338 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Oct. 30, 1893. 



KEKOSKEE. 



Editor Forest and Stream.: 



I have just rpad, and must confeBS with some regret, 

 the comments of Mr. C. H. Ames, of Boston, upon the 

 interesting; facts of natural history so circumstantially 

 told by Mr. E. Hough in connection with Kekoskee, I 

 cannot believe that any resident of Boston, the home of 

 pure science (not to say the forcing house of speculative 

 philosophy), would be moved by a spirit of jealousy of 

 the scientific attainments of the West, to cast discredit on 

 such a plain statement of fact so well authenticated by 

 the evidence of disinterested witnesses, particularly when 

 that evidence was examined and weighed before publi- 

 cation by BO clear a mind as that of our friend Hough. 

 (That he is logical, if anything, is proved by liis analysis 

 of the letter of the Rev. Dr. T.) I am, however, some- 

 what in doubt whether Mr. Ames intends to cast dipcredit 

 on that inter^'sting statement of fact by a sort of a redue- 

 tio ad ahsurdum or to strengthen by the certainties of 

 mathematics a case which he fears will be discredited by 

 the public. 



Such fears need not be entertained, and such support, 

 however well intended, is unnecessary. We, who are so 

 much nearer Kekoskee and the Widow Sneider and old 

 Santa Anna, do not need to have our belief upholstered 

 in any such way. The statement is published over the 

 nignature of the staff correspondent of the Fokkst AND 

 Stream, and that is enough. We accept it. NtrTMEG. 



St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 15. 



A FAVORED FLORIDA RESORT. 



CoiiDMBiA, Ala.— When I made my annual visit to the 

 Chipola or Cypress Lake in Calhoun county, Fla,, in May, 

 I found the fishing as good as I could jjossibly desire, 

 and while I devoted much of my time to bream and shell- 

 cracker fishing, I caught enough black bass and jack to 

 satisfy me. One bass weighed 9+lbs.; another 6lbs., sev- 

 eral 4lbs. and under; the catch of smaller kinds was 

 simply Eurprising. I have not tried the fly as yet on the 

 lakes because of the sluggish current of that portion of 

 them that I have fished, as well as the numerous cypress 

 stumps and knees which dot the lakes, but have used my 

 fly-rod for the less noble purpose of catching bream and 

 shellcracker (some of the latter weighing If to SJlbs.). 



Several years since I began a series of articles in your 

 journal with the purpose of calling the attention of the 

 gunner and angler to the superior sport and advantages 

 offered them to visit this lake. At the beginning of this 

 correspondence it was almost a wilderness and the ac- 

 commodation was anything but good. Now, after a 

 lapse of a few years, there is quite a change. Fifteen 

 years ago Raleigh Richards and wife and two or three 

 children were the only inhabitants of "Jack's Hammock," 

 the best spot on the lakes for crossing. Now there are 

 two hotels and many private boarding houses, store, etc. 



Old man Raleigh Richards, the pioneer of this region, 

 was an illiterate, simple-minded, kind-hearted old man 

 who entertained all visitors whom chance or inclination 

 prompted to stay awhile on its captivating borders. He 

 played the guide to the favorite haunts of the finny tribe, 

 and placed the hunter on the right runways of the deer 

 and bear. Poor old man, after years of trials and tribula- 

 tions he laid aside his rod and tackle, his muzzle- 

 loader and flask, and went to join the host of anglers 

 and hunters who had gone to the happy hunting grounds, 

 Peace to his ashes. 



The months of March, April and May are the favorite 

 ones for the angler, October, November and December 

 for the hunter, though one so inclined can kill or catch 

 plenty of game or fish in and out of season, 



I know of no spot on earth so well suited to the over- 

 worked, broken down individual, as Chipola Lakes. Dr. 

