112 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Feb. 5, 1898, 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
Chicago, III, Jan. 22. — Time was when fishing through 
the ice was thought to be a coldly virtuous pursuit 
against which nothing could be urged but lung balsam. 
Nowadays professionalism has taken hold of this an- 
cient and honorable amateur method of taking pickerel 
and colds. At Minnetonka Lake, Minn., this week two 
market-fishermen at Brown's Bay, one of the arms of 
that great inland sea, caught Qoolbs. of crappies in four 
days with hook and line. The slaughter of fish has been 
a sad one. The State plants fish, for instance, crappies. 
The market-fishers locate the crappie beds and catch 
the schools out to the last fish. Thus also with the pike 
and bass. The result is that Minnetonka is not so very 
much of a place to go fishing in the summer time, not 
nearly so good as it used to be. The loophole in the law 
does the business. It is legal to use one hand line 
through the ice on Minnetonka, hence all the market- 
fishers use all_the set lines they want. Again, up in Lake 
Winnebago, in Wisconsin, another inland sea whose 
fish_ product far outweighs that of Minnetonka, the ice 
fishing matter meets us. Warden Johnson summoned 
the county sherififs to aid him. He burned many miles 
of nets. He sent one of¥ender, Chas. Lucas, to prison, 
then went to his house and cut up and burned his fishing 
smack. Relentlessly the war was waged on those who 
had been relentless — the prettiest fight m the whole 
West, where no "concessions" were made, where neither 
side asked quarter, but both got together and scrapped 
loA'ely — and what is the result? The market-fishermen 
take to night fishing with set hooks and lines through 
the ice. Their catches are very large — and very legal 
too as it happens. So long as there is' a fish swimming 
unsold our friend the fish dealer wants him and must 
have him. 
Jt is all right that fish should be caught and sold for 
food, for there will always be people of a certain class 
who care to eat soaked and flabbv fish such as you buy 
in the markets; but there are two svstems of market 
fishing. You may see them both employed in the Lake 
of the Woods, which is half in the United States and 
^half in Canada. Here the Canadians caught all the 
sturgeon they wanted, and used nets of 4j.'2in. mesh, up 
to 1893. The American fishermen began to use pound 
nets of 3in. mesh, which killed many fish smaller than 
the .sturgeon. In 1895, 258 pound nets were in this lake, 
to say nothing of gill nets. Caviare is 75 cents per pound 
now and the sturgeon is traveling the same road taken 
by the wild pigeon. The destruction of game fish is 
equal. It has been proved that the largest waters can be 
fished dry. The best stocked covers can be shot out, 
not in a neighborhood only, but in a State, in a region. 
Why then do we not go to the barnyard and put to the 
axe all our chickens, selling them at once for the imme- 
diate market. Why set eggs imder a querulous hen, 
having an eye to other fowls and other days of market? 
Let us abolish the setting hen! Let us realize on veal. 
Let us forbear the thought of seed time altogether, it 
is so annoying! Let us continue only to harvest! That 
is the American spirit in regard to fish and garne. I am 
no Canadaiphobiac perhaps, but we must all admit that 
the Canadian view on fish and game has been less marked 
with generous lunacy than ours. 
From such somber themes turn we to merrier and 
more lightsome matters. Thus, I have news of 'a great 
- draught of bullheads up in Wisconsin and Beaver Lake 
(many miles from Kekoskee), where last month one ex- 
oress company carried to market 20,ooolbs. of dressed 
bullheads, and this month, in ten da3'-s, as much more of 
this succulent product, or some twenty tons of prepared, 
expurgated, or smileless bullheads from one lake. And 
bear in mind that the bullhead, shorn of his smile, is 
foreshortened about one-half. And oddly enough too 
methinks this is all happening on the lake where, a 
couple of years ago. the market-fisher and others wanted 
to save the lives of the bullheads from freezing to death 
in the lowered waters of the lake — such saving to consist 
of their seining, skinning and shipping. At the time 
I said that we might give the benefit of the doubt to 
the bullhead and let him wrestle with his own problems 
of ice and low water. Give the bullhead the benefit of 
anything, even of a doubt, and he shall amoly repay 
you; as witness twenty tons of him smileless, but tooth- 
some. 
