The Omaha Sunday
Bee
EDITORIAL
A M USEMENTS
VOL. L NO. .26.
OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING,. DECEMBER
1920.
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BIQ FISU 1'THAT OlOT GET AWAV7 "
By JOHN H. KEARNES.
During the past two weeks State
Game Warden Koster has-plantcd
in Carter lake, for the ' future
V picture' of; Omaha anglers, a
quarter of million fish, consist
ing. of bullheads, ring perch, blue
gills, crappies. sunfish and bass,
" which he took from a Veritable fish
mine in Nemaha county.
t ', Since the beginning of-operations
a lew weeks ago Mr. Koster
has transferred from "Majors lake,
situated, a mile ivest of Feru, in
the southeastern part of the state,
sis carloads of fish, or nearly
O.000.000 n which he trans
planted in lakes an.A water courses
in the vicinity of Fremont, Oma
ha and Wayne. ' ,
??i000.000 'fish, or 15 carloads re:
mainiug in that body of water, and
which will undoubtedly perish this
winter when the lake freezes over.
uns Into Missouri
- Majors lake is a body of water
that covers abgiit 80 acres closc,to
Hhe bluffs in the Missouri river bot
toms ncatvthe Normal school
town. It is-bnly two feet in depth
and is rich in marine vegetable
. growths which makes it an ideal
feeding and propagating ground
for the finny denizens. The lake
is fed by three springs, and, by the
; overflow waters of the,' Missouri
river during the, fall and spring
rises. A drainage canal debouches
' from the body cf water and runs
to the Missouri river.-'
.- During high water periods this
is a veritable fishway for all of the
different species of fish in the
stream and they make their way
from the main stream to the lake
in search of food and breeding
grounds. There they remain, hired
by the rich stores of natural food,
and they become, so fat, lazy and
contented that they ignore the
warnings of nature as given by the
receding waters of the river floods
and eventually become landlocked.
Greed Brings Downfall.
Some seasons their greed and
content leads to a complete an
nihilation of the tons of fish that
populate the. lake and they perish
because of 'drought, or smother
when the freezing weather sets in
for the sheet of water is so shal
low that it freezes to the bottom.
The amount of fish life in these
. 180 acres is inconceivable. Since
operations for removing part of
the fish in the lake started the men
doing the seining for the game
and semi-game fish have taken p
scores of tons, of coarse food fish,
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FISH
COMMISSIONER
rHE STATE
HATCUEGIES,
such : as buffalo, leather backs,
German-carp, hickory shad, river
pike, sheepnose and catfish.
Spectator and hungry residents
ii the . vicinity have been the re
cipient! of the largess of the state
fish and .- "game --'department, and
there never was'such a feasting on
piscatorial food . in . Nemaha ast
there has been in the last month. '
, Lake a Lure. ,
.The work of removing the fish
has been supervised by Warden
Koster, and. the work has such a ..
By MABEL HERBERT URNER.
(Creator of th Helm and Warren
Characters.) .
This series Is a continuation of ""rhelr
Married Life.'' produced for -four years
hy Mabel Herbert Urner. "The Married
Life of Helen and Warren," appearing
exclusively in this paper Is the only se
ries now being written by Mabel Herbert
t'rnor.
Breakfast in Their Stateroom Brings
Out Warren's Inconsiderate
, Selfishness.
"Jove, it's thick!" raising the blind
Warren glanced cut the porthole at
the dripping fog. "We've slowed
down, too." .
A shuddery blast. The deep
throated warning of the fog horn.
. "That blew all night I couldn't
sleep," Helen rose dizzily from her
tumbled berth. , .
"Well, we'll not get up. We'll
have breakfast in here," punching
the bell as he' slouched back -info
bed.
"Oh, no, dear, let's get out on
deck," eager to escape from the close
oppressive starteroom. "We'll feel
so much better." .-'
v"Not in this fog. Everything's wet
and sloppy. Now I'm going to rest
up on this voyage. Hustled enough
Lto get off here s where I take it
easy. .
