s 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[July 6, 1895. 



MAINE GAME AND FISH BY EXPRESS. 



A good deal of indignation is manifested among sports- 

 men who go to Maine as to the attitude of the Maine 

 Central Eailroad in regard to the refusal the present sea- 

 son of that road to f orward boxes of fish caught by these 

 sportsmen as baggage. Perhaps sportsmen would* never 

 haye thought of such a thing as their trout and salmon 

 being forwarded as baggage but for the peculiar reading 

 of the Maine game laws, which specify that fish and game 

 can only be transported by the person taking the same in 

 prescribed quantities, as his own property, or wording to 

 that effect, and from the fact that the Maine Central has 

 always forwarded these boxes as baggage and free of 

 charge, up to the present season. But early last winter 

 that road issued a notification to sportsmen that no more 

 fish or game would be forwarded as baggage. Sportsmen 

 returning soon after began to find their deer in the hands 

 of the American Express Company, and the company's 

 servants demanded very round charges for the forward- 

 ing and delivery of such game. As soon as the trout sea- 

 son opened returning fishermen began to find that then- 

 boxes of trout were not to be checked by the Maine Cen- 

 tral, as on former seasons. I then wrote the officials of 

 that road for an explanation of their position. In reply 

 I received, in substance, the following: General man- 

 ager's order, to which you refer, has not been rescinded, 

 and is still in effect, the idea being that the express com- 

 pany, under their contract with us, claim the privilege of 

 carrying the fish and game in question, it not being, for 

 instance, baggage in the generally accepted sense. 



The officers of the Maine Central expressed, in the same 

 reply, the idea that some slight inconvenience may be 

 caused to the sportsmen who visit Maine, "but we believe 

 that they can readily accommodate themselves to the 

 situation." 



Early in the season that road issued the following circu- 

 lar, or was about to issue it, giving an abstract of the 

 game laws, and mentioning the fact that landlocked 

 salmon and trout are not to be transported, except in pos- 

 session of the owner. The circular was addressed to 

 agents and baggage masters and others interested, and 

 reads: 



Especial attention is called at this time then, as the opening of the 

 fishing season, to Order No. 125, issued by the general manager Dec. 

 15, 1894, directing that fish and game offered for transportation must 

 be referred to the express company, and inasmuch as the 251bs. of 

 trout or landlocked salmon must be in possession of owner, i. e. on 

 the same train, as must also ha the case with one bull moose, one cari- 

 bou or two deer, and in the case of transportation of birds, etc., they 

 must be open to view, tagged and plainly labeled with owner's name 

 and accompanied by him, it would seem as though the freight depart- 

 ment could not, except in rare cases, handle, and that reference must 

 be had to the express company in nearly all cases. 



The circular is peculiar or, the proof — the above is 

 only a proof — as will readily be seen, and legal minds 

 will doubt the right of the express company to handle the 

 fish or game in question. If it is in the hands of an ex- 

 press company how can it be in possession of the owner 

 at the same time? Prominent Boston sportsmen declare 

 that they shall yet test the right of the "express com- 

 pany" to have anything to do with forwarding of fi3h or 

 game in Maine, except as especially directed by the 

 owner; indeed as to their right to forward it at all. It is 

 asked: "If the express company can forward fish or 

 game, who is to be responsible for the possession of the 

 owner? Or, if they can forward it at all, what is to hin- 

 der their doing a general forwarding business for any- 

 body who sees fit to hand the company game at any 

 station in the game sections of the country, and who is to 

 be reponsible for the owner's being on the same train?" 



The Portland & Rumford Falls Railroad, though also 

 having a contract with the American Express Co., is for- 

 warding sportsmen's boxes of trout as baggage, and free 

 of charge, as has already been mentioned in Forest and 

 Stream. The Boston & Maine Railroad has not de- 

 clined to forward these packages of trout as baggage, 

 and its officers say that they do not intend issuing any 

 such orders. It seems to be the desire of the Portland 

 & Rumford Falls road to make matters as pleasant as 

 possible for sportsmen, and it may be mentioned here as 

 already noted that the Rangeleys may be reached by that 

 road in connection with the Boston & Maine, or Boston 

 and Portland steamers. All the Colonial railways, so far 

 as I have been able to learn, are willing to forward 

 sportsmen's fish or game and outfits as baggage. 



