June 17, 1899.] 
FORfc;ST AND STREAM. 
4 71 
The old reliable State of Michigan is giving very good 
account of herself in the way of trout this month. Mr. 
George L. Alexander, of Grayling, Mich., whom I have 
often mentioned as president of the Fontinalis Club of 
that State, writes me under date of June 8 that the Au 
Sable River is ready and waiting for me to come and 
tackle it. Mr. Alexander is so very good as to ask me to 
have a trip with him, and he promises to take me to a place 
where there are a few grayling, Avhich fish he bids me to 
speedily attempt, since it will soon be too late forever. I 
should enjoy nothing more than a few days with Mr. 
Alexander, who is a prince among anglers, and very 
skillful withal. Some of these days I will drift into that 
neck of woods. 
One often hears the proverb that it is the busiest men 
that one should approach if one wants to get anything 
done. I don't know what I would do if anything should 
happen to niy friend Mr. Mershon, of Saginaw, who sends 
me lots of news, and who sometimes makes me a bit un- 
happy by telling me of the good times he is going to 
have, or has been having. It seems tliat the last trip of 
the Saginaw crowd (this week) was a very troutful one. 
Mr. Mershon says that everyone had all the fishing he 
wanted. It was not necessary to keep any small fish, for 
one day he took thirty-nine, which filled his basket, among 
these three rainbow trout, one of them i8in. long. "I lost 
another," says Mr. Mershon, "that seemed to me as long 
as my arm, and I had a long, hard fight with him. I had 
two or three brook trout that weighed ij^lbs. each, and 
lost a number of old whoppers." Everybody had plenty 
of trout and everybody was happy. Yet this came pretty 
near being the end of the Saginaw crowd, which causes 
one to reflect that there may be some danger in wilderness 
railroad travel even in the best company. It seems that 
during the run home there came up a heavj' thunderstorm 
which hustled everybody into the car. The rest of it I 
shall let Mr. Mershon tell for himself: 
"The engine immediately started with us," he says, "and 
we 'slicked up' preparatory for dinner. This was about 
9 :30 in the evening. It was blowing a hurricane and the 
rain coming down in barrels full. The engine was run- 
ning like a scared dog, with only our car and a caboose be- 
hind. Suddenly there was a crash, a bumping on the ties 
and the shock of grinding brake wheels, and wc all set our 
teeth and hung onto our chairs, awaiting with dread the 
termination. Whether we were to be upside down or 
when the car would stop was a question. Finally it 
stopped, right side up, and we were not off the track and 
apparently all right. But the engine had caught it. A 
great tree had blown across the track and demolished the 
cowcatcher and pilot, and derailed the engine. Fortunate- 
ly we were only four miles from our destination, and 
managed to get word to another engine, the crew of which 
on arrival seemed to know just what do do, and we were 
back on the track in half an hour and caught our train 
and got home bright and early Monday morning." 
That was a near enough thing, but as Hghtning never 
strikes twice in the same place, I presume the hardy 
Saginaw crowd need not expect to meet another fallen 
tree with their special car at any time soon. Climbing 
a tree with a locomotive is a feat not desirable of itself 
nor apt soon to be duplicated, 
Muscatlunge. 
Mr. Marvin Hughitt, Ja., and Mr. Charles Antoine, of 
this city, returned Monday from a muscallunge trip to the 
Manitowish Chain. They caught eighteen muscallunge, 
but most of them were very small, the heaviest loj^lbs. 
Upon the other hand, their luck in wall-eyed pike was 
very remarkable, for Mr. Hughitt was lucky enough to 
kill one that weighed iij^lbs., a very extraordinary weight 
for these waters. 
Messrs. C. H. Lester, O. von Lengerke and William 
Nash left Tuesday evening for Hayward, Mich., where 
they will spend a week fishing for muscallunge. 
There were twenty-two guests last week at Kabekona 
Camp, Minn., among others Mr. George F. Jennings and 
son. Dr. McDonald and Mr. J. E. Callahan, all of Chicago. 
Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Mussey returned yesterday from their 
trip to Kabekona, after a very pleasant and successful 
time. I am glad to be able to say that the alarm felt by 
Mr. McCartney for the future of his fishing resort now 
proves to be groundless. The Northern Pacific' has put 
back the train which was laid off between Brainerd and 
Pine River, and the connection is now good throughout, 
so that one may leave Chicago in the evening and reacli 
the camp the next evening. The temporary withdrawal 
of the train necessitated a lay-over of twenty-four hours, 
which bid fair to be fatal to the camp. 