"You ring, Monsieur?" The
French steward was at the door.
"Yes, see if my bath's ready. And
we'll have breakfast here coffee,
toast and an omelet."
"Oui, oui, monsieur."
In his slippers and robe Warren
slammed out to I his bath, while
Helen lay back claimed by a rush. of
dizziness.
It was only the second day out,
and it had not been rough. Yet just
the" ship's vibration had brought on
!hat sickening pressure in throat and
chest.
She longed to get out to her deck
WfAT
The
6O0O-HAUL.
fascination that the lake at all
times has been a lure, while the
seining was going on, for what are
known as "river ratsy' as well as
the Outdoor men and the sports
men and fishermen of this vicinity.
1 o see what treasures each dr jft
of the seine would bring up, fastid
ious professors of the normal col
lege, the leading fishermen of the
ncighbrhood and business men
have volunteered to don waders
.Hid join the state employes in the
work. ' ,
There is no part of the lake '
where the water is more than knee
deep, and all the work of seining
the fish is done by men who wade
about in the muddy water.' As
soon as the seine is drawn there is
a scramble to sce"the species of
fish that are taken. '
Countless Thousands.
In every draft there ar,e count-,
less thousands of bullheads, rang-'
ing from fingerlings to- full grown
size; frogs that are 'not yet in the
hibernating stage, although they
arc sluggish; fat bass and ring
perch, aliens to the Missouri river
or these waters, and which must
IB -
Married
chair, where the vibration was less
and .the chill air freshly reviving.
But no Warren- had insisted on
having breakfast irt the room and
not getting up until luuch. , '
I The very thought! of food in that
small, sniffy statcooom was revolt
ing. But in traveling her wishes
were never consid'ed. His inclina
tions dictated plans for them
both. -
This hurried business trip to
Paris had come unexpectedly, with
only three days' notice. Dreading
to be left alone, Helen had begged
logo with. him., He had grudgingly
consented, warning her thdt a win
ter's trip might not be pleasant, arnd
that "she must take things as she
found them and not "fuss." ,
A laiock at her door, and the bath
steward announced .that her bath
was ready. .
Tucking .her hair under a boudoir
cap, Helen threw on her quilted ki
mdno and swayed down, the long,
white corridor. ", t :
She bolttd the bathroom door with
a pleasant consciousness that every
thing was 'spotless. The huge por
celain tub and ponderous brass fau
cets glittered with- a recent polish.
On a platform was a chair covered
with a large Turkish towel,, which
gave a thronelike effect
The tepid sea water was stimu
lating, and she slippered back to
their stateroom, eager to dress and
;rct out. on deck before that gnaw
:'ig nausea returned. ' . ,
.The steward had jut brought in
the coffee, the first installment of
their breakfast. Warren, again in
his berth, was directing the placing
of the tray.
"What's n that pitcher? Hot
milk? Well, we'll want some crearti.
And you can bring sonn rolls, too-1
that toast looks picttv drv."
f
TATE GAME WARDEN
PLANS TO GIVE HELPING
HAND TO FISHERMAN
WHO USES BAM800
POLE, A BENT PIN
AND A WORM ,
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jLaye come irom some private pond :
Tor from clear water lakes and
"streams during flood times; large'
, gars and spoonbills; then many
pounds of the coarse fish, such as
carp or buffalo.
There are countless thousands
of crappie in the water, and these
arc hog-fat, as are a'll of the fish
taken, due to the rich feed. Fish
ermen, despite the richness of fish '
life in the lake, have had but poor
success ' angling therein for the
reason they never find the fish
hungry enough to bite.
. Destructive to Nets.
One of the species of fish-taken
in large numbers, and which are
anathema' to the workers, are the
alligator gars, which run large in .
size and are destructive to the nets.
As soon as a, half-ton of fish
suitable for transplanting is pro
cured these are placed in tubs and
are taken in a truck to the state
,fish car, the Angler, which is 76
feet in length and is one of the
best equipped cars of the kind sin
America.
