6/2
Unlawful Fishing Must Stop.
The meeting at the Opera House last evening was not large, but those present made up by enthusiasm and effective work for the lack of numbers. Hiram Potts was chosen chairman and A. R. Kedzie, secretary. The Hon. Chas. S. Hampton, state game warden, was introduced and made an eloquent and vigorous appeal to the citizens of Grand Haven and Spring Lake to uphold the law and protect their rights against the lawless fishermen who are daily and nightly devastating our waters of their greatest wealth and our respective towns of their greatest attractiveness as resorts. The statement was made by the speaker, that Grand Haven and Spring Lake have natural resort advantages far superior to any on the lake shore, and yet the volume of resort business was small compared to some of the others. He estimated that $250,000 was spent by resorts at Petosky every season. Mr. Hampton was followed by Geo. W. McBride, Dr. Brown and A. Bilz, and others urging the necessity for organization and vigorous united action.
The following resolutions were then offered by Mr. Bilz and adopted by the meeting:
RESOLVED, That it is the sense of this meeting that an organization be formed, to be called the Ottawa Fish and Game Protection Association, for the preservation of fish and game in the vicinity of Grand Haven and Spring Lake.
RESOLVED, That subscriptions be solicited from all interested in the enforcement of said laws, the subscription to be paid in 10 per cent assessments and used by the officers of the association to secure the enforcement of the law, the punishment of violators and the destruction of nets used to violate the law.
Officers of the association were then elected as follows: President, A. Bilz; Vice Pres., J. Brandis; Sec’, Geo. P. Savidge; Treas., W. H. Loutit; Executive Committee, W. L. R. Andres, J. VanderVeen, H. Harbeck, John Calkins, P. DeWitt.
Money for the association to the amount of $266 was subscribed last night as follows: J. Calkin, $50; C.S. Hampton, $25; E. A. Dewitt, $25; Geo. M. McBride, $25; J. Brandstetter, $25; E. A. Harbeck, $10; C. P. Brown, $10; A. Falls, $10; S. O. Eames, $10; H. Volt, $10. The meeting then adjourned to meet tomorrow, (Wednesday) night at Spring Lake.
6/17
Communicated.
Why is it that the good people of Grand Haven and Spring Lake are indifferent to the natural advantages that they possess as a summer resort. It is strange that the summer tourists pass by Grand Haven, the saratoga of the west. I have taken some pains to inquire the cause of this and find that the people of Grand Haven and Spring Lake have neglected the most important attraction that the summer visitor is in quest of, and that is the fishing grounds that surround Grand Haven and Spring Lake. Now what is the cause of the poor fishing in the Grand river and the water connecting it? It is because they have allowed a few persons to fish with nets in violation of the laws of the state, but the people finally woke up and found the cause that has taken the summer visitors past the most natural fishing grounds that exist on the east shore of Lake Michigan. Now, gentlemen of Grand Haven and Spring Lake, put your shoulders to the wheel and stop this illegal fishing with nets in the Grand river and adjacent waters, and don’t stop until you have got the last fish net and you will have what the summer visitor is in quest of, and that is fish that can be caught with hook and line and the kind of fishing that existed here ten or twelve years ago, and I can assure that when you have as good as black bass fishing as you had years ago, you will find that people who intend spending a few weeks or more at some summer resort will come to Grand Haven, where they can enjoy the cool breezes of Lake Michigan. Tourists have the best of direct steamboat and railway facilities to reach Grand Haven from the east, south and west.
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