June 11, 1891.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



41B 



THE FISHERIES AT THE WORLD'S FAIR. 



Read before the Amerieati Fisheries Society by Capt. J. W. 

 Collin?, Chief of Division of Fish and Fisheries. 



IT is doubtless safe to assume that all who are prom- 

 inently identified, with commercial fishing, with 

 angling, with fishculture, or with the scientific study of 

 questions relating thereto will feel an interest in that sec- 

 tion of the World's Columbian Exposition which will be 

 specially devoted to an exhibition of all that pertains to 

 them. It may well be a matter of special gratiflcation 

 that the fisheries will receive more consideration at this 

 exposition than has ever been accorded them elsewhere 

 under similar circumstances. And it should be all the 

 more satisfactory to Americans because heretofore there 

 has never been adequate and suitable provision made at 

 any exposition in this country for a fishery exhibit, and 

 all attempts in this direction have been limited by small 

 appropriations and inadequate space. 



It is true that there have been numerous fishing exposi- 

 tions in different European countries, some of which 

 have been national and others international. It is also 

 well known that the United States has participated in 

 two of these, and the highest honors were awarded to 

 America and Americans at Berlin and London. But 

 while the National Fish Commission succeeded so well 

 in securing recognition for our fisheries abroad, and 

 though all honor is due to Prof. G. Brown Goode, who so 

 ably represented this country on these occasions, it never- 

 theless will be apparent to all that, while it was then 

 practicable to illustrate the principal features of Ameri- 

 can fisheries and fishculture, it was not possible with the 

 means and time available to make a thoroughly exhaus- 

 tivje presentation of them. 



Never before has the occasion presented itself to do 

 this, and, as has been stated, it should be a matter of 

 much eatisfaclion titiat the management of the World's 



cumference, around which will be placed the largest 

 aquaria that it is practicable to use; while in the center 

 will be a pond 20ft. in diameter with a beautiful fountain, 

 beneath the spray of which will disport many ornamental 

 fishes. Entering galleries near the side of the building 

 the visitor will pass two rows of large aquaria, in which, 

 as in those previously alluded to, there will be representa- 

 tions of the fauna of the Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, the 

 Pacific and interior waters, including the Great Lakes. 

 No words of mine will, I believe, convey anything like an 

 adequate idea of the beautiful architectural effect of this 

 aquaria! building, to the construction and equipment of 

 which the exposition authorities have very generously 

 contributed. I will not, therefore, attempt a description, 

 but will content myself with the hope that aU present 

 will be there to see it in the summer of 1893. 



In this building the U. S. Fish Commission will make 

 a great national exhibit of our fishery resources, embrac- 

 ing many varieties of fish, marine invertebrates, etc. It 

 is the purpose of the Commission, as it is of the Exposi- 

 tion management, to give consideration to species that 

 are economically important, while the occasion will be 

 improved to call attention to the great work that has 

 been done, by the State and National Governments, in- 

 the artificial propagation and acclimatization of fish and 

 other aquatic species, thereby restoring and maintain- 

 ing abundance in waters that had become depleted by 

 over-fishing or other causes. It is impossible to over- 

 estimate the consequence of this work, either in the 

 present or future, and it Is beyond question desii'able that 

 this opportunity should be improved to make the public 

 better acquainted with it than ever before. 



The western building of the group is similar in form 

 and construction to that devoted to the live-fish display. 

 Here it is expected there Avill be assembled a magnificent 

 and exhaustive exhibit of all that pertains to angling, 

 and let us hope that the thousands of enthusiastic aad 



may see object lessons which will convey in the most 

 emphatic rnanner information concerning the methods 

 and magnitude of our fisheries, and their history and 

 development from the earliest settlement of the country. 

 In the same way the world may learn what has been 

 done in America by the States and Federal Government 

 to maintain and increase the supply of fishes by artificial 

 propagation, etc., and may become familiar with the re- 

 sults which have been achieved here by scientific explor- 

 ation of our inland waters and the ocean depths. 