There the fish, are placed in
tanks which are treated with corn-
Life of
the steward hurried off Helen's
services were brusquely enlisted.
."Look under your Jjerth there
tnat. shaving'' soap rolled ' off the
washstand." . '
"You're not going-to shave ; now,
arc you? Can't , we wait' and let the
steward get it? "T feel a little sick
ish it makes me worse to stoop."
'Why, it's right there,"' impatient
ly. "Just by that trunk. It'll roll
all over the place if you don't get
it now." I -
Already it had rolled far back and
Helen had to draft out-3 suitcase and
Lthe end of the trunk before she lo
cated- and fished out with an um
brella the elusive' round tin.
The - stooping, as she feared,
brought back the nausea. Dizzily!
sne sat. down on the still-protruding
trunk.
"Got it?" demanded Warren. "Put
it there on the rack where it can't
roll off. Now open up one of those
baskets and .we'll have some fruit.
Hustle, before he brings the omelet."
Tjje baskets, all strainer gifts, were
under Warren's berth. Without get
ting up he could have reached over
and dragged one out, but he lay
back in comfortable indolence. .
"Who sent that?" as Helen took
off the wrappiiigs-fcf the nearest one.
."The Daltons, glancing at the
card in the envelope tag. "And .we
didn't send thetn a thing when they
sailed last spring. J'll have to get '
her something in Paris."
The jjffper off exposed a closely
packed assortment of expensive
fruit.'
"What a wonderful . .bunch s 'of ,
grapes," holding' up a huge ribbon
tied cluster. "Do you want some of.
these? Or would 'you rather have
a peach?"'
KT.-t 1..
Not before breakfast.
You can
ocel me an nrano-e."
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pressed air at intervals by a um
que mechanism.
quo mechanism. J. he bullheads
will stand crowding and there are
thousands of these in each tank.
The crappie, . bass and . perch are
more -exclusive, and as compared
with the bullheads, only a few can
be placed in a' tank.
Notable Hatchery.
At Gretna the state of Nebraska
maintains one of the really notable '
fish hatcheries of the United
States. It is in charge of Super ''
intendent William O'Brien, who
is 'ragarded as one of the most
expert fish ' culturists in America.
He hatches at the plant . there
countless millions of trout of the
different species, 'bass. : crappies,
and other game fish with which to N
stock the clear water- running
streams in the state,1 most of ",
which are located mv the' sand
hill country. These are the ,
aristrocrats of fresh water life and
because of the comparative in- ,
accessibility of some of 'the trout
streams and bass lakes of the state,
and the cost of equipment ' for . a
fishing trip of a few days, only the
wealthy or leisurely citizens of the
: " TT" ' " "
Helen and Warren
"Eut, dear, the oranges will keep.
We ought to cat the others first,"
with her usual economy. . "Look,
these peaches are already soft.
"What if they are?- I'm hot go
ing to eat what I don't want just to
save it." : "
Obediently. Helen startedto peel
him an orange. No extra plate on
the tray, she tore an advertising leaf
from a magazine to receive the rind.
"That's a good orange," he dis
patched the juicy quarters as she
separated them. , "Ah, here we are!"
approvingly, as the steward entered
with another tray cream, rolls, and
a smoking omelet. "Just set it there
we'll serve it."
Helen knew that this meant she
would serve it, for Warren had no
intention of stirring from his berth.
.She poured the coffee, gave him
four-fifths of the omelet, arranging
it on the smallcr'tray -which he
could ' conveniently hold on his
knees
"That's he real thing! Takes 'the
French to make an omelet!" as he
forked- into the golden mound.
"Light as a feather- What's the
matter? Letting yours get cold?"
"I dont think I want any," for
another sickening wave had claimed
her.
"Nonsense. You get busy don't
get an omelet like that every day.
Where's the butter? Didn't he bring
any?" ,
" At a disquieting lurch of the ship,
Itelen had dropped into her berth,
but now she rose to hand him 'the
butter from the other tray.
