, 



Yours very truly, 

 (Signed) 



John D. Rogers, 

 Perry Hughes, 

 Frank Adkisson, 

 Special Fish Commission Weldon Springs. 



POLLUTION OF STREAMS. 



One of the questions of the near future will be the disposition of 

 the sewage and waste from manufacturing establishments which is 

 now turned into our rivers and streams. Complaints come to us 

 from almost every part of the State of the pollution of some streams 

 from this cause, and our attention is very frequently called to the 

 fact that great numbers of fish are being killed by such fouling of 

 the waters. 



As Commissioners, we are powerless to act in the premises, and 

 can only recommend prosecution for maintaining a nuisance by the 

 proper local authorities. Very many of the finest streams in the 

 State are today only sewers. We have had our attention directed 

 to the effect of such pollution on the Fox river several times, and 

 fish have been found dead in large numbers for miles below some 

 manufacturing plant, undoubtedly killed by the introduction into 

 the river of the poisonous washes. A careful examination of the 

 water and bottom of the river showed a very dirty condition, to say 

 the least. The Fox river, once one of the best of inland streams, 

 with clear, pure water and clean rock bottom, we found one of the 

 dirtiest, with the bottom covered with a deposit of filth which could 

 not help being a menace to health wherever the water was used. 

 What is true of the Fox river is fast becoming a universal condi- 

 tion, so far as our rivers are concerned. If there were no alterna- 

 tive it might be considered mere fault finding to call attention to 

 this matter, but as we now have a system of sewerage which effect- 

 ually controls all waste and sewage, and renders the escaping ef 

 fluence practically cleaner than the water of the river, there is no 

 excuse for a continuance of this practice, and legislative action 

 should be had to prevent the existence of the present conditions. 



It is not of interest alone to those who desire the preservation of 

 the fish, but the health of every one living along such stream is daily 

 endangered. One instance which came under our special notice will 

 serve to illustrate the reason for our objection. A few winters ago 

 ice was cut from a stream at a point only 100 feet from the outlet of 

 a sewer carrying the waste from a number of houses in which were 



