of us and fear of
competition from their own class.

Four or five years since I put in some 300,000 salmon fry into the
Mattawamkeag at Bancroft, Eaton, Kingsmore, and at Mattawamkeag village.
There are three dams between Mattawamkeag and Bancroft--none less than
12 feet high. About six weeks since Mr. Nathaniel Sweat, a railroad
conductor on the European and North American Railroad, while fishing for
trout from a pier above the railroad bridge at Bancroft, hooked a large
salmon and lost his line and flies. Salmon in great numbers have been
continually jumping below the first dam, which is called "Gordon's
Falls."

My colleague, Everett Smith, of Portland, a civil engineer, while making
a survey for a fishway, counted 15 salmon jumping in 30 minutes. A Mr.
Bailey, who is foreman of the repair shop at Mattawamkeag walked up to
the falls some three weeks since entirely out of curiosity excited by
the rumors of the sight, and counted 60 salmon jumping in about an hour,
within half or three-quarters of a mile of the falls. This is on the
Mattawamkeag, which is a great tributary of the Penobscot.

On the east branch of the Penobscot there has been a great run of
salmon. An explorer on the Wassattaquoik reported the pools literally
black with salmon. A party of poachers, hearing the rumor, went in from
the town of Hodgon and killed 25. I inclose you a letter to me from Mr.
Prentiss, one of our most wealthy and prominent merchants, which speaks
for itself: I will be obliged to you if you will return this, as I shall
have occasion to use it in my report.

On the West branch of the Penobscot I hear reports of large numbers of
salmon, but the breaking of the two great dams at Chesancook and the
North Twin Dam, which holds back the great magazine of water of the
great tributary lakes which feed the Penobscot, which is used to drive
the logs cut in the winter, through the summer's drought, has let up all
the fish which hitherto were held back until the opening of the gates to
let the logs through. These fish would not, of course, be seen, as they
would silently make their way up.

I regret that I have nothing of more value to give you. Hoping that this
small contribution may at least cheer you as it has me,

I remain, truly, yours,

E. M. STILWELL, Commissioner of Fisheries for State of Maine.

* * * * * *

Prof. SPENCER F. BAIRD,
United States Commissioner Fish and Fisheries.
BANGOR, Octobe