So far as the American Express Co. is concerned its 

 position is not strange, but simply a matter of business. 

 If fish and game are not forwarded as baggage, that 

 company can reasonably expect to get the forwarding 

 of it on roads with which it has contracts. But its posi- 

 tion in regard to handling this fish or game after it 

 reaches Boston is one that causes sportsmen a good deal 

 of trouble. Generally these sportsmen reach Boston in 

 the evening— about 9:80— and formerly, when their fish 

 were forwarded as baggage, the packages could be ob- 

 tained at once and taken home. The express company is 

 in the habit of taking packages to its storehouse, if they 

 are directed to points in the suburbs, and in the morning 

 giving them to local express companies. In such cases 

 sportsmen have not received their trout till late on the 

 day after their arrival. Some very vigorous objections 

 have been raised against this position of affairs, and even 

 to the express company having the forwarding of fish and 

 game under any conditions. One returning sportsman, 

 I hear, has gone so far as to take his box of fish into the 

 passenger car in his hand and to refuse to deliver it to 

 the express company. He persisted in his right to the 

 fish, and Bince the company would not forward it in the 

 baggage car, he claimed the right to carry it in his hand. 

 He was not deprived of this right. Sportsmen declare 

 that the attitude of the express company is that of com- 

 pelling them to have their trout forwarded. "Since there 

 is no other way you are forced to give us the forwarding 

 of your fish and game." 



It is fortunate that this attempted monopoly of the for- 

 warding of sportsmen's fish or game exists only on the 

 Maine Central Railway, so far as I have been able to as- 

 certain. The other routes that sportsmen from Boston or 

 New York would naturally take to reach and return from 

 the Maine and provincial hunting and fishing resorts 

 have no contract with the American Express Co. , so far 

 as I have been able to learn. 



The Grand Trunk Railway is disposed to be very liberal 

 with sportsmen as to what that road will forward free in 

 its baggage cars. I have the following from Mr. N. J. 

 Grace, New England passenger agent, under date of May 

 Copy of extract of rules in regard to sportsmen: 

 Excess taggage tariff, clause 18: "For the accommodation of 



sportBraen, their outfit, consisting of wearing apparel, tents, canoes 

 and skiffs (provided they are under 20ft. in length and can be handled 

 conveniently in the baggage cars of regular trains), camp utens Is, in- 

 cluding also fish and game, catch of 501 bs. in weight, will be carried 

 free to the extent of SOOlbs. for each sportsman," whether traveling 

 alone or with a party, between stations on the Atlantic district. One 

 dog will be carried free between the same stations for each sports- 

 man. An excess ticket must be issued, on which endors« 'Sports- 

 man's Dog.' and the number of the passage ticket held by the 

 passenger." 



The Canadian Pacific Railroad also makes matters as 

 easy as possible for sportsmen who travel over its lines. 

 The following is extracted from its baggage regulations: 



"2001bs. of baggage, consisting of wearing apparel and sportsmen's 

 outfits, including tents, camp utensils, also including fish or game- 

 catch of 501bs. in weight— will be forwarded free to hrd from any 

 C. P. stations in the territory as below, for each passenger carried, 

 when ticketed to stations between Pembroke and Nepigon. Canoes 

 and skiffs under 20ft. long can be included as a part of the sports- 

 men's outfits, at actual weight. All over SOOlbs. in weight will be 

 charged for according to ordinary excess baggage rates. One dog 

 will be carried free for each sportsman, for which an excess baggage 

 ticket must be issued, marked 'Sportsman's Dog,' etc., etc. Guns 

 must not be carried in the passenger cars, except in wooden, leather 

 or canvas cases; otherwise they will be conveyed as baggage at 

 owner's risk." 



