CULTURE OF THE SHAD. 171 



easily pass, or they would not be caught, as they now are, 

 at the base of the Columbia dam, their next obstacle. 



" Such is the result of our labors at the Columbia dam, 

 and we have but to wait now until spring to see what 

 action the fish, our long absent friends, will take upon the 

 subject. 



" If our inducements are not suflBcient, we may, in the 

 future, be able to improve upon them, and Mr. President 

 Knight has expressed his willingness to render all reason- 

 able aid in making such improvements as, after experiment, 

 may seem to be required. 



" The next two dams in streams, contemplated by the 

 act, are first : the Middletown Feeder dam, crossing the 

 Swatara a short distance from its mouth, and the Duncan's 

 Island dam, crossing the Susquehanna at or near Clark's 

 Ferry. These both belong to the Pennsylvania Kailroad 

 Company, whom I notified, according to law, and who 

 acknowledged the receipt of the notification. On Novem- 

 ber the 1st, nothing had been done to either of these dams, 

 and immediately after that day I had placed in the hands 

 of the district attorney of Dauphin county, J. W. Simon- 

 ton, Esq., a written account of my proceedings. If the 

 case be carried to the courts, and a decision should be had 

 against the constitutionality of the act, there will be no 

 use in prosecuting the companies higher up the stream 

 If the act should hold, and the Pennsylvania Kailroad 

 Company be compelled to alter its dams, the point will be 

 settled for the upper companies, and there will be no more 

 trouble. So I did not initiate legal proceedings in respect 



