814 _ ^ _ FOl^ESt AND sTHfiAM. ii>«e. as, im. 
THE ONONDAGA ASSOCIATION. 
"To (he Honorable Hoard of Commissioners of Msh, Game and 
Forests of tJie SiMe of Neio York: 
"Gentlemkn: At a recent meeting; of the Anglers' Asso-' 
ciation of Onondaga, of Syracuse, N. Y., it was resolved, 
and the secretary was directed, to make a report to your 
honorable board of its work during the year ending Sept. 
30, 1S97. The Association has received so many courte- 
sies from members of your board, and so many favors of 
encouragement and assistance at your hands as a commis- 
sion, that we are constrained to believe such a report will 
be of interest to you; and it certainly is due that we should 
report to j'ou the uses to which we have put the substan- 
tial aid that you have given us in shipments of fish and 
fry for the waters of this territory, and to gratefully 
acknowledge the favors we have received from your 
board. 
"In making such a report it may not be amiss to relate 
briefly the history of our Association. It was organized 
in 1890, chiefly through the eflforls of the late John N. 
Babcock, than whom no truer gentleman or sportsman, 
nor lone more devotedly attached to the cause of fish 
protection, ever lived. The first name signed to the arti- 
cles of association was that of the late Hon. Thomas G. 
Alvord, a man known throughout the country as a true 
sportsman, and honored as a faithful servant of his State. 
These and about thirty others, prominent as business 
men and sportsmen in this vicinity, were the charter 
members of an organization that has since grown to a 
membership of almost 300, and comprises some of the 
foremost citizens and best known business and professional 
men and sportsmen in Syracuse and its vicinity. 
"The officers of the Association ai-e a president, a vice- 
president, a secretary, a treasurer and an executive board 
of six members, all of whom serve without compensation. 
The first president of the Association was K. W. Jones, 
who served in that capacity three successive years, when 
he retired voluntarily and was succeeded by Gen. Dwight 
H. Bruce, who has been re-elected each year to the present 
time. 
"The purposes of the Association were the protection 
and preservation of game fish in the waters of Onondaga 
county, and the enforcement of the laws pertaining there- 
to. Since the time of its organization, however, its scope 
has broadened, and the Association is now working not 
onlj' for the protection of game fish, but for the pi'opaga- 
tion and protection of food fish as well. More than this, 
we have striven for the enactment of better game laws, 
and in opposition to laws detrimental to the cause, which 
have at times threatened to deface the pages of our statute 
books. Above all, we have tried in all that we have done 
to educate public thought and sentiment to a better un- 
derstanding of the cause of fish protection and to lead 
the large majority that has opposed it to see that in per- 
mitting the destruction of our food and game fish the 
people are losing forever one of the most bountiful sources 
of food supply, and one of the greatest blessings to man- 
kind that an all-wise Providence has bestowed upon us. 
"Our efforts have been to benefit not alone the angler 
and the sportsman, but all people and all classes. Our 
aim and our desire is that the laboring man as well as the 
sportsman may be encouraged, in the cessation of his toil, 
to spend his leisure hours in a pure and healthful recre- 
ation by the hope of a fair reward for his time and skill; 
that the per'ple may be induced to indulge more generally 
in a pastime that will benefit their mental and moral as 
well as their physical being; that they may come in con- 
tact with nature in her most attractive form and learn to 
see her smiles in sunny skies, her frowns in the gathering of 
the storm; to hear her voice in the murmur of the moun- 
tain stream, her laughter in the babbling of the brooks. 
"We desire above all that the people, not of one class, 
but of all classes, especially the poor, may have forever 
within their reach a source of food supply that may serve 
them in the exigencies of financial reverses, and the hard- 
ships that accrue from industrial depression and the scarc- 
ity of wage-producing occupations. To these ends our 
Association has devoted its time, its energies and its money, 
and the knowledge that our efforts have been crowned 
with much success, and that public opinion in this vicinity 
is rapidly forming in our favor, is a sufficient reward for 
our labor. 
"One of the first acts of our Association was to employ a 
protector to patrol and guard, as far as possible, the public 
waters of this county, and, with the exception of a short 
period in each winter, we have kept a protector at work 
from the date of our organization down to the present 
time. We are, we believe, the only private association in 
the State, if not the United States, that employs and pays 
a protector for public waters. During the first three years 
of our existence the salary of the protector, as well as his 
expenses and other expenditures of the Association, were 
paid from the annual dues and voluntary contributions of 
our members. About four years ago application was 
made to the Board of Supervisors of Onondaga county for 
financial assistance. This application was granted, and 
since then, with the exception of one year, appropriations 
varying from $300 to $500 have been made to aid us in 
paying the expenses of the protector. 