 Pittman, an eminent physician of La Grange, Ga., who 

 with his accomplished daughters spends from October 

 to May on these lakes, says they are the best natural 

 sanitariums on the continent. Hundreds of lawyers, 

 preachers and physicians go there to recruit their wasted 

 energies, and go away pleased, and return again with 

 other.s, to enjoy the fresh sea breezes laden with the 

 healthful odor of the pine. 



You can here in a few hours transport yourself from 

 fresh-water lakes to the salt Gulf, which at the nearest 

 point is only distant from two to fourteen miles. You 

 can here find ecattered along the lakes many valuable 

 orange groves, from those just planted to older ones that 

 have borne the finest fruit for twenty-five years and 

 longer. This, too, is the home of scuppernong and other 

 grapes. Pecans and sand pears flourish, and the lemon 

 and other tropica] fruits could be pi-ofitably grown. Here 

 the market gardener has a perfect bonanza. Society is 

 good, the people generous and hospitable — nothing lack- 

 ing to make you comfortable and happy. 



This vicinity is the natural home of the bee, and affords 

 every facility in the way of orange and other sweet flow- 

 ers for the making of by far the most delicious honey 

 produced on earth. With many settlers the apiary is 

 a prime industry and pays a handsome dividend (some 

 owning several hundred hives, which they take honey 

 from twice yearly). The hunter can yet find enough 

 deer and turkey to interest him. Ducks and squirrels 

 are numerous. 



The angler finds all species of fresh and salt-water fish 

 that are common to all the Florida lakes and Gulf, and I 

 can assure them that after forty years, much of which 

 has been gpent in the forest and on the stream, I know of 

 no locality in Florida, Georgia or Alabama, where the 

 all aroxind sportsman can so well erjov himself as 

 here. I refei' to Dr Pittman and A. T, Dallas, of La- 

 grange, Ga.; Judge Van Epps, Atlanta. Gh.; Judge A. 

 Hood, Cuthbert, Ga.; Major Henry Shorter, Moutgomerv 

 Ala., or to Major J. G, Bryan, R. McCarty, J, C.""Martin' 

 Mef-srH. LJ. Day, Puckett, Piuint and Gilbert. lola^ 

 Fla,, for any information wanted as to the lake, Or 

 a letter addressed me care of Forest and Stream will 

 reach me and be promptly answered. 



I would suggest to the Northern and Eastern tourists 

 who annually visit southern Florida for sport and health, 

 that if thoy would only come once to this favored spot, I 

 know tbey will always return. These lakes are easy of 

 access, via Savannah, Atlanta, Montgomery, Mobile, 

 Pensacola, ard other way points, all of which have rail- 

 roads tapping the Chattahoochee and Appalachicola 

 rivers. The fare on steamers is good, charges very low, 

 board as good as you could wish on lakes at |i per day. 



The supply of food fish in Chipola Lake is practically 

 uexbauitible. Two large rivers supply it ^with pure 



water, and hundreds of lagoons, estuaries and marshes 

 connect with it and furnish their quota of edible fish. 

 The fishing grounds for many years past have been con- 

 fined to the lower quarter or the foot of the lake. The 

 upper three-fourths are quite as well supplied with larger 

 and less wary bass, jack, perch, etc. 



The game laws of Florida are loose and not properly 

 enforced, yet the natural obstacles here are so great that 

 the nefarious fish hog is forever disbarred from seining, 

 netting or trapping, or otherwise diminishing by unlawful 

 mpa,ns the unfailing supply. 



From Nov. 1 to May 15 is the best time to visit this lake, 

 as the hunter and angler will find game and fish more 

 plentiful, and the oranges, honey and other delicacies in 

 their greatest perfection. Six months at leant of health, 

 pleasure and happiness. Piscator. 



RANGELEY PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION. 



