FOREST ASU STREAM. 
884 
visits to the enchanting lakes in the vicinity—Como, 
Elmo, White Bear and Minnetonka, now- thronged by 
thousands of tourists in search of health and recreation, 
Finally, you must not forget to givo a glance to the falls 
of the 1 ‘ laughing waters ” (Minnehaha) and the hoary bat¬ 
tlements of old Fort Snelling. 
Having duly seen and enjoyed all this, being rested and 
recreated to your heart's content, and feeling that pecu- 
har itching in your trigger-finger with which we old 
hunters are so familiar—being thus in mind and body, I 
»ay, take the St, Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Rail¬ 
way. This is the St. Paul and Pacific under a new name, 
but with the old story of which we have so many ex- 
• nples in the West and elsewhere. Enterpri sing ' and 
patriotic men project a line of railroad through a wilder¬ 
ness in order to draw immigration. The money is bor¬ 
rowed and the road built, but at first, hardly pays running 
expenses, much less interest on the bonds. Foreclosure 
proceedings follow, and the road falls into the hands of 
the bondholders. In the case in question, after years of 
vexatious litigation, the transfer was made by amicable 
settlement. A new company was formed under the 
above name and with the following strong team at the 
helm : George Stephen, of the Bank of Montreal, Presi¬ 
dent ; Norman W, Kittson, of St. Paul, Minnesota’s earli¬ 
est pioneer, Vice-President, and James t. Hill, our young 
and wide-awake business man, General Manager. Such is 
the story in a nutshell. La Roi est mart. Vive le Hoi! 
The train leaves St. Paul 5 o’clock p.m. Daybreak next 
morning will find you in the valley of the Red River of 
the North, and the whole of that day you will pass along 
through this famous valley. There is nothing picturesque 
about it. Hour after hour you are carried over a smooth, 
flat prairie, here and there interrupted by cultivated fields 
or narrow belts of timber, bordering small tributaries to 
the main stream. But you travel over the American 
“ valley of the Nile,” one of the richest spots on this con¬ 
tinent and destined in a not very distaut future to send 
out one hundred million bushels of wheat to feed the 
starving multitudes of the old world. And do not think 
there is any exaggeration in this. One single farmer 
raises this year 400,000 bushels No. 1 wheat, and still this 
valley is hardly yet touched by the jilow, There fa room 
for all who may wish to come. J. S. 
For Forest andStream and Rod and Gun. 
DOWN SUGAR CKEEK. 
S EVERAL days previous to the 4th of July, 187—, we 
had organized a small party, consisting of Dr. B,, 
Wm. C., Ben B. and myself, to take a fishing excursion 
down Sugar Creek, in Parke County, Ilid. But by the 
time our arrangements were completed a heavy rain set 
in and prevented our starting Until 12 M. on the 8d, when 
the rain ceased and the sun drove away the mists. We 
then loaded our guns, fishing tackle, fish-box and camp 
equipage on a Mr. Cs wagon, he having agreed to haul 
our boat and selves to our destination. We then proceed¬ 
ed to the Wabash River, at Reid’s Ferry, where we hacked 
the wagon into the river and ran the boat on the running- 
gears of the wagon. We then put our traps into the boat, 
crossed the river, and started for Bryant’s Ford, on Sugar 
Creek, some twenty-five miles from the mouth of the 
ereek. We drove along as rapidly as the muddy condition 
of the road would permit, until after dark, when we drove 
up to a farm barn, about four miles from the Ford. We 
sent the Doctor to the houso, as ho was the talking man 
of the party, to secure permission to occupy the barn for 
the night. Doc returned and said that “ the old gentle¬ 
man was not at home.” We then sent him back to secure 
the desired permission from the women and to get them 
to make us some coffee ; bat while he was there the old 
gent came home with a load of salt. He said we could 
occupy the barn, but we must help him unload the salt, 
which we cheerfully did ; and then, having received our 
coffee, we repaired to the barn for supper and lodging. 
After eating a hearty supper from our mess-box, we 
spread our blankets oh the bare floor and retired. We all 
enjoyed the shake-down splendidly, until we ceased 
talking and all became quiet, and the Doc had got asleep : 
then the rats came out. And such swarms of rats ! And 
such squeaking and running over the floor ! It was fright¬ 
ful. And finally a large rat jumped on the Doc's face. 
He sprang up with a yell equalled only by a Sioux Indian 
in his war paint. We had a hearty laugh at his expense. 