"Sweet butter!" as he spread the
delicious unsaltcd butter served by
the French line. "Thought you were
crazy about it."
"I am, but I don't care for any
thing just now." .
"Sec here, vou'd better pitch in
i
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STATE FISM CAR
yflHcf STATE. SAME ATOEN-(3E0RQE KOSTER
state -'can take advjyuage of' the
sport that is made possible by the
work of the Gretna, Uenkleman
inci Valentine fish hatcheries.
Close to Railway.
1 he shallow lake at Peru. lo
cated close to the Burlington rail
way, and so economical for work
ing, is a splendid supplement for
the slate fish hatcheries. It pro
vides the fish for hoi pblloi. They
arc the kind that the man of fam
ily can afford to go for when he
takes his brood out for a day with
nature anoNan old-fashioned fish
ing trip. They are the kind of
fisn that can be cawht with a
cane pole, a cotton line, a com
mon fish hoqk, with a worm for;
bsit. Bullhead and crappie, with
the ring perch,' will bite for the
common man and his family and
will afford the same modicum of
sport, relatively, that the aristo
cratic rainbow trout or. Oswego
bass will for the angler with his
costly outfit of steel' or split bamboo-
pole, silk": lines, v expensive
leaders ,and flies.
Enough for State.
There are enough fish in the lake
to supply all of the ponds, lakes,
creeks, rivers and other water
courses of the state with game. and
and eat a good breakfast that'll set
you up. I'll have a little more cof
fee. - Plenty of cream it's pretty
J strong. , v
Having poured him a second cup,
she gave him another roll and picked
up his napkin that had slid to the
floor. ,
"Now I tell you what I'd like to
finish off with a little preserves or
marmalade. See if there isn't some
in that basket."
Again Helen forced herself from
her berth to explore the steamer
basket. Under the fruit was a small
jar of salted nuts, another of stuffed
dates and a box of chocolates. ,
"Well, open the one the Stevens,
sent. I'll wager there's some in
that." '
"Dear, we don't want to open any
more we can't eat all this. I thought
I'd. take that large basket to the
Kcmpfords. They always entertain
us in London and they never come
to New York."
"Now sec here, this stuff was sent
to us to eat on the steamer'. We're
not going to lug it to London and
dole it out there. Here, you take
Ibis tray and give me that basket
I'll open it." ,
She set the tray in the only clear
space on the floor and draggeXl over
the basket too jheavy to lift. ""'
"Oh, save that paper. We'll want
to keep1 it covered."
But Warren ruthlessly tore off the
white glazed paper and dived into the
expensively-packed basket.
"Dear, dcrb careful it's so full."
stooping for a tangerine and a large
amber plum that rolled to the floor.
"Ah, I .thought so!" triumphantly.
"Here's the stuff to top off with,"
he. held up a tinv jar of strawberry
preserves. "Now open this-and hand
me back that tray."
Relieved of the basket, the tray
once more in his lap, he proceeded
AY
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INTEWOP- OF STATE
FISH CAR. - "ANGLER"
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food fish. 1 he supply will never
diminish, lor ft is constantly re
plenished from the Missouri river
with its inexhaustible stores of fish
life In fact, Majors lake is aven
table fish reservoir.
Ihe Honorable Lllis Good, rep
resentative from Nemaha county,
has called ine attention ot tne gov
ernor to the opportunities for re
plenishment of the waters of the
ftate with fish from this lake. He
has asked that an engineer from
the ' state highway -TfFpartment,
with .Superintendent O'Brien and
Warden Koster, make a survey of
the lake, ascertain what require
ments will be needed in diking and'
retaining the waters therein for
the preservation of the fish at all
seasons of the year.
Rates Are High.
... In the "even that this can be done
it is probable that an appropria
tion will be made to purchase the
tract and convert it into a fish,
pond, from which durmgf the sea
son the fish can be distributed all
over the state. MV. Koster says
that more than 30 cars of fish can
be taken from its waters each year
and that the greatest expense in
volved will be 4hat tf transporta-.
tion of the fish car. j.