Philadelphia (3,937 Chestnut street), Oct. 15. — Editor 

 Forest and Stream: I inclose herewith a copy of the re- 

 port of the operations of the Anglers' Protective Club, of 

 Rangeley, and to it only wish to add the following letter: 



'•Maine Central Railroad Company, President's 

 Office, Portland, Oct. 13, 1822.— Fredericlc S. Dickson, 

 Esq: Dear Sir — I have your letter of the 3d inst. This 

 company will gladly double its subscription to your asso- 

 ciation, giving hereafter $100 per year. I think such a 

 law as you mention should be passed, and if you will call 

 my attention to it at the proper time I will do all I can 

 to aid its passage through our Legislature. Yours truly, 

 Arthur Sew all, President." 



In sending this letter to Forest and Stream I violate 

 no confidence, and take this opportunity of publicly 

 acknowledging the many kind offices of the Maine Cen- 

 tral Railroad and its officials, and their hearty co-opera- 

 tion in every efiiort to benefit the Androscoggin rearion. 



Frederick S. Dickson, 



The report: 



Rangeley, Maine, Oct. 6.— The operations at the 

 hatching house of the Anglers' Protective Club during the 

 season of 1891-92 were not attended by the success we had 

 hoped for and had a rierht to expect. The protracted 

 drought of the fall of 1891 lowered the level of the mill- 

 dam from which we drew our supply of water below the 

 intake pipe. To prevent a total loss of the spawn we 

 were compelled to remove the entire contents of the 

 hatchery to a stream some distance from the village, 

 where temporary shelter was erected. As a direct result 

 we lost all but five or six thousand fish. These latter, 

 trout and salmon, are, however, now fine hardy fish 

 nearly Sin. in length. A change in the location of the 

 hatchery was clearly essential, and after careful examina- 

 tion of all available points in the neighborhood the 

 directors finally decided upon Hinkley Brook as meeting 

 the requirements in all respects. The brook is scarcely a 

 mile in length, its source, a large spring, has a uniform 

 flow, is little affected by either drought or flood, and is 

 fed by springs along its entire length. The old hatchery 

 has been sold and the proceeds will provide a sum nearly 

 sufficient for the erection of a building twice the fize of 

 the old. The land, a narrow strip along the stream, some 

 five acres in extent, was purchased by two of our mem- 

 bers and turned over to the uses of the association. 

 Another member has generously contributed all the wire 

 fencing needed to inclose the tract, as well as all the wire 

 screen work required in fitting up the hatchery. There is 

 ample space for the erection of any number of ponds that 

 our necessities may require in the future, and two ponds 

 are already completed, 



Mr. Henry O. Stanley, one of our efficient State com- 

 missioners, visited our new hatchery dtu-ing September 

 and expressed much gratification at the favorable outlook 

 for the future. The commissioners have generously of- 

 fered to permit this association to contribute to the State 

 hatcheries at. Auburn and Sebago whatever sum we may 

 be able to set a.part for the taking of spawn this fall and to 

 receive in return next February as many eggs in propor- 

 tion to the whole take as we furnish money in proportion 

 to the whole expense. This gives us all the advantage of 

 the experience of the State authorities, and will un- 

 doubtedly give us a larger supply of fish at a much 

 smaller cost than if we attempted to take the spawn our- 

 selves from these waters. When the spawn is ready for 

 delivery, some two or three weeks before the time for 

 hatching, the commissioners have promised to send with 

 it athoroughly competent man to remain with us a month 

 or more during the process of hatching who will instruct 

 such person aa we may select to take charge permanently 

 of our fish. It wUl be our policy to take only as much 

 spawn as we can properly and successfully rear in our 

 troughs and pond^i. for one fish 3in. long is worth ten an 

 inch in length. When these fishes are mature enough to 

 take care of themselves tbey will all be placed in the 

 public waters of this region. 