I have reason also to believe that the fisheries of several 

 foreign countries will be fairly illustrated. It is not 

 necessary to speak of how much this will add to the 

 interests' and importance of this part of the Exposition, 

 since I am sure this will be understood by all. But it is 

 certain that it must be of great moment to us as a nation 

 to gather here the arts and appliances which are used for 

 the capture and preparation of fish in other lands, for, in 

 addition to the interest we may naturally feel in seeing 

 the exhibits of foreign countries and comparing them 

 with oiu' own, it must be assured that our fisherman can 

 learn many things of value and importance to them by a 

 study of such exhibits. 



But, aside from the mere question of trade, and the en- 

 thusiasm which comes from recollection of sport we have 

 enjoyed in angling, or the official zeal felt by those who 

 are charged with great responsibilities, there is a peculiar 

 reason why our love of coimtry should prompt us to a 

 special effort to bring prominently to the notice of the 

 world an American industry which has played so iDromi- 

 nent a part in the history and development of this nation. 



It is not perhaps so well known as it ought to be that 

 fishing was the first industry prosecuted in the Western 

 World, and that it led to the settlement of regions that 

 offered small attraction of other kinds. 



It is nevertheless an historical fact that fleets of fishing 

 vessels followed close in the wake of Columbus, and. 



UNITED STATES FISHERIES BUILDING, WORLD'S FAIR. 



Fair have arranged to construct a group of buildings 

 specially designed for the purpose of a fisheries exhibit — 

 an action which should result in the most hearty cooper- 

 ation of all who are interested in fishing and the indus- 

 tries dependent thereon, and the inauguration of such an 

 effort on their part as will result in making this section 

 of the exposition equal to any in completeness and 

 attractiveness. 



Before pi-oceeding to a more detailed consideration of 

 these buildings, permit me to say that the exhibit of the 

 U. S. Fish Commission, illustrative of its work and func- 

 tions — including scientific exploration, fishculture and 

 fisheries, but exclusive of live fish— will be located in the 

 Government building, immediately opposite the center of 

 the main fisheries building, with which it will be con- 

 nected by a bridge crossing the ornamental lagoon. 



For the reception and accommodation of general ex- 

 hibits of fish, fisheries, and fishculture, both domestic 

 and foreign, there will be a group of three buildings, 

 most admirably and appropriately located on an island 

 in the lagoon at the northern part of Jackson Park, near 

 the outlet of Lake Michigan. These buildings have been 

 designed in the Spanish Btyle by the well-known archi- 

 tect, Mr. Hemy Ives Cobb. They will be somewhat 

 unique, but exceptionally graceful and pleasing to the 

 eye, while their ornamentation, form and dimensions 

 have been considered with the special object of adapting 

 them to the purposes for which they will be erected. 

 Withal, they will have a warm tone of color which will 

 offer a pleasing contrast to the other exposition buildings. 

 The illustrations herewith presented will doubtless render 

 unnecessary any elaborate description, since a considera- 

 tion of them will enable one to form a correct estimate of 

 the leading features of Mi-, Cobb's design. 



Tiie main central structure is rectangular in form, 

 450ft. long and 150ft. wide. This will be the great central 

 hall, where will be displayed all that pertains to com- 

 mercial fishing and fishculture, including apparatus of 

 captm-e, boats, vessels, products, models of fish-breeding 

 establishments, pond«, etc. 



Connected with each end of the main hall by an 

 elegant curved arcade is a circular building about 1351 1. 

 in diameter. The one at the east, nearest the lake shore, 

 will be devoted to an exhibit of living specimens of fish 

 and other forms of aquatic life. Let me say that this 

 building will have a grand central rotunda 180ft. in cir- 



public-spirited anglers in America and other countries, as 

 well as all those interested in the manufacture and sale 

 of anglers' outfits, will join hands in making this the 

 grandest display of its kind that has ever been seen. For 

 never in the world's history has there been such satisfac- 

 tory provision for showing all the details of the gentle 

 art. Not only wiU there be ample room for installation of 

 exhibits, but here, right in the shadow of the building, fly- 

 casting and bait-casting can be held, and the art of the 

 angler may be tested, from shore or boat, in friendly trials 

 of skill, and in the exhibition of the various modes and 

 methods of angling. 