Mackinaw Way. 
Mr. J. E. Smith, of Caldwell, Ohio, writes me as be- 
low for information regarding fishing in the upper part of 
the South Peninsula: 
"I have been reading your articles tn the Forest and 
Stream, and it occurred to me that possibly you would 
kindly give me information in regard to bass and trout 
fishing near Mackinac and the Soo, Michigan. I expect 
to spend three weeks in August near these two points. 
Any information you. can give me will be thankfully re- 
ceived. Was at the Snow Islands last j^ear, but found bass 
fishing poor." 
If Mr. Smith will write to Mr. C. L. Lockwood, general 
passenger agent of the G. R. & I. Railroad, Grand Rapids. 
Mich., he will get something better than a railroad answer 
to his query, for Mr. Lockwood is an angler and knows 
where the fishing is. For bass fishing near the Soo, he 
might write to Plon. Chase S. Osborn, ex-game warden. 
Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Mr. Osborn is now Railroad 
Commissioner, but he is still a sportsman, and still lives in 
Sault Ste. Marie. I think either of these gentlemen would 
be glad to help out the above inquirer. 
The Georgian Bay, 
While I was at Cleveland this week I learned of a little 
party who will take an extended fishing trip this sum- 
mer in the Georgian Bay country, after muscallunge and 
bass. There will be two sections of this oarty, the first 
leaving June 15. and including Me'^srs. J. C. Traslc. L. A. 
Roby, D. W. Scribner and H. B. Burrows. About a 
couple of weeks later these will be joined by Messrs. R. R, 
Holden, A. S. Brooks, O. 5'. Cla.y and C. E. Kennedy. 
Castalia Club. 
At Cleveland I met among other gentlemen Dr. E. E, 
Beeman, whose fame is world-wide as the inventor of 
Beeman's Pepsin Chewing Gum. Dr. Beeman is very 
much of a sportsman, and is fond of a boat, a gun, a dog 
and a rod. He is a member of the famous Castalia Club, 
and through him I heard again of my old friend, Andrew, 
the club keeper, who it seems has been busy again among 
the brown trout. The last big fellow taken by Andrew 
was a grand one, weighing lolbs. 8oz. This iish was 
brought to Cleveland and served in state. Dr. Beeman 
told me that it was caught on a 6oz. rod and on a No. 6 
fly hook. The worthy doctor told me that this giant 
robber of the stream was caught fairly on the artificial fly. 
"Not that I would affirm, however," he remarked, "that 
there are no better lures than the artificial fly, far better. 
LTpon the contrary, such is the especial virtue and excel- 
lence of the chewing gum manufactured by myself, that in 
several cases Andrew has manufactured therefronj an 
artificial worm so alluring that its use has been positively 
forbidden by the house rules of the club. I need say no 
more in modest praise of our product than to point out 
its popularity as an article pour passer le temps among 
even the finny aristocracy." 
Catp, 
Mr. A. J. Barge, of Cleveland, is another gentleman who 
is fond of both gun and rod, and he has no use for that 
imported nuisance, the carp, as food for the rod, though 
sometimes he has enjoyed very good shooting on 
them. This spring while duck shooting on the chib marsh 
near Port Clinton, he foimd the duck feed nearly eaten up 
by swarms of these carp. He pushed around on the flats 
and with vindicative zeal shot over 150 of the carp, but 
seemed to make no impression on their numbers. He says 
they are ruining the marsh, destroying the celery and the 
wild rice, and he would cheerfully see the hist one of 
them exterminated. E. Hoi/fiK. 
480 Caxton Building, Chicago, 111. 
The Salt- Water League. 
New York, June 10. — Editor Forest and Streorii- In 
the Forest and Stream of May 20 you published a list of 
delegates up to that date. Since then I have appointed 
some others. Following are the additional ones, which 
please add when you publish a full list. I will from 
time to time send you the new names of those I appoint : 
Branch 35. A. H. Dirkes, Ninth avenue and Fiftieth 
street. 
Branch 36. Frank Efner, 86 Thompkins avenue, Brook- 
lyn. 
Branch 37. O. M. Beach, 41' Umdn square. 
Branch 38. Mr. Hesbach, Goo.se Creek, L. I. 
Branch 39. Fred llochgraef, 314 East Thirty-fourth 
street. 
Branch 40. B. Burstel, 17 Riverdale avenue, Yonker?, 
Branch 41. Thos. J. Conroy, 28 John street. 