As these young fish are almost uniformly placed in the 

 saialler streams rather than in the waters of the lakes it 

 is eminently proper that such streams should be closed to 

 all fishing in the future. These streams are also the 

 natural breeding places of the trout and salmon of these 

 waters, and the protection of the law should be thrown 

 about them. A petition receiving the indorsement of 

 this association has been almost universally signed by 

 the inhabit-ants of this town asking the Legislature to 

 pass a law closing permanently all streams directly or 

 indirectly tributary to Rangeley Lake, Similar petitions 

 are in circulation among those interested in the waters of 

 Mooselookmeguntic and the Richardson Lakes, and it is 

 to be hoped that the coming Legislature will give us a 

 general law permanently closing every stream above the 

 line of dead water v^'hich is tributary to the whole chain 

 of Androscoggin Lakes, If this be done and if the hatch- 

 ing operations be generously supported by the public, 

 these lakes will in a few years furnish better fishing than 

 has been known within a generation. 



To do the work mapped out for it this association ought 

 to have a steady annual income of not less than one 

 thousand dollars. With this sum they could annually 

 put into these waters fully one-half million of well grown 

 salmon and trout. Besides the cost attending this work 

 the association should have means to enable it to emplov 

 men to aid the State officials in preventing fishing in uri- 

 lawful places and at unlawful times. 



We have in the past received generous support from the 

 ilaine Central, the Sandy River and the Phillips and 

 • Rangeley railroads, and it has been intimated that in view 



of the favorable outlook these roads would be willing to 

 double their contributions in the future. Will not our 

 individual members do likewise? Aud will not each one 

 endeavor to secure one new member? 



All contributions should be sent direct to the treasurer, 

 Mr. Arthur L. Oakes, to whose order as treasurer all 

 checks and drafts should be drawn. Annual subscrip- 

 tions are due on the first day of June in each year and all 

 members will confer a favor on the management by re- 

 mitting promptly on that date. 



Very respectfully, 



Frederick S, Dickson, Pres. 



Arthur L, Oakes, Sec'y-Treas. 



CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 



[By a Staff Correspmdmt.'] 



Chicago, 111,, Oct. 8.— Capt. J. W. Collins, lately re- 

 lieved from his work on the United States Fish Commis- 

 sion, will come to Chicago and at once take full charge of 

 the fish and fisheries exhibit at the World's Fair, with 

 headquarters in the fisheries building. 



Dr. T^rleton H. Bean, assistant in charge of fishculture 

 of the United States Fish Commission, well known in his 

 editorial connection with Forest and Stream, is now the 

 immediate superier in the Government work of Dr. S. P, 

 Bartlett, of the Illinois State Fish Commission, In a re- 

 cent visit with the latter gentleman to the scence of the 

 Government work on the Illinois River, Dr, Bean found 

 occasion for renewed surprise in the prolific quality of the 

 Meredosia Flat?. This section of the Illinois supplies the- 

 United States Government with the greater part of the 

 young inland game fishes used in distribution in different 

 States. 



Fish League Directors. 



Pursuant to the call announced earlier, the meeting o£ 

 directors of the Illinois State Fish League was held at the 

 Lelmd Hotel, Springfield, Tuesday, Oct, 4. Messrs, Geo. 

 E. Cole, of Chicago, Henry Davis, .Jr., of Springfield, and; 

 E. Hough, of Chicago, being present, Dr. Bartlett repre- 

 senting by proxy Dr. D, H. Shields, of Hannibal, Mo. 

 The immediate object of the meeting was to report pro- 

 gress and to discuss means for pushing on the work in the 

 best possible way. and also to appoint working commit- 

 tees. Mr. Cole showed several hundred dollars' worth in 

 Chicago pledges, obtained in a short time, but said he 

 would not collect a dollar until the lower part of the State 

 had done its share. This was not to be one of the many 

 like organizations in which all the work and expense were 

 thrown on Chicago. Dr. Shields, of Hannibal, reported 

 that his society had been unfortunate in what cases it 

 had prosecuted, but volunteered all help possible, in the 

 hope of a better working law. Col. Davis thought a bet- 

 ter law a necessity before fish protection became possible 

 in its best sense. It was agreed that effort should be 

 made to draft a better law and secure its passage, and 

 critical discussion was invited from friends of the League. 