"About this time also a series of semi-annual outings 
was instituted. These outings are participated in by the 
members of the Association, who individually pay their 
own expenses, and in addition thereto an entrance fee, 
which is turned into the treasury of the Association. 
"From the inception of our organization individual 
members have made application for and have received 
from your board quantities of young fish and fry, which 
they laave planted in the public waters in this- vicinity. It 
is only during the past two years, however, that the Asso- 
ciation has taken up the matter and engaged systemati- 
cally in the work of restockins our lakes and streams. 
The species and quantities of fish received, and the waters 
in which they have been planted, are shown in the fol- 
lowing statement: 625,000 pike fry, planted in Oneida River; 
500,000 pike fry, planted in Seneca River; 1,000 yearling 
trout, planted in Onondaga Creek; 1,000 Oswego bass fry, 
planted in Oneida River. A total of 1,626,000 fry and 
1,000 yearling fish have been placed in public waters in 
this county. 
"It is the intention of the Association, with the assist- 
ance and co-operation of your board, to continue this work 
during coming seasons until all the waters of this vicinity 
are thoroughly restocked with game and food fish. 
"The work of our protector, who holds a commission 
from your board as a State officer, will be presented to 
you in a separate detailed report. A summary of his work 
for the year ending Sept. 30, 1897, is as follows: Number of 
miles traveled, 25,270; gill nets captured 21, value |146; 
fyke nets captured 19, value $143; trap nets captured 1, 
value $35; flat nets captured 1, value $5; seines captured 
1, value $75; spears captured 8, value $12; total devices 
captured 51, value $416; number of arrests 9; convictions, 
3; cases pending, 4. 
"The above summary for the past year is a fair example 
of the work of our protectors during each of the former 
years of our existence, and a criterion for the future. 
"In the prosecution of our work we have reciyed aid and 
encouragement from many sources, and we desire to make 
acknowledgment of it here. We wish to thank your 
honorable board for fish and fry, as well as for courtesies 
and encouragement; the honorable Board of Supervisors 
of Onondaga county for financial aid; the press of this city 
for universal kind treatment and many favorable notices; 
the Chamber of Commerce of this city for the use of its 
rooms; the business men and merchants of Syracuse, who 
have contributed generously to the interest and success of 
our outings, and Hendrick H. Holden, of this city, mem- 
ber of your board and fellow member of our Association, 
for many courtesies to our Association and to its individ- 
ual members. 
"If, in the judgment of your board, the publication of 
this report will benefit the cause of fish protection by pro- 
moting the formation of clubs and associations of a similar 
nature in other localities, we shall be glad to see it given 
such publicity as you may deem best. 
"We remain, very respectfully, 
"The Anglers' Association op Onondaga." 
"That reminds me." '' 
Shadow's tale of the squirrel tail in Forest and Stream 
of Oct. 23 recalls to my mind a little fun that an elder 
brother and myself had on Little Buffalo Creek in Perry 
county, Pa. , ever so many years agone. My mother owned a 
strip of woodland on the side of the cieek next to the land of 
a mannamed Strauser. Our fences joined his, and we were 
constantly missing the top rails, and wood out of the woods 
would mysteriously disappear, and the Dutchman and his 
tricks were always in evidence, so much so that we con- 
cluded we would even things up if possible by a practical 
joke. 
One day that fall we killed a fine large gray squirrel, and 
stuffed the skin with sawdust, and at night look it over as 
near the Dutchman's house as we dared, and lied it securely 
up among the branches of a large oak. The next morning 
one of us boys had an errand across the creek, and passing 
along noticed the gray squirrel in the oak, and informed the 
Dutchman and his son Ike. They at once got their guns, 
and the way they gave it to that squirrel skin with powder 
and shot would have been a caution to Davy Crockett or to 
Shadow. 
They poured hot shot into that hide until it was like a 
sieve, and the sawdust began to fall in their eyes, when it 
flashed upon them they'd been sold. The Dutch oaths ut- 
tered by father and son weren't equaled by the army in 
Flanders. To get even with us, tiowever, the old man 
sent over to our house to borrow some ammunition, but we 
were conveniently short just then, and they were beaten on 
all sides. It was a scurvy trick, we knew, but it "kinder 
sorter" evened up things, and the Dutchman ceased to 
trouble us forevermore. James H. Ferguson. 
Oharlottesvillb, Va. 
Communications for this d^artment are requested. Anything on 
he bicycle in its relation to the sportsman is particularly desirable 
IN THE MATTER OF GEARS. 