Branch 42. W. F. Gugler, 315 Bowery. 
Branch 43. Robt. Payton, 251 West Broadway. 
Branch 44. J, A. Schneider, 1512 Broadway. 
Branch 45. C. J, Schukraft, 100 Second avenue, 
On Wednesday evening, May 31, a meeting was called 
by the delegate of Branch No. i, Mr. Wm. Roeber, at 309 
Eighth avenue, and an organization perfected in that 
district. Meetings to be held on the first and third Wed- 
nesdays of each month at the above place to enroll mem- 
bers in the district, also to enlighten members when and 
where to go to catch fish, what tackle and baits to use, and 
other points of benefit to members. Headquarters of 
Branch No. i is at 329 Eighth avenue. Information given 
and taken as to violations of the law, etc. The following 
officers were elected to office of Branch No. i for 1899, 
and they are hustlers : Mr. Chas. Lorsch, Chairman ; Mr. 
Fred Estz, Vice-Chairman ; Mr. Chas. S. Crane, Secre- 
tary; Mr. Robt. Cook, Teasurer; Mr. Robt. H. B. Fisher, 
Sergeant-at-Arms, 
We are making great strides in what we have set out to 
do. That is one good reason why our membership is 
increasing. More fishing station owners came into our 
ranks last week. I wish every delegate would organise 
his district at once and try to beat Branch No. i. 
Fishermen of New York are wanted to join this League. 
Its purposes as set forth in the constitution are declared 
to be : 
"The objects of tbis League are, namely, to obtain legis- 
lation looking to the enactment of beneficial laws for the 
protection of salt-water fish, the co-operation of fishermen 
at large in conforming to and enforcing the same, and 
generally in furthering and aiding all lawful methods 
looking to prompt action in all violations of law apper- 
taining thereto. Theo. Biedinger, Pres. 
New York, June 11. — Editor Forest and Stream: By 
request of the president of the League, I herewith send 
yon additional names of delegates, hoping you will pub- 
ii'-'h the same with the others sent you by Mr. Biedinger : 
Branch 43. Schneider, J. A., 1512 Broadway. 
Schukraft, C. J., 100 Second avenue. 
Tobin, C. V., Huguenot, S. I. 
Bjur, Warner, Seaside Dock, Rockaway 
Branch 44 
Branch 45. 
Branch 46 
Beach. 
Branch 47. 
Branch 48. 
street. 
Branch 49. 
Branch 50. 
Cochrane, Albert, Tottenville, S. I. 
Mehlhop, W. D., 108 East Twenty-seventh 
Schott, Edward, 170 Broadway. 
Seising, Fred, 27 Carroll street, Brooklyn. 
Eugene ThidneRj Sec'y- 
Long Island Fishing. 
East Rockaway, L. I., June 12, — The net fishermen 
have done their best to clear the bay of fish, but so far 
there has been no apparent decrease in the supply. Three 
gangs of fishermen, each with a net. drag the channels 
every day. They have been catching from 700 to T.ooolbs. 
of fish for each crew. Weakfish predominate. A few king- 
fish have been caught, and fluke and flounders are plenty. 
Drop-line fishermen have had fine sport with the weak- 
fish in the bay. The parties who go off to the fishing 
banks or the wreck of Iberia have come back loaded 
down with ling, weakfish, etc, Blackfish are still scarce. 
QuEENSWATEEj L. I,, JuHc 12. — The large weakfish have 
arrived and are caught both in Wreck Lead and in Broad 
Channel, along Hicks' Beach. There is excellent fishing 
in the ocean. Bluefish are beginning to arrive, and the 
professional fishermen prophesy a big run before the sea- 
son is over. Crabs are becoming plenty, but are not 
caught much yet, except for bait. They will soon work 
up into the creeks, where they are captured by the amateur 
fishermen at the docks and along the creek edge. 
Massapequa, L. I., June lo. — ^This has been a great 
week for fishermen. Weakfish have been very plenty and 
of large size. Some very good catches are reported. 
Strange to say, they have been caught by rod and reel 
from the edges of the meadows near the bathing houses of 
the Massapequa Hotel. Heretofore it has always been 
thought necessary to take a boat to get weakfish, but some 
very fine fish have been caught by casting lines from the 
shore. 
Fishing Up and Down the Potomac. 
Little Falls. 
About three miles above the Aqueduct, or Free Bridge, 
at Georgetown, is the Chain Bridge, though there is 
nothing in the present appearance of the modern iron 
girder structure to indicate the origin of the name. It 
is inherited from the first bridge on the same site, long 
since destroyed. 