In the morning we were up before daylight, and liitcliing 
up our team we started for the Ford, where we arrived 
about 7 o’clock, We stopped on a gravel bar, and while 
part of the patty unloaded the traps and boat, the rest 
built a fire and prepared breakfast, which consisted of 
chicken, young rabbits (that we had shot the evening be¬ 
fore), biscuits, butter, jelly, cookies and good strong cof¬ 
fee, and to which we aid ample justice. After breakfast 
Mr, G. started home with his team, and we launched our 
boat and rowed up the creek a mile, where we found a 
high, rocky cliff, with large piles of rock in the creek. 
We concluded to go into camp here and try for bass. We 
obtained some nice fresh minnows, and by noon we had 
a fine string of the beauties, which we put into our fish- 
box—made of wood and wire screen, and towed behind 
our boat—and so kept them alive and fresh. We had fish 
for dinner, and after resting through the heat of the day, 
we caught another s mal l string of bass, and we were hav¬ 
ing a splendid time. But toward evening I discovered 
that “ there is no rose without a thorn.” An old, misera¬ 
ble, decayed tooth began to ache, and I could not eat any 
supper. 'That night we slept on a sand bar, under a cot¬ 
tonwood, and again the Doc was destined to he disturbed. 
About midnight, 1 was lying awake nursing my tooth, 
when a large owl lit in the top of the tree over our heads, 
and uttered the usual ‘ 1 Hoo-hoo-to-hoo I" The Doc sprang 
up into a sitting position with “ Ho ! what's that ? ” And 
again we had the joke on him. At daylight 1 told Doc I 
could not stand the toothache any longer—to get his pul- 
licans (he having his dental instruments with him), I sat 
down astride of a log, and Doc laid my head on his knee. 
A twist and a pull and the tooth was out. I looked up, 
and oil the opposite side of the creek, on a cliff a hundred 
feet bighi Stood a man that lived close by, watching the 
operation with eyes and mouth open to their fullest ex¬ 
tent. I managed to eat a little breakfast, and then after 
C. and Doc had procured more fresh minnows we resumed 
onr fishing, whieh lasted until ten o’clock, adding 
0rrer«l more flu* busy* to pw box. We then loaded our 
camp equipage into the boat, and started down the creek 
for the twenty-five mile ride, singing " Pull, sailors, pull 
for the shore,' We caught a few more bass during the 
four-mile run to the Narrows, which is a long, deep, nar¬ 
row stretch of water, with high, solid sandstone banks on 
both sides of the creek and spanned by a single Bpan of a 
covered wagon bridge. Many places the water has worn 
away the rock until it forms a high overhanging shelf, 
under which we moored our boat in the shade and fished 
out in the stream. We rested here about two hours dur¬ 
ing the heat of the day. From the Narrows we ran to a 
ravine called Turkey Run, passing some beautiful scenery 
on the wav, consisting of high, towering rocky cliffs, 
some perpendicular, others gradually sloping back from 
the water, all covered with hemlock, cedar, oak and vines. 
Upon arriving at the mouth of Turkey Run we tied up 
and explored it, and found it a large, winding ravine, 
about 200 feet wide, and running back about one-hall’ 
mile, with a spring branch running down the bottom. 
The sides were perpendicular sandstone rock, 25 to 100 
feet high. Many places on the face of the rocks are cov¬ 
ered with names, cut into them by parties picknicking 
on the table-land above the ravine, which is reached by a 
single-span covered wagon bridge. After spending a 
pleasant hour and a half here we proceeded on our trip. 
That night we camped on a large flat rock that extended 
out into tho creek. After eating Bupper C. and I put up 
the tent, while Doc and B. went to a neighboring wheat 
field and “borrowed ” a shock of wheat, upon which we 
made a capital bed, and on which we slept soundly. At 
break of day we were up, and while C. and I packed up 
the kit, Doc and B. carried back then - borrowed wheat to 
the field and shocked it up again. We had a splendid 
run during tho cool of the. morning, and by nine o'clock 
we arrived at Rockport Mill, where we met a party pre¬ 
paring to start home that had been fishing at the flam 
for a fow days, but they had not had the success that 
we did. 
A kind young farmer hitched his team to our boat and 
dragged it around the dam. We then again embarked, 
and, while running about three feet from a steep bank, a 
large fine shaped four-pound bass attempted to leap over 
the boat into the water beyond ; but not making a suc¬ 
cess of it, it fell into the boat. The Doc grabbed it with 
his hands and saved it, It was the finest one we had 
caught. 
Arriving at the mouth of the creek on the Wabash at 
noon, wo stopped and cooked our last fish, and after rest¬ 
ing two hours we started for a hard two-mile pull up the 
river to Reid's Ferry, our starting-point, where we arrived 
at four o’clock, July 6th. The ferryman kindly hitched 
up his team and hauled ourselves and equipage home. 
