XXXII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The conditions thus imposed liaiited the location to some point in the Ozark Hills, 

 a region abounding in magnificent springs, forming the headwaters of clear streams, 

 which on the one side flow into the Missouri River and on the other into the Arkansas. 

 It is, moreover, traversed through its entire extent from northeast to southwest by 

 the Frisco road, which, with it connections, puts this section into convenient com- 

 munication with all parts of the Southwest which would draw their supplies of fish 

 from the proposed station. 



An exhaustive examination was made of all localities which offered reasonable 

 promise of affording the requisite facilities for a station. Springs affording unlimited 

 supply of water were numerous. Some were excluded by reason of inaccessibility ; 

 others, presenting the advantages of convenient location and abundant water sup- 

 ply, were excluded on account of the difficulty or impracticability of controlling the 

 water supply so as to secure sufficient head or fall of water to utilize it for the supply 

 of ponds and hatchery. 



The choice of locations was finally restricted |o four, viz : The Percy Cave Spring, in 

 the vicinity of Springfield, Missouri ; the Jones Spring, immediately on the Gulf road, 

 4 miles south of Springfield ; the Mammoth Springs, Arkansas, just south of the Mis- 

 souri line, aud immediately on the line of railroad leading from Springfield to Mem- 

 phis, Tennessee, and the magnificent group of springs in the immediate vicinity of 

 Neosho City, Missouri. 



The springs in the vicinity of Springfield impressed me most favorably, but careful 

 examination made it evident that the water supply was entirely inadequate to afford 

 the amount required to feed the extensive system of ponds that will be required in 

 the development of the station. 



The choice of location lies, therefore, between Mammoth Springs, Arkansas, and the 

 site offered by the city of Neosho. Both stations furnish unlimited water supply, capa- 

 ble of easy control and utilization. Each is advantageously situated, immediately on 

 a line of railroad, aud thus affords equal convenience and facilities for distribution. 

 In either case the site for buildings and ponds aud the necessary water franchise will 

 be donated to the United States Government free of charge. 



The location at Neosho, however, presents the following important advantages : 



It is more centrally situated with reference to those sections to which the distribu- 

 tion of fish is to be made, and the station can therefore be more economically operated 

 than the one at Mammoth Springs. The amount of land available for ponds is 

 ample, and lies conveniently for their construction at a moderate expenditure of 

 labor and money. 



The ground available for this purpose at the Mammoth Springs location is very 

 limited and lies so unfavorably, that the construction of the series of ponds required 

 can bo accomplished only under considerable difficulty and at a very considerable ex- 

 penditure of money. Indeed, in my judgment it will be impracticable at the Mam- 

 moth Springs location by any reasonable expenditure to secure the development of 

 ponds necessary to carry on pond culture on the scale it will he necessary to conduct 

 the operation of the station. For these reasons I respectfully recommend the selec- 

 tion of the site proposed to be donated to the United States Government by the city 

 of Neosho. 



Seeking to influence the selection of location by the manifestation of a liberal 

 spirit, the corporate authorities have already voluntarily executed an agreement to 

 convey to the United States Government title to 17 acres of land within the corporate 

 limits of the city, and having upon it a magnificent spring flowiug nearly €00 gal- 

 lons per minute. This supply is ample for all needs, immediate or prospective; but 

 they further agree, if the supply is not ample for all purposes, to guaranty to the 

 United States the franchise of another spring flowing several hundred gallons of 

 water per minute, and to convey it to the ponds and hatchery without charge to the 

 U. S. Fish Commission. We could hardly ask or desire more liberal concessions than 

 have been voluntarily tendered, nor can wo probably find another location so advan- 

 tageously situated for convenient and economical work. 