But about laws and problems and things, how is the 
following for an explicit editorial statement? It is from 
the editorial page of our valued contemporary the News, 
of Geneseo, 111., which does not believe that our fish 
laws should be "tamely submitted to" by the market- 
fishermen of the State, and approves of the recent 
organization of such fishermen to fight the law (I suo- 
pose the law is "unconstitutional"!). The News says in 
part: 
"They never bite a hook, these buffalo fish that form 
90 per cent, of these food fish. But they must be let 
alone, because there is here and there a board of trade 
man or some spindle-shanked dude who wants to fish 
with a pole and line for supposititious fish that no longer 
exist in any appreciable numbers in our streams. Men 
will supply the farmers and citizens with good fresh fish 
every summer for 5 cents per pound. They are good and 
wholesome and a relief from a meat diet in the hot 
weather. The people want the fish; but the law says that 
they can't have them because a few dudes want to play 
the waters with hook find line, men who do not own the 
land nor have any financial interest in the rivers and 
ponds. 
"It is a fine thing, isn't it, when the owner of a sheet of 
water, the man who bought and paid for it, and who 
pays taxes upon it, is forbidden to take his own fish, 
that some spider-legged dandy from Chicago can loll 
in a boat one or two summer afternoons and 'angle?' 
The stranger, the man from town, who pays no taxes on 
the property, gets the benefit of it. 
"Now these fishermen, mostly men along the Illinois 
River, will meet in Peoria and organize for their own 
protection and the sensible protection of fish. A good 
many of these men are in the business for big money, 
and they have good big money to put up if necessary. 
All they want is sensible legislation." 
I do not know the name of the editor of the News, but 
he writes with an earnestness which carries with it con- 
viction as to the size of his own legs if not of the size 
of his anything else, I shall not accuse him of small- 
mindedness, because that wouldn't be polite to a mem- 
ber of the perfesh. To the contrary, I should say he 
very likely had about a 28in. calf to his leg and was dis- 
posed to be proud of it. He is not the first man to mis- 
take fatty substance for argument-producing tissue, and 
so may peace go with him. And yet, speaking of legs — 
but perhaps it were as well not to institute odious com- 
parisons. 
Over in Grand Rapids, Mich., they have this week 
raised the salary of the county game warden from $1 
to $150. This is encouraging, as on a salary of $1 a year 
a man could not travel or improve his mind as he should 
in these progressive days. 
Over in Ohio the anglers' club known as the Middle 
Bass Club has this week concluded to fight the State law 
which allows gill nets to be set in the shoals in Lake 
Erie, where the black bass angling was formerly so fine, 
near Middle Bass Island. Hundreds of tons of black 
bass were netted last year. 
Over in Iowa State Warden Delevan has appointed 
H. D. Carbee deputy at large, with headquarters at Des 
M oines. Central Iowa is a country that I know like 
a book. I have seen its history from plenty to poverty 
in matters of fish and game. If Deputy Carbee will stop 
seining, dynamiting and all that sort of thing, so that a 
man can catch one bass a week in our old fisliing stream, 
the crooked and once prolific Skunk River, he shall 
have sincere thanks from one who knows every stump 
of it for many miles. We used to catch fish there. 
In Michigan the spear is legal on inland waters, it 
seems, during December, January, February and March, 
the time such waters are usually covered with ice. "Through 
the ice" will be held to mean "through the water" also, 
as the laAv is held to mean that the spear may be used 
then, ice or no ice. About the last two weeks In Ma^-ch, 
when the spawning bass begin to run, won't the spearers 
be busy! 
Warden Osborne, of Michi-^an, says that over 3,000 
miles of rtets are in use in Michigan waters. Enough to 
fence in the State. 
As it is in. Arcadie. 
Jan. 29. — ^At Arcadia, Wis., the market fishers have 
been living in a blissful dream of simple, illegal de- 
lights, until last week a harsh German warden by name 
of Chris Voeght jarred them out of their dream. Some 
of the ice fishers had runs of sixty to 100 set lines out, 
but now they have more. 
On Winnebago waters, also in Wisconsin. Warden 
Johnson had a little sleigh ride last week. Results: sixty- 
four gill nets, twelve spears, 7oolbs. of fish and five law- 
breakers. 
Out in Iowa, on the beautiful and once prolific lake 
called Clear Lake, such a thing as respect for the law 
has been long unknown. The Commercial Club, an or- 
ganization of business men, has secured the appointment 
of Deputy Warden Jas. Price, who is expected to check 
the illegal practices of the past. 