So ended a very pleasant trip, which we hope to repeat at 
some future time. R. E. S. 
GROUSE HUNTING IN MINNESOTA. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
The long looked and wished for fifteenth of August has arrived, 
or rather tho afternoon of tho fourteenth, and one of the best 
parties that over joined hands on a hunting excursion are getting 
their gnus and trapstogether preparatory togeltiug on thehunting 
ground, that evening for an early shotat the birds in the morning 
The party is composed of Dick ltichards, our driver, a thorough 
sportsman and wit, our chief of police, T. AVoodvrard, disre¬ 
spectfully called by the rest of the party, “ Old Baldy," Dan 
Chamberlain, a young lawyer who has just purchased a flue new 
breech-loader, and never loses an opportunity of cleaning and 
fussing over it, and last of till, your humble servant; all of us 
good sbofs and jolly fellows, except possibly, tho lust mentioned. 
After getting all the necessaries In the wagon, not forgetting 
the jug to carry water for the dogs, you know, we make a brave 
start. That very necessary auxiliary to a hunt—a moderate 
rain—accompanies us. AVhen aliaut three miles out of town the 
dogs of war are let loose, and In loss than live minutes wo are 
among tho birds. Tho atmosphere is heavy and not a breath of 
wind is stirring. The birds lie so close that it is almost impossible 
fur the dogs to find them. Yours truly is trying to pacify the 
horses. There rises a covey of birds about twenty rods to the 
left, and coming directly towards us. Baldy blazes away at them 
and lilts us. AVe raise our voice and tell him gchtly to he more 
careful next time. The words are scarcoly out of our mouth 
when we got the other barrel. Wo expostulate more gently 
than before, but no matter, he got three birds. AVben our party 
leaves that field we have thirteen fine birds. We soon put up 
at a farm house, and after the customary jokes retire for the 
night. Tho next morning we are out bright and early, but the 
pot-hunters are ahead of us,and we are obliged to return home 
with only thirty-five birds. AVhile coming in a seeker after infor¬ 
mation asked us what we got. “ Got back," promptly answered 
Dick, and t hat is all the information the seeker got. 
About twenty hunting parties left our town on tho fifteenth, 
and each bagged from twenty to fifty birds. Tbo grouse shooting 
here Is splendid during tho entire season. Woodooek shooting on 
tho bottoms can’t be boat, a bag of twenty being common for 
one hunter in a forenoon. E. H. S. 
Hastings, Minnesota, Aug.Mh. 
SALMON IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. 
T HE history of American fish culture is nowhere more 
aptly illustrated than in the restoration of salmon 
to the waters of the Connecticut River. We have here 
the three stages of primitive abundance, subsequent de¬ 
pletion and artificial restocking. 
When the English settlers first came to New England 
they found in the Connecticut and its tributaries great 
numbers of fine salmon. The fish penetrated to the head 
waters and spawned in Israel’s River and the Upper and 
LoAver Ammonoosuck. Doavu to the last century salmon 
were caught in the Connecticut and sold for fifty cents 
each. But in 1798 a high dam was erected just below 
Miller’s River, which so effectually shut the fish away 
from their spawning grounds, that within a dozen years 
they were almost exterminated, It wm not' until more 
than half a century later, in 1869, that the first lot of sal¬ 
mon fry-two thousand—were artificially introduced into 
the river. In 1870, 80,000 more were planted; in 1873, astill 
further supply of 150,000 ; in 1874, 458.000, besides 160,0001 
put in by Vermont, 271,000 by Massachusetts, and 800,000/ 
by New Hampshire. In the two successive years this sup¬ 
ply was further increased by plants of 500,000 and 800,000 
making tlie total for the last four years about two millions 
But the labors of the Commissioners had been by no 
means confined simply to the planting of fry, Not less, 
important than this part of their work was the providing 
suitable fishways over the dams, and here it Avas necessary 
to carry through tedious laAV suits, compelling the manu¬ 
facturers to furnish a passage for the fish over their water 
works. 
