THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 
OF THE 
\ 
COMMISSIONERS OF FISHERIES 
OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. 
To the Legislature of the State of Wisconsin: 
Under the provisions of chapter 307, laws of 1876, there was ap¬ 
propriated to the commissioners the sum of *$10,000, and the com¬ 
mission was reorganized by adding to it Mr. H. F. Dousman as a 
member, and the governor also, ex-oficio^ a member. The com¬ 
mission was fully organized in April last, and the first meeting was 
held in Madison on the 6th of April. By the act of 1876, it became 
the duty of the commissioners to purchase a site for a state hatch¬ 
ing house, and to erect thereon a hatching house, tenement, ponds, 
to equip the hatching house for hatching purposes, and in all 
practical ways to procure spawns and fish to be disposed of in fur¬ 
therance of the purposes of the law. The old commissioners, from 
the balance in their hands of previous appropriations, passed over 
to the commissioners the sum of $731.81, and which amount will 
appear in the financial exhibits hereto annexed^ marked B. 
After organizing, our first duty was to purchase a site for a 
hatching house. After a full examination of those offered, the 
commission, with entire unanimity, selected the grounds known as 
the “ Nine Springs,” in the town of Fitchburg, on section 3, and 
located about three miles southwest from the West Madison depot. 
The property belonged to. a Mr. Crawford, of Kentucky, and was 
purchased through Gen. W. W. Tredway, his agent, of this city. 
There is in the tract a fraction less than forty acres, and was pro¬ 
cured at $35 per acre. The deed to the state, after being recorded, 
was filed with the secretary of state. We claim for this site very 
superior advantages; in fact, we doubt whether, all things consid- 