The steamer lines running out of Boston in the directions 

 taken by sportsmen are very polite and desirous of secur- 

 ing the patronage of the hunters and fishermen who goto 

 Maine and the provinces. The Portland Steamship Co. 

 will not only carry sportsmen's boxes and packages of 

 trout, but they will put them in the refrigerators during 

 the trip, if sportsmen will take the trouble to inform the 

 proper officers as to the contents of their packages. This 

 will be done free of charge. The International Steamboat 

 Co., or St. John steamers, as they are familiarly called, 

 will carry the sportsmen's fish and game free up to a 

 reasonable extent. The officials are not willing that any- 

 body should attempt to do a fresh fish business over their 

 line free of charge; but the sportsman who brings home 

 a box of trout of his own catching, or venison or game 

 birds, can do so free of charge, and the officers of either 

 of the steamers will put such fish or game into the coolers, 

 free of charge, when desired to do so. 



The Yarmouth Steamship Co., running from Boston to 

 Halifax and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, has the good will not 

 only of sportsmen, but of bicyclists also. Sportsmen's 

 fish or game will be forwarded free of charge up to any 

 reasonable amount. Besides the forwarding, the Boston 

 agent, Mr. J. F. Spinney, assures me that his steamboat 

 people will willingly put either fish or game into the boat's 

 refrigerators, if sportsmen will make their wishes known 

 to the steward. For bicyclists special customs arrange- 

 ments have been made, whereby the steamboat company 

 is responsible to the Government for the deposit required 

 on each bicycle. The same is also true of guns and rifles. 

 Hence these deposits can be received and returned at 

 the wharf. 



I have several times called at the office of the American 

 Express Company here, and at last found the general 

 superintendent in. He admits the contract with the 

 Maine Central; a contract as to express matter, fish or 

 game not being mentioned. The length of time the con- 

 tract is to run he does not state, In stating the case to 

 him, as to trout arriving on evening trains, and that it 

 was desired by sportsmen that they be allowed to take pos- 

 session of the fish at the station, he said that he would at 

 once issue an order that, where so specified on the way 

 bill, sportsmen's boxes of fish might be delivered at the 

 station. Hence it will now be only necessary for sports- 

 men to specify at the point of shipment that they desire 

 to take their boxes of trout at the Union Station on its 

 arrival in Boston, and they will be delivered by the offi- 

 cers of the company there. Superintendent D wight sug- 

 gested that such a proceeding was contrary to their 

 methods of doing business, but that his company was de- 

 sirous of pleasing its patrons as far as possible. He was 

 also desirous that I should see General Superintendent 

 Carr, who has charge of the division including the Maice 

 Central Railway, but who was absent at the time. 



Special. 



Game Transportation by one Maine Road. 



Gen. Pass. Agent Geo. M. Houghton, of the Bangor 

 & Aroostook R R., writes to the Eailroad Gazette, that 

 the game shipped over his line in October, November and 

 Dacember, 1«94, comprised: 



October. November. December, Total. 







a 







2 







3 





a' 





From. 



Deer. 



Caribo 



Moose 



Deer. 



Oaribc 



Moose 





Caribo 



Moose, 



Deer. 



Caribo 



Moose. 

















1 







1 





St. LaGrange 









2 













2 







LaGrange 



3 





i 









'i 







6 





'i 



Mib 



11 





1 



12 







12 







35 





1 



Brownville 



6 







9 







1 







16 







Schoodic 



22 







30 



i 





8 







60 



i 





West Seboois 



5 





i 



1 







9 







13 



'i 





200 





4 



I3J 



"a 





02 





2 



400 

 39 



% 



6 



Miliinoekett 



9 





l 





1 





25 





5 



1 



Grindstone 



31 





2 



12 







5 





2 



48 





4 



Stacy ville 



16 







7 



"i 





3 



'3 





26 

 24 



"i 





Sherman 



20 



a 



it 



4 













2 



2 



Crystal 



10 





i 



6 







'6 



ii 



i 



31 



U 

 2 



2 



Island b'tdls 



6 



'i 



i 



10 



'i 











16 



1 



Oakfield 



6 



2 





a 



5 



i 



'3 



'2 





11 







1 



New Simenck 









a 













1 





Houlton 









4 













4 







Sabec 



1 







1 













2 







Monson Junction. . . . 