As to what may be embraced in this fisheries exhibit, I 

 believe the classification adopted is sufficiently broad in 

 its scope to permit the inclusion of anything which will 

 be strictly germane to fish or fishing. This seems to 

 cover the whole field, and under it not only will it be 

 proper to show living and mounted sjiecimens of all 

 forms, from microscopic animals to whales, together with 

 aquatic or marine vegetation, and the apparatus for their 

 capture, but it will also include the products of the 

 fisheries and their manipulation in all their varied forms 

 of methods and material. Besides this, there will be 

 ample opportunity to illustrate angling of every descrip- 

 tion, together with fishcultui-e and the literature of fish- 

 ing and all that pertains thereto. Indeed, I can think 

 of nothing which would be of value to the fisheries ex- 

 hibit that cannot properly be included under the classifi- 

 cation referred to. 



I have thus briefly outlined what has been and will be 

 done by the Exposition management to provide for a great 

 fisheries exhibit. It now remains with others to make 

 this one of the most attractive and successful features of 

 the World's Fair, as I believe it will be: for it must be 

 fairly assumed that those who are interested in fishing 

 and all that pertains thereto will not permit this grand 

 opportunity to pass unimproved. From information now 

 at hand, we have reason to expect marked enthusiasm in 

 this matter on the part of all the fisheries interests in this 

 cotmtry, and that as a result there will be gathered at 

 Chicago in 1893 a magnificent and exhaustive display 

 illustrative of angling, commercial fishing, fishculture 

 and the science of the seas. It will thus be possible for 

 the citizens of other countries who are our customers to 

 find there an infinite variety of fishery products — the 

 harvest of seas, lakes and rivers — and the whole world 



within a few years after his discovery of America fisher- 

 men of Spain, Portugal, England and France were ply- 

 ing their lines on the banks of Newfoundland. The very 

 names of some of our headlands, islands and bays, are 

 suggestive of fishing and the abundance of fish in their 

 vicinity. Capt. John Smith gave the name of Cape Cod 

 to that famous arm of Massachusetts, because, as he said, 

 cod were so abundant near there that they "belabored" 

 the sides of his ship. 



It was fishing that led to the settlement of New Eng- 

 land. When the delegates from the Puritans went to 

 King James and asked for permission to settle America 

 he with true Scottish thrift, asked what profit might 

 arise. They answered, "Fishing." This seemed to im- 

 press the King favorably, for he said: "So, God have my 

 soul; 'tis an honest trade; 'twas the Apostles' own call- 

 ing." And so this little band of pilgrims established 

 themselves on the rugged rock-bound coast of New 

 England, in a harbor which they described as being in 

 the shape of a fishhook. 



The free school, one of the grandest and most important 

 heritages of American children, was first established and 

 maintained from the income of the fisheries at Cap God. 



The part which our fishermen took in the establishment 

 of the independence of this country forms one of the most 

 striking and glorious pages in the history of the Revolu- 

 tion. Indeed, it is perhaps not too much to claim that 

 the result of that struggle might have been very different 

 had it not been for the courage and aggressive energy of 

 the men who had been trained in our fisheries. On more 

 than one occasion they saved the American army from 

 defeat and enabled it to achieve important victories. I 

 will not stop to recount them in detail, but will simply 

 say that we have it on so high an authority as General 

 Knox, Washington's chief of artillery, that the victory 

 at Trenton— one of the most important of the Revolution 

 —was due, more than anything else, to the part taken in it 

 by fishermen, Years after tlie close of the war, when 

 General Knox was a member of the Masssohusetts Le.gisla- 

 ture, Marblehead applied for a charter for a bank. There 

 .was opposition to it. Then General Knox arose and stated 

 the claims of Marblehead and the reason they should be 

 recognized. "I am surprised," said he, "that Marblehead 

 should ask so small a privilege as that of banking and that 

 there should be opposition to it. Sir, I wish the members 

 of this body knew the people of Marblehead as well as I 



