FOREST AND STREAM 
239 
grounds, formerly covering marshes for half a 
mile on both sides of the river outlet, have been 
replaced by mud flats or a tangle of dead trees 
and driftwood, and navigation 'to boats and 
canoes filled with pleasure seekers or for the con¬ 
venience of travelers has been closed. Every 
boathouse, some twenty or more being now stand¬ 
ing on the lake shores, will have to be removed or 
rebuilt, and this gives no assurance, for the new 
owners of the dam site announce their intention 
of making a mill pond of this beautiful lake, and 
to raise and lower its waters to any extent. This 
will necessitate the introduction of a new sort 
of boat shelter constructed on a sort of sliding 
scale to meet the threatened action. One prop¬ 
erty owner whose damage to three boat houses 
is at least $1,500, has 'brought an action in equity 
to abate the continuance of the injury to his 
property caused by the lowering of the waters. 
The case is attracting widespread interest, be¬ 
cause the act of destruction of the crib resulted 
from a notification given to the local owners of 
the dam site last August by the Conservation 
Commission constructed in the center of this 150- 
foot stone highway-dam, for the express purpose 
of preserving the pike and bass from going over 
the old spillway in time of high water in spring. 
This action on the part of the commission was 
taken at the unanimous request of all summer and 
local property owners in the vicinity. The lum¬ 
berman from Ticonderoga who bought the 150- 
acre lot on which this 'highway dam is situated, 
however, declined to co-operate with the public in 
its desire to save the pike and bass fishing, and 
ignored the written notification to 'build or co¬ 
operate in building of a larger spillway in the old 
dam made by the Conservation Commission to 
him, and haughtily tore out the then existing log 
spillway and precipitated the present loss of fish 
and inconvenience and damage to all riparian 
property owners. 
The Conservation Commission has advised 
through its counsel that it cannot enforce its 
written notification to this owner to erect a 
proper spillway, in case that he elects to remove 
the old one and lower the waters of this lake. 
It would seem, however, that this body could 
compel the execution of any proper direction look¬ 
ing toward the preservation of the fish in public 
waters like these, frequently stocked with state 
fish. It is probable that a new administration, 
more in sympathy with game fish protection than 
the present one, will promptly afford the relief 
asked for by an order for the restoration of the 
dam to its original condition, at least, by the 
owner. “VISITOR.” 
A GOPHER HUNT. 
The Early Gopher Club of Early, Iowa, held 
its annual gopher or squirrel hunt May 5. One 
hundred and six members took part in the hunt, 
among whom were doctors, lawyers, merchants 
and bankers. They were divided into two divi¬ 
sions. One division was captained by G. W. 
Hamm, the other by A. B. Cranch. The division 
bringing in the greatest number of gophers to be 
the guests of the losers at supper, prepared by 
the Ladies’ Aid Society, at City Hall. Losers to 
pay 75 cents a plate. By daylight the hunt was 
on fast and furious. Fields where the gopher 
towns are located were filled with eager hunt¬ 
ers. The contest raged all day. At six o’clock 
in the evening every member was required to 
report at headquarters, and the hunt closed. 
The final count showed that Captain Cranch 
and his men won the contest by a small margin. 
The total kill was 8,016, or 5,110 lbs., besides 
six wolf cubs. 
These hunts are attracting state wide atten¬ 
tion and will probably be imitated on account of 
the rapid increase, and the destructiveness of the 
gopher to the crops of the Iowa farmers. 
It would seem that a few raids with the above 
results would soon retire this little pest to his¬ 
tory, but this seems impossible. 