In 1874 and 1875, tho first evidences of Success were seen 
in the Farmington River, where smelts were seen and 
caught in the vicinity of the spot where the fry had been 
planted. In the following year, three fine fish were re¬ 
ported as caught, and a dozen more in 1877. Finally in 
1878 the salmon in great numbers began, toAvards the end 
of April, to enter the river, and were caught at various 
points from its mouth to the Holyoke Dam, Before tlie 
lltli of May, ono hundred had been captured. On the 
7th of June, a fifteen pound fish was captured, and on tiie 
ilth. a “twenty pounder” was netted ; the largest re¬ 
corded by the Commissioners was one of 23 lbs., 8 or., 
caught at Chester. The total number of salmon caught 
during the season maybe estimated at500. These returns 
naturally gave great satisfaction to the Connecticut State 
Fish Commissioners, Avho had been working nearly ten 
years for such a result. The successful culture ot salmon 
in the Connecticut was thereby demonstrated as an assured 
fact. With proper legislation and a moderate expendi¬ 
ture each year for artificial spawning, supplementary to 
the natural increase, there exists no good reason why the 
salmon of the Connecticut should not always furnish 
cheap and desirable food. The necessary legal enact¬ 
ments, which would insure temporary protection to the 
fish, have been overruled by the unwise efforts of the fish¬ 
ermen, Avho stolidly maintained a skepticism of the utility 
of the Commissioners’ efforts. Now that artificial propa¬ 
gation has proved effective, these same fishermen evince 
a more sensible regard for protective measures, although 
they still embarrass the would-be protectionists and sad¬ 
ly hamper their work. The inefficient and unfair legis¬ 
lation of Connecticut in regard to protecting the fishing 
industries of her sister States has long been a reproach, 
which the Commissioners have been as vet pOAverless lo 
remove. Tlie merits of the case have before tliis been re¬ 
ferred to m our columns. 
From the Thirteenth Annual Report of the Fish Com¬ 
missioners, now before us, Ave learn that for various rea¬ 
sons, but chiefly for lack of suitable appropriation, the 
artificial hatching of shad at llolyoko has been discon¬ 
tinued, and a consequent decrease in the catch may be 
looked for. 
The work of the State in the culture of land-locked sal¬ 
mon has already been detailed in this journal by Com. 
Wil. H. Hudson. 
The report closes with a plea to the friends of fish 
culture and game protection to secure the appointment in 
their respective towns of efficient and responsible wardens, 
and then to themselves “ boldly assume the odium of un- 
couraging and sustaing the wardens in tlieir disagreeable 
duty of enforcing the law ; ” a consummation devoutly to 
be longed for. Fish culture and fish protection must go 
hand in hand. The man Avho takes fresh salmon from 
the stream, when the law says no salmon shall be caught, 
must lie put on a level with the man who surreptitiously 
takes pickled salmon from a grocery store. 
McDonald Fish-Wav, —At last Ave haA-e a cheap and 
practicable fisli-way. which it is altogether probable avIII 
take precedence of all others. It is knoAVn as the Me 
Donald System of Fish-Ways, and has been adopted by 
the Board of Public Works of Virginia for future use in 
that State. The Lynchburg (Va.) News says of it: — 
“ We are indebted to the courtesy of Colonel McDonald, 
the distinguished Fish Commissioner of this State, for an 
opportunity of examining a model of the ingenious fish¬ 
way invented by him. We saw the water flow doAvn this 
way at an angle of about thirty degrees, and the current 
was even slower at the bottom than at tho top, nowhere 
being sufficient to hinder the Aveakest fish from easily 
passing up it. The important features of the McDon¬ 
ald fish-vrays are that they require not more than one- 
half the quantity of water of any others in use; that they 
cost only only about one-sixth to one-tenth as much as 
the others, are simpler in their construction and less 
liable to get out of order, and above all are more effi¬ 
cient in their operations. We hope the day is not dis¬ 
tant when one of these “ways” will be provided for 
every dam in the State, so that fish may have free and 
unobstructed access to their spawning grounds. By this 
means alone will our streams become what they ought to 
be, an ever failing source of profit and pleasure. The adop¬ 
tion of the McDonald Fish-Way by the Board of Public 
Works, was but a just acknowledgement of the merits of 
a Virginia invention.” 
SOME TROUT QUESTIONS. 
^ Bloomsbury, N. J., Aug. 12th,—Mr. Editor We were 
out fishing in Pike County during the last week in July, 
but the trout would not bite. The Saw Creek was so 
very low that the fish were only found in the deep pools, 
and would soldom notice any bait, natural or artificial, 
We found in one’s stomach a small stone-crab; in an¬ 
other’s a large green worm—we did not knoAv what to 
think of it—when in nearly every pool we counted scores 
of fine trout, and they would notice no kind of fly or bait. 
Could they have been spawning, or was it owing to the 
low water? Tlie little brooks running into Saw Creek 
were alive with trout, and from Red Rook we caught 
some very fine ones. Every run is full, and it will be a 
long time before Saw Creek will become as our streams. 
The fishing here is very poor, and we Avant to stock our 
stream iMuscauetcong) as soon as possible with trout. 
P. Hulsker, 
We AviU inform our correspondent that there were sev¬ 
eral reasons, possibly, why th* trout not bit* to thf 