 President Cole then appointed as committee on leHislation 

 Dr. D. H. Shields, chairman, of Hannibal, Mo.: Dr. S, P. 

 Bartlett, secretary, of Quincy, 111.; Major A. Orendorff, 

 attorney, of Springfield, 111. These will give the matter 

 in hand a careful attention, and will draft a bill for later 

 inspection. Only speculation is possible at this writing 

 concerning this bill, but it is foregone that the hatefid 

 Clause f> of the old law, relating to seining in navigable 

 waters, etc., will not appear in the bill devised. That 

 the present fish law could be improved upon in several, 

 other respects is something which admits of little doubt. 



Dr. Bartlett promised that if Dr. Shields's time per- 

 mitted, they two would this winter make a trip over the 

 State of Illinois and visit the dift'erent protective societies 

 with a view to further strengthening and solidifying the 

 league. This practically closed the brief meeting, the 

 remainder of the time being spent in general discussion. 

 Mr. Cole sought still further to impress upon the minds 

 of directors outside of Chicago the fact that the league 

 was a State matter and not a Chicago matter and that its 

 success depended upon their efforts, and not upon their 

 assurances of eft'ort. Mr. Cole is practical. It remains to 

 be seen whether the other directors are or not. 



A True Story. 

 But about that Kekoskee bullhead story. It is just as 

 I feared. People are di8p)08ed to treat that story as a 

 joke or a humbug, whereas it is nothing of the sort, but 

 pure, cold icy fact from one end to the other, and stated 

 in a temperate and moderate manner. Mr. A, C, Collins, 

 of Hartford, Conn,, takes the story with a great deal of 

 levity, and apparently does not believe it. He writes me: 



Hahtfoud. Coun , Oct. 7.— I shall watch for the next issue o£ 

 the tOREST AND S^TBEAM with great interpst to see if your Dame 

 does not appear in the obituary col-omn. It ia said Itiat Ananiae, 

 dropped dead after telling a lie. lu v'ew of this 'errible exaniple, 

 why did you take such a desperate chance in telling the Kekoskee' 

 fish story V If you pull through I shall know that the limes have 

 changed very much since Ananias's day. 1 hope they have. That 

 story will stop all future "yarns," for no ssne man can or ever 

 will try to beat it. For fear you will never rpart this letlej- 1 shall 

 addres-s it to "Adnunistrator Estate E. Hough." A. O. CoLUifs. 



He did address the letter that way, too, and I got it. 



The fact that I am alive to read it should settle all 

 doubts in Mr. Oollins's mind. I wouldn't dare chance it 

 telling a Ftory like that if it wasn't all true. 



I can oft'er 'still further and more conclusive proof of 

 the truth of the Kekoskee fish story, incontrovertible 

 evidence alike of the truth of the story and of the temper-, 

 ateness of the narrative. The other day several of the' 

 boys here were reading that story, and callinsc it all sorts 

 of names, from a "horrible lie" on up, when Percy Stone 

 came along. Mr. Stone is one of our leading sportsmen, 

 and a man of unimi^eachable character. 



"Here, Percy, look here," they said to him; "isn't this 

 the worst you ever saw?" 



Percy took the paper aud read the story, and soberly 

 handed it back, 



"Well?" said they. 



"Well, what of it?" said he, 



"Why. isn't that awful?" 



"Awful what?" 



"Why, an awful he," 



"Say, now you look here," said Percy, "I can lick any ' 

 man that says that story isn't true. The only trouble; 

 about it is that it isn't big enough, I was raised in Wis- 

 consin, up at Oconomowoc, and my people live up there 

 now. I've heard that Kekoskee story ever since I was 

 a little boy, and you can just bet your life it's true, 

 every word of it. They used to drive a wagon down into, 

 the buUheada, and the fish filled the wagon box aa soon" 