2 













2 







Monson "M. R. R.". . 













i 







i 



7 





'2 



Blanchard 



"i 



i 





1 







"i 







3 



'i 





Shirley 



l 







3 







1 



"2 



i ■ 



5 



2 



'i 



Greenville 



90 



2 



9 



46 





i 



18 





2 



154 



2 



!2 



Brownsville Junction. 









4 



'i 











4 



1 



Katahdin Iron Works 



81 





i 



42 





5 



18 





4 



91 





io 





479 



10 



24 



345 



IS 



8 



177 



27 



13 



i,001 



to 



45 



He adds that he estimates that "the above is about 50 

 per cent, of the number killed during that period that 

 was not shipped." 



Ring-Necked Pheasants in Michigan. 



L, C. Shelley, of Bancroft, Mich., has just received 

 seven Mongolian pheasants which were shipped him from 

 Shanghai, China, last March. Sixteen were shipped, but 

 nine died on the journey. E. M. S. 



Game Laws in Brief. 



The Game Laws in Brief, new edition, now ready, June 27, has 

 new game and fish laws for more than thirty of the States. It covers* 

 the entire country, is carefully prepared, and gives all that shooters 

 and anglers require. See advertisement. 



CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 



[From our Staff Correspondent.] 



Chicago, 111., June 26— A couple of million or more of 

 people saw and admired the American sculptures of 

 American wild animals which mounted guard at the 

 divers bridges of the lagoons at the World's Fair. These 

 great and beautiful figures were among the accepted 

 things which everybody loved and felt that he owned. 

 All the world knows that the two sculptors who did 

 these figures were Mr. Kemeys and Mr. Proctor. Per- 

 haps some who saw the big bears down toward the Ad- 

 ministration Building may have recognized them again 

 in the bronze miniatures which their parent, Mr. Proctor, 

 was good enough to place in the Forest and Stream ex- 

 hibit at the recent Sportsmen's Exposition in New York. 



Mr. Proctor's studio is in New York, but Mr. Edward 

 Kemeys, who did the great panther figure known as the 

 "Still Hunt" at the west end of the bridge "between the 

 Manufactures and the Electricity buildings, established 

 his studio in Chicago after the Fair, declining to go to 

 London and become still more famous. "I love the 

 West and its creatures," said he, "and at Chicago I shall 

 be 1,000 miles nearer my hunting grounds than anywhere 

 in America, and I will not leave America." So Chicago, 

 which first heard of Mr. Kemeys years ago. when he was 

 emerging from the wilderness of the Rockies after years 

 of study among the Indian tribes and among the great 

 game of the West, is to-day the chosen home of an artist 

 whom she can never honor too much as one skilled in his 

 art, and moreover thoroughly in touch with his theme. 

 The one theme for Edward Kemeys is the wild life of the 

 West. He has lived in it and loved it, and knows it as 

 few have known. To-day there is melancholy in his eye 

 as he talks of the fading of the West. 



Mr. Kemeys came up to my office the other day, and 

 later I went over to his studio (in the Monadnock block) 

 and there had such a treat in bronze and clay and plaster 

 as has not been possible since Mr. Kemeys came to Chicago 

 with his grizzlies, his buffalo, his mountain sheep and 

 panthers, and wolves and Indians, more than ten years 

 ago. And now the numbers of all these have grown, so 

 that one may have far rarer opportunities of seeing the 

 wild animals and wild men of America done in such 

 fashion as only a sculptor who loved them could com- 

 mand. On these, of course, one fell eagerly, and so we 

 went to talking, and I forgot an engagement I had. To 

 hear Mr. Kemeys tell how he killed his first grizzly is a 

 liberal education. And there is among numbers of other 

 trophies a great black bear skin, killed by Mrs. Kemeys— 

 whom he declares to be a better hunter than he is him- 

 self. So among the trophies and the figures— what won- 

 der if we talked. Most of all, of the glorious West of the 

 past, of which Mr. Kemeys could talk books full of much 

 better sort than we commonly see in print. So I told Mr. 