The path to this is a finely macadamized roadway 
with the retaining wall of the C. and O. Canal on one 
side and the Palisades of the Potomac on the other, a 
delightful ramble or drive in the early dawn of a June 
morning, when one inhales champagne in the life-giving 
air and from the river floats a gentle mist, "Like that 
which kept the heart of Eden green before the useful 
trouble of the rain." 
On the opposite or Virginia shore is an electric light 
and power house, getting its water from Pimmit Run, 
which empties into the Potomac just below the bridge. 
At the foot of the bluff is a rude path up the river some 
distance to Little Falls, where tide water meets the 
Potomac and where begins that famous estuary, the 
most important of any that marries the Alleghanies to 
the Atlantic; a hundred miles in length, several miles 
in average breadth, and a channel to float an iron clad 
to the Capital. 
The falls are well named Little, since they are no 
more than a rapid, but the current is swift, and the 
water tumbles in mad confusion, and foams and roars in 
a way to daunt a novice, but that would be child's play 
to the skillful voyageur in his birch bark canoe. 
Our last trip here was a family affair, and the trm 
was driven along the Summit road after leaving the 
bridge, to a point opposite the falls, and a picnic grounds 
selected on a shady knoll commanding a beautiful view 
of the river. Here the babies were to be left for the 
afternoon, while the rods clambered down the steep 
bluff to try the pools and rapids below. 
The knoll was found to be grassy and inviting with 
wild flowers in plenty, but a closer inspection showed a 
patch of young poison ivy or poison oak. An immune 
of the party volunteered to pluck it out by the roots and 
carry it away. When this was done and blankets spread 
it was voted safe for the little ones, and they came to 
no hurt, but the alleged immune several days after found 
his hands, particularly the tender places between the 
fingers, covered with irritating vescicles, for which lead 
water and the ordinary simple remedies afforded no re- 
lief, but after a single varnishing with collodion they 
disappeared. 
This recalls the experience of a friend who had been 
badly poisoned with the vine, and every spring suffered 
a recurrence of the symptoms, swelling, inflammation 
and blisters, without fresh exposure. In the fifth year 
he v/as induced to try the prescribed homeopathic 
remedy, rustox as it is called here (Rhus toxicoden- 
dron), in which he had no faith, but to his surprise 
was at once relieved, and has never since been troubled 
though annually exposed. 
He still flouts the system of sugar pellets, but takes 
off his hat to rustox, which he has been often heard to 
recommend as the only specific. This he stoutly main- 
tains against the suggestion of some of his friends that in 
his own case he had simply outgrown the eft'ects, and the 
thorough inoculation had saved him since. 
The river at Little Falls narrows to a gorge, and rushes 
down the long reach a miniature cataract; though the 
anadromous fishes do surmoutit the obstruction, they find 
in the deep pools at its foot a temporary resting place ; a 
■relay for the strong, the end of the route for the weak. 
As the fish start up for their earlj^ spring run, the white 
perch seem to avoid the shallow water and go straight up 
the deepest parts of the channel. In this they are unlike 
the herring and some others which are caught on the 
banks, but in the hauls for these latter fish very few 
white perch are caught. The consequence is the perch 
reach the pools like these at Little Falls, and are caught 
there in quantities in the deep water, several weeks before 
they are found in their usual haunts in the coves and 
shallows, miles below. 
Here in the holes below the rapids, the shad and herring 
and lampreys and mullets and perch are dipped in April 
and May with long-handled hoop nets, 3 or 4ft. in diam- 
eter, and about as deep ; an operation requiring consider- 
able strength and skill. 
Occasionally then, a great 6ft. sturgeon may be seen 
at play a little distance below, as if he too belonged to this 
great drove of immigrants, and was rounding up the pro- 
cession at this natural corral. Leaving the water with a 
mighty leap he seems to clear two or three times his length 
and falls upon the surface with a splash as if a plank, had 
been dropped broadside, and with a noise that may be 
heard across the river. 
Even the bass in these estuary waters get the roaming 
habit, and may be caught under dams and occasionally 
bump against flood-gates. Within a couple of weeks a 
little school of 41b. big-mouth bass amused a party for 
several hours on a .sunny afternoon. A bridge permitted 
approach to within 3ft. of a water gate, and these bass, 
always in pairs, came up to get through. 
Foiled in this they turned tail on the trickle of waste 
from the gate and rested motionless on the flat rock at 
the bottonif whleh had barely enough water funning over 