Pertaining to the wheel, there are few subjects so mysti- 
fying as that of gears. To the average wheelman or wheel- 
woman, the fact that a wheel may be a 68 or 80, or any 
other gear, contains no definite idea of what qualities the 
different gears have one compared with another, or what 
the properties of the gear are within itself. There is no sug- 
gestion of a unit as a starting point, nor anything in the 
practical workings of the wheel to warrant other than a 
vague conclusion. The sum total of average knowledge on 
the subject is that the higher-geared wheels have larger 
sprocket wheels and that more force is required to pedal 
tbem, although slower pedaling on them gives higher speed 
than it would in the lower- geared wheels. 
Small wonder is it that the matter of gears is so mystify- 
ing, since the unit of measure is in the old style of wheel, 
the "ordinary," and is simply the diameter of the front 
wheel of that now ancient vehicle, The length of a rider's 
legs was a prime factor in determining the size of wheel 
that he could ride. The crank, axle and wheel worked to- 
gether on the same principle that turning the crank of a 
grindstone turns the stone also; therefore every time the 
rider turned the pedal once the large wheel of the "ordi- 
nary" turned once also. This wheel on an average was 
53in. in diameter, although it varied a great deal as used by 
individuals, it being greater or less, accordingly as men's 
legs were longer or shorter. Thus whether the wheel was 
large or small one revolution of the crank accomplished one 
revolution of the wheel. 
When the "ordinary" was superseded by the safety, the 
old unit of measure, which was quite appropriate to the 
former, was retained and applied to the latter, to which it 
was not appropriate at all. One revolution of the crank on 
an 80-gear safety corresponds to one revolution of the larger 
wheel of an ordinary 80in. in diameter. The 118 gear, rid- 
den by that prince of riders, "Jimmy" Michael, would cor- 
respond to a wheel 9ft. lOin. in diameter, of the "ordinary ' 
type. As a unit based on the old "ordinary" it is absurd, 
since no one could ride an "ordinary" of 10 or 13ft. in 
diameter; and it is further absurd to appl;y a unit of 
measurement to a mechanism to which the unit is but re- 
motely related. 
Therefore the gear of a safety denotes that it corresponds 
to the front wheel of an "ordinai-y" whose diameter in in- 
ches is the same as the gear. And yet there is a relation be- 
tween gear and diameter in that one revolution of the pedal 
of a safety — as an 80-gear, for instance, covers the same dis- 
tance in results as a wheel 80in. in diameter. This ia ac- 
complished by a simple and well-known mechanical deYice. 
Two wheels, called sprocket wheels, are connected by a 
chain which travels around their circumference and trans- 
mits motion as does a belt when similarly used in various 
kinds of machinery. Now, if one sprocket wheel is three 
times greater in circumference than the other, the lesser 
wheel will have to revolve three times to the greater one's once. 
Thus, if the sprocket wheel on which the pedal acts has 
twenty teeth, and the smaller wheel has seven teeth, the lat- 
ter must needs turn two and six-sevenths times to the larger 
wheel's once, and as the smaller wheel is firmly fixed to the 
axis of the rear wheel, the latter also makes two and six- 
sevenths revolutions every time the larger sprocket revolves 
once. As the pedal revolves with the big sprocket and the 
rear wheel revolves with the small sprocket, it follows that 
one revolution of the pedal causes two and six sevenths rev- 
olutions of the rear wheel. If the wheel is 38in. in diame- 
ter we multiply the diameter by two and six-sevenths, which 
gives us 80 for a product, which is considered the equivalent 
of a wheel 80in. in diameter. 
Dividing the number of teeth in the large sprocket wheel 
by the number of teeth in the smaller determines how many 
times the rear wheel revolves at one revolution of the pedal 
and what distance it travels; then the quotient multiplied by 
28 determines the diameter of a single wheel which will 
cover the same distance in one revolution. Thus ^ear and 
diameter have practically the same meaning. 
The higher the gear, the greater the power required to 
drive it. The crank is simply a lever, the point of which 
is at its axle; the teeth of the large sprocket wheel is the 
fulcrum, and the pedal is where the force is applied. The 
nearer the fulcrum is to the end of the lever, where the 
force is applied, the more power is there then required to 
overcome the resistance. A low gear gains in power, but 
loses in speed; a high gear loses in power, but gains in 
speed, following the law of the lever, as anyone can readily 
perceive by recalling the laws of dynamics so trying to our 
understanding in school days. 
The power and physical form of individuals differ greatly, 
to say nothing of the differences in endurance, temperament, 
purpose, etc. The gear for the individual will therefore be 
largely a matter for settlement on a personal basis. One 
selects a gear according to his powers and according to the 
circumstances attending its use; that is, if he selects wisely. 