 Kemeys of the land where I think I have discovered my 

 big bear that has been lost, and maybe — who knows? — we 

 are both some day going there after this bear, and will 

 kill him, and measure him, and build him into pictures 

 of bronze. All of which is at least good to dream about. 

 And in a studio full of great and beautiful things, done by 

 a man who follows his art because he loves it — as few men 

 in these days dare say— it is for once in a way permitted 

 to have dreams. 



Got his Musk Ox. 

 I find a letter at hand which has in its corner "The 

 Ranchmen's Club, Calgary." That sounds pretty good. 

 All the way from the far British Northwest, and with 

 some news in it, as is customary with its writer, Mr. Thos. 

 Johnson. Mr. Johnson writes entertainingly of meeting 

 Mr. Casper W. Whitney, of Harper & Bros., of New York, 

 who has been in the far North for some months. He says 

 Mr, Whitney had had an awful tough time of it, and on 

 his arrival was "the wildest looking animal ever seen." 

 Mr. Whitney had been plucky and successful, though, 

 and had gone where he intended to go— to the Arctic 

 barren grounds — and had killed six head of musk ox 

 besides getting some photographs of that animal. The 

 journey was one of the most extreme hardships, being 

 made practically without fire, with the thermometer 40° 

 below most of the time. Mr. Whitney was out fifty days 

 from Ft. Resolution, twenty-four days on the true barren 

 grounds. He got his musk ox beads back all right, reach- 

 ing Ft. Resolution in April, since which time he has been 

 coming back to civilization gradually. Of course, a lot of 

 us will feel a little envious and jealous of Mr. Whitney, 

 and be disposed to sniff at his trip, but the enterprise was 

 genuine and not a fake, and the manhood necessary to 

 carry it out is of a sort to deserve only hearty praise from 

 the newspaper profession at least. 



Snakes with Horns and with Feet. 



I am prepared to shed some more light on the subject 

 of snakes, which has been much obscured by science. I 

 have no science, but I have snakes — or rather, some of 

 my correspondents have snakes, or have seen them — and 

 snakes are stubborn things. Mr. F. E. Whittemore, agent 

 of the Texas & Pacific Railway, at Petty, Texas, writes 

 me: 



"I notice in Forest and Stream of June 8 something 

 in regard to the 'horned' tail snake. I have just re- 

 turned from a visit to my father, in the Chickasaw Nation, 

 Indian Territory, and while there one of my brothers 

 told me of killing a horned-tail snake, and he gave me a 

 description of the snake, which he had killed three or 

 four days previous, and he piloted me to the spot in the 

 hope that we might find the horn, as £1 wanted it to send 

 to Forest and Stream. We found the battle ground 

 with the weapons used (which were a couple of dead 

 limbs), also the signs of the combat, the weeds and grass 

 which were broken, remaining intact; but we could find 

 no part of the snake, and came to the conclusion that 

 some scavenger bird had appropriated his snakeship. 



"I will give you a short description of the encounter as 

 he gave it to me: Two of my brothers were going through 

 a strip of timber, when one of them, by some unknown 

 power, became conscious that danger was at hand, and 

 on looking before him he saw the snake about Sft. from 

 him. The snake became alarmed and commenced to 

 'strike' in all directions with its tail (much the same as 

 other snakes strike with the head). They retreated and 

 procured some clubs and struck the snake, when he be- 

 came more violent; but after half a dozen well-directed 

 blows he seemed to 'sull' like the possum, and tried to 

 go in the ground, but they despatched him. They ex- 

 amined his horn, which was about 2iin. in length and wa* 

 very keen at the point, The snake was about 2ft, or 