In Missouri the work of protection is great and grow- 
ing. In December and January 118 convictions have 
been obtained in Taney county alone for violations of 
the fish laws. The White River, which was recently full 
of fish traps, has now been cleared out. In doing this 
the novel but efficient means was adopted of bringing 
action in the United States courts for "obstruction of 
navigation" of a navigable stream. When Uncle Sam 
gets after them the law-breakers are not so contu- 
macious. 
The Waterloo, la.. Gun Club last week secured the. 
arrest of Gillie Barnes and John Markham for spear- 
ing fish, and will push the case to the limit. 
E. Hough. 
1206 BoYCE Building, Chicago. 
Iowa Fish Stocking. 
Charles City, la. — Beyond a doubt Gov. Shaw will 
reappoint Geo. E. Delevan, of Esthejville, fish warden. 
The following figures show the good work accomplished 
in 1897. The marked success in the distribution of small 
fry was largely due to the new fish car constructed at 
this place last winter. Fish were sent: Spirit Lake 
155,000, Okiboji 155,000, Des Moines River 250,000, 
Clear Lake 125,000, Maquoketa River 115,000, Wapsi- 
pinicon River 125,000, Buffalo River 63,000; total, i,- 
088.000. 
November — Storm Lake 250,000, Clear Lake 125,000, 
Wapsipinicon 125,000, Clear Rapids (Cedar) 125,000, 
Waterloo (Cedar) 125.000, Osage (Cedar) 150,000; total, 
900,000; grand total, 1,988.000. 
The Cedar River at this place was overlooked this 
year; however, we are quite content with the 25.000 
wall-eyed pike placed in our stream one-half mile be- 
low the city mills in 1896. No doubt the coming sum- 
mer their presence will be "felt. 
The bays, bayous and lagoons along the Mississippi 
have furnished nearly the whole of the output of '97, 
and best of all, a large percentage will be ready for 
the hook next season. Vane Simmonds. 
Florida West Coast. 
Tarpon Springs, Fla., Jan. 22. — I see it reported that 
John Gomez, of Panther Key, celebrated his 120th birth- 
day on Jan. 4. He and his venerable wife went to Ever- 
glade to attend a Christmas tree entertainment. Mr. 
Gomez is probably the oldest man in Florida. He and 
his wife are in excellent health, and have the promise of 
a long life yet. 
I expect to start in about two weeks for an extended 
cruise south. I shall endeavor to call at Panther Key, 
and will inform Forest and Stream of the result. 
We are having delightful weather; the fish are biting 
well, while the hunters are getting good returns for theij 
time and shells. Quite a number of deer have been 
gathered in by local sportsmen, and the visitors are well 
pleased with the quail shooting. 
We have about recovered from our scare at the recent 
cold wave, and have concluded we were more frightened 
than hurt. Nothing but the most tender plants were 
injured, while most of the oranges had been gathered. 
Tarpon. 
**The Same Gentleman." 
Jf'ratn the Martinshur^ \ W. Fa.) Democrat. 
Between the hours of 8 and 9 o'clock on Tuesday 
night last people residing in the neighborhood of King 
and Raleigh streets were startled by a war of. words 
between George M. Bowers and his brother, John S. 
Bowers, who are not on amicable terms. This wordy 
contest soon resulted in a fisticuff, in which a severe 
wound was inflicted by George M. Bowers upon his 
brother, extending almost from ear to ear. So severe 
was the injury that the services of Dr. Morison were 
required to dress the wound, as the injured brother bled 
profusely. No arrests were made. 
This is the same gentleman who is a candidate for 
Fish Commissioner of the United States. 
Fixtures. 
BENCH SHOWS. 
Feb. 15.— New England Kennel Club's fourteenth annual show, 
Boston. James L. Little, Sec'y. 
Feb. 21.— VVestminster Kennel Club's twenty-second annua! show, 
New York. G. de F. Grant, Sec'y. 
March 15. --Northwestern Kennel Club's dog show, St. Paul, 
Minn. C. E. N. Howard, Sec'y, St. Paul, Minn. 
FIELD TRIALS. 
« AiI—w'^T.^^A^^-F''^''' J",^' '^^"'^'^ annual trials, Madi- 
son, Aia. H. K. Milner. Sec y. 
T, A, Stake. 