The probabilities are, that he will select" a gear several- de- 
grees" beyond his abilities to drive properly and with becom- 
ing ease; and as to the circumstances of whether the country 
is hilly or level, the roads good or bad, etc., he selects the 
gear first and considers the circumstances afterward. 
The longer the crank, that is, the lever, the greater the 
power derived from the force applied, hence a rider should 
aim to have as long a crank as is consistent with his length 
of leg, and with the crank's function as a part of the 
mechanism. 
The method of determining the gear of a wheel has been 
given above, but it can only^be applied to such wheels as 
have the gearing in sight, or at least those with inclosed 
gearing could only be gotten at by a great deal of trouble. 
A ready and accurate way to determine the gear is to mark 
the exact distance that the wheel travels in one complete 
revolution of the crank. This can be readily done by placing 
the cranks perpendicular, then marking a spot on the floor 
in a line directly under one of the pedals. The wheel is then 
moved forward till the pedal makes one complete revolution, 
and another mark is made on the floor under it. The distance 
is measured in inches, and it is then considered the circum- 
ference of one wheel, let us say the big front wheel of the 
"ordinary." It is necessary to find the diameter of this 
single wheel, therefore its circumference is divided by 3. 14159, 
and the quotient is the diameter of the "ordinary" in inches, 
and the gear of the safety. 
The table herewith appended will enable to reader to 
readily determine the distance covered by the wheel in one 
revolution of the pedals, the gear being known ; or, converse- 
ly, the distance being known, the gear can be determined. 
Sixty gear. 15.70ft.; 61, 15.97ft.; 63, 16.23ft.; 63, 16.49ft.; 
64, 16 75Et.; 65. 17 01ft.; 66, 17.28ft.; 67, 17 54ft.; 68, 
17 80ft.; 69. 18 06ft ; 70, 18.B:irt. ; 71, 18 59ft ; 78 l8.8oft ; 
73, 19.11ft. ; 74, 19.37ft. ; 75, 19.6Bft. ; 76, 19.89ft. ; 77. 20.l6ft. ; 
78, a0.42ft. ; 79, aO 68ft. ; 80, 20.94ft. ; 81, 21 30ft. ; 83, 21.47ft ; 
83, 21 73ft. ; 84, 31.99ft. ; 85, 33.25ft. ; 86, 23.51lt. ; 87, 33.77ft. ; 
88, 23 04ft. ; 89. 23 30ft. ; 90, 33 56ft ; 93, 24 08ft. ; 94, 24.61Et. ; 
96, 25.13ft, ; 98, 25.65ft. ; and 100 gear, 28 tSft. Tlie largest 
gear in the world is said to be one built by the Ariel Cycle 
Co.. Goshen, Ind. It is geared to 260in., and is ridden by 
H. Lyons, Elkbart, lud This would he tqnal to an "ordi- 
nary" 21ft. and 8in in diameter. Anyone haviug access to a 
work containing engineering formula can readily find all 
diameters and circumferences of circles within such limits 
as are practicali 
WHEELING NOTES. 
The L. A. W. has done a most beneficent work in placing- 
large signs in dangerous places to warn wheelmen of them 
in time. They read in most instances as follows: "The 
danger sign. To cyclists: Ride with caution." Tbese signs 
are furnished to individual wheelmen or organizations of 
wheelmen who have use for them. No one who has started! 
down an innocent-looking hill and slowed up on noticing, 
such sign but will feel grateful at finding at some place oa 
the hill a serious danger, which is avoided as a result of the 
warning. Whenever the rider sees such sign he should 
make an invariable rule to heed it. 
The construction of a special bicycle path over the Brook- 
lyn Bridge is earnestly engaging the attention of the Bridge 
Co.'s engineers. The contemplated occupation of the drive- 
ways by the trolley cars maKes a cycle path a necessity. 
One plan is for an asphalt path; another is for a path of an 
aerial nature. 
A new thing in bells for 1898 will be the stamp of the L. 
A. W. on bells of superior excellence for the use of L. A. W, 
members. 
If the rider should see a gold brick lying ahead in the 
road, it is the wiser course to turn to the right. 
The 100,000 mark of the L. A. W., so long a point to 
strive for, has been passed so rapidly, notwithstanding so 
many losses from withdrawals, that the next effort should 
be to reach 300,000. 
Tlie Forest and Stream is put to press each week on luesday 
Correspondence intended for publication should reach us at th( 
atest by Mondayt ffl«<i ^ much earlier as practicable. 
