Penobscot River
1843 Petition of Ware Eddy and others seeking repeal of the fish preservation
laws on the Penobscot River
"To the Honorable Legislature of the State of Maine
Respectfully represent, We the undersigned, citizens of Towns bordering
on the Penobscot River, that owing to the obstructions in said river Fish
that have been wont to pass up and breed in said river have greatly diminished.
A few Salmon and Shad only pass up during the spring freshets and Alewives
are hardly seen at all. The many Mills that have been erected and the dams
necessary to keep the Mills in operation together with the vast amount of
logs and other timber driven down the river in the season most propitious
for the passage of fish up have tended to destroy many of the fish or drive
them into other waters --
And as it is not to be presumed that the lumber operations on said river
will be suspended, or even restricted, on account of the lesser interest
(fishing), the expediency of continuing the present fish law is rendered
more than doubtful, or indeed of making any law for the preservation of
fish upon said River or the waters thereof. The Law is onerous, expensive
and altogether inefficient. It creates officers whose salaries are paid
by towns where no adequate service is rendered more to the towns than the
public at large. It increases our taxes without an equivalent and it does
not effect any good purpose. Where lumbering is carried on to the extent
that it is on this River fish are driven off and all the Laws in the world
will not bring them back unless the greater interest is (?) in the less.
We therefore pray you to take this subject into consideration and inquire
into the expediency of repealing all fish laws operating or designed for
the Penobscot River or its tributary waters, which will relieve them from
the expense we are now subjected to and from officers we have no voice in
making. And as in duty bound pray."
Ware Eddy and numerous others
Nov. 30, 1843.
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