There were eight starters in the contest for cham- 
pionship honors in the Field Trial Champion Associa- 
tion s stake, which commenced on Jan. 24 at New Al- 
bany, Miss. The judges were Messrs. Edm. H. Osthaus 
and S. C. Bladley, well-known experts, who have offi- 
ciated before most satisfactorily as judges of field trials. 
Mr. _W. W. Titus had also consented to act as one of 
the judges, but owing to illness of some of his dogs 
he was not present. The competition was skillfully con- 
ducted, as might be anticipated under such experienced 
management. 
It was decided that in the first series two heats would 
be run each day, for the reason that there was insufficient 
ground on which to run four heats in one day, and on 
the other hand, if three heats were run, the dogs run- 
ning on the following day Avould be at a disadvantage 
when brought against competitors which had rested. By 
running two heats on each day, the dogs were brought 
together on equitable terms on the third day. 
Tony Gale won first. He made a most excellent com- 
petition. He ranged fast, wide and with spirit. He found 
successfully, and his pointing had but little of the false 
work which so often has marred his pointing in other 
competitions. However, it may be mentioned that the 
eool and damp weather conditions were most favorable 
for good point work. He competed with great dash 
and industry. , 
The four dogs retained in the second series were the 
strongest competitors in the stake. Tony most effectu- 
ally defeated Pin Money. He was more successful than 
she in finding, was sharper in his work on single birds, 
and ranged entirely on his own judgment. Pin Money 
at times in crossing his trail would follow it hy scent 
till she caught up, then would cast out to the right or 
left some yards from him, keeping him in sight and 
guiding her range by him. Again she would work quite 
independently. She also much of the time was frivolous 
in her seeking, and her ranging was lacking in good 
judgment. 
Cincinnatus Pride and Marie's Sport were fast and 
dashing rangers. Pride displayed pronounced superi- 
ority on birds. His last heat was run in part through 
some very unfavorable grounds. 
We thought a final heat between Tony and Pride 
would have made a more definite conclusion. 
The attendance of spectators was not large. Mr. H. 
B. Ledbetter, Mr. Edw. A. Burdett. Mr. Hobart Ames 
and wife, Boston; Dr. Russell and wife, Keene. N. H.; 
W. B. Stafford, the secretary; Dr. M. F. Rogers, C. A. 
Draper, and many local sportsmen. 
The competition was conducted with rare skill. The 
dogs were handled quietly in most instances. There 
was a most commendable improvement in the profes- 
sional handling as compared with prior professional 
events. It would seem that the day of scrambling and 
noisy handling is gore, fcr which all should be thank- 
ful. The noise and rush belonged to an old school which 
does not fit into the new conditions, hence the sooner 
the loud and constant bawling and senseless whistling is 
entirely discarded the better. 
The dogs were drawn to run as follows: 
Edw. A. Burdett's b., w. and t. setter dog Cincinnatus 
Pride (Cincinnatus — Albert's Nellie), George Richards, 
handler, with Charlottesville F. T. C. Kennels' b. b. 
setter bitch Pin Money (Count Gladstone IV. — Daisy 
Croft), C. E. Buckle, handler. 
Edw. A. Burdett's i).. w. and t. setter bitch Ann of 
Abbottsford. George Richards, handler, with H. B. Led- 
better's b.. w. and t. setter dog Marie's Sport (Gleam's 
Sport — Marie Avent). George Gray, handler. 
Fldred Kenrels' b., w. and t. setter dog Tony Gale 
(Antonio — Nellie G.). D. E. Rose, handler, with Char- 
lottesville F. T. Club's 1. and w. pointer dog Tippoo 
(Rio Rap — Monterev). C. E. Buckle, handler. 
Charles B. Pineo's b'k. a^-d w. pointer dng Young Rip 
Rao (Rio Rap — Pearl's Dot). George Gray, handler, 
with Ashford & Odom's 1. and w. pointer dog Von Gull 
(Kent Elgin — Fanny V. Croxteth), J. M. Avent, handler. 
This stake was for pointers and setters which had been 
placed in any "ublic field trial First forfeit, $15; $15 
additional to start. Entries closed Dec. 15. excepting 
for dogs which won a prize in a field trial after that date. 
The prize was a sweepstake of entry fees, less the ex- 
pense of judging. The heats in the first series were two 
hours in length; in the sec9nd series, one hour. 
Moncfay. 
The morning was delightfully cool and clear, the stm 