This year the appropriation was
L
to dispatch several slices of toast
liberally spread with sweet butter
and strawberry preserves.
"Not a bad breakfast. They do
you well on this boat," leaning back
in well-fed content. "Ring for the
steward to take out these trays and
we'll 'have a. good snooze until
lunch." ''.;.:,
" "Dear, I know I . can't sleep,"
touching the bell by her berth. "Im
beginning to feel seasick."
"Don't start coddling yourself. ,If
you pull a long face of course,
you'll be sick. It's all- imagination
everybody"!! tell you that. What
about these rNew Tliought'"lectures
that set you back a 10 spot? Here's
a chance to ring in" some of that
dope."
"I am trying' steadying the cof
fee pot," which toppled threateningly.
"But I want to get out on deck in
the fresh air."
"Yes, and it'll take you an hour to
dress. .You'll be puttering around so
I can't sleep. Plenty of air in here.
TheNporthoies open what more do
you want?"
A heavier lurch' sent her swaying
against the washstand. Again the
sick nausea swept over her. Too
wretched to combat his inconsider
ate selfishness, she sank on the edge
of her berth. .
"Oh, I wanted to get out!" help
lessly. "The motion's much worse
dowtLlicre and it's getting rougher
every moment."
"Rough? Yon don't call this
rough for a winter trip? If you feel
rocky get back into bed. No sense
stirring around. liat and sleep
that's all you want to do on ship
board. Now I'm going to rest up
on this trip. You lie down there
and stop your fussing or the nr'
time vou won't get further than the
dock!"
(Copyright, 1920, Mabel Herbert Harper.)
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-Photos by Newman, of Peru.
so small and the rates so high that
I' is work with the car was limited.
In a number of 'cases, especially in
those of Wayne and Fremout, citi
izens in the respective communi- "
ties defrayed the cost of replen- '
' ishing the waters near their towns
with the fish taken from Majors
lake, "
Contigious to Majors lake, but
closer to the Missouri river, is an
other lake of considerable area, -and
which, is accessible for the fish '
car, which is literally teeming with "
fish of a different species. The ,
- varieties found therein are the blue,
yellow and channel catfish, which
only propagate in running water. ;
These Are Impounded.
These fish were impounded dur-
ing overflows ot-the nearby river,
and they are now of considerable
size. From this lake could be
stocked such streams as" the Blue,
if Republican, Elkiiorn. Verdigris.
Niobrara, Wood, Beaver and
North Loup.rivers, and the count-'
less living -streams and creeks in
the state. '
This would not only be a work'
of conservation in the develop
ment of a vast supply of food fish
in the state, but it would also in
crease the possibilities for in
dulgence in the sport of angling
in sections where this is noiv prac
tically impossible because of the
lack f fish .life in the overfished
streams, especially in the more ac
cessible and- densely .populated
portions of the r.1ate. V ' .
Ecortomy of Handling.
These lakes could also, be; used
for the stocking of private, ponds
.and lakes of the state where tisli
could be' raised in large" quanti-.
ties for food purposes There arc
several large ponds on forms-' in
this art of the state which are
bringing in a good revenue to the
cwticrs.
The possibilities of these lakes
as an auxiliary to the state fish
hatcheries where the finer game
fish are propogated in limited
quantities,-and rather expensively,
arc limitless, both" because of vast
production and economy of
handling.
As it is now the lakes Tire neg
lected and the tons and tons ot
fish life, laboriously produced hy
nature, arc doomed to annual de
struction by nature itself. The laws
will not permit citizens of the state '
to seine or caich the game fish
and save them for food even when
the lakes arc drying up or freez
ing over.
Game Warden Koster estimates
that the smaller sized fish which he
transplanted from Majors lake to s
Carter lake, and the waters about
Fremont and Wayne, will be large
enough to catch in three years. A
large proportion of them will bite .
and be worth Inking home the
coining spring and summer. There
is promise of good .sport for the v
man of family and his aids the .
coming year.